Apple Says iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus Batteries Can Be Removed With Low-Voltage Electrical Current - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Says iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus Batteries Can Be Removed With Low-Voltage Electrical Current

by

Apple has confirmed to publications including Engadget that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a new electrically-induced battery removal process.

iphone 16 design
The batteries use a type of adhesive that can be loosened with low-voltage electrical current, such as from a 9V battery, according to Apple. The battery can then be easily removed from the devices, with this new process considered to be easier than the adhesive pull tabs that are found under batteries in some previous iPhone models.

This news seemingly confirms that the batteries in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have metal enclosures, which should be revealed in teardowns soon.

Notably, the electrically-induced battery removal process does not extend to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, according to TechCrunch.

It was previously reported that Apple was planning to make the batteries easier to remove in iPhone 16 models to comply with EU law. Apple previously announced that all four iPhone 16 models received an internal redesign for improved repairability and better heat dissipation, but specific details were not known until now.

All four iPhone 16 models launch on Friday.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...
Read Full Article
Instagram Feature 2

PSA: Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8

Tuesday May 5, 2026 8:24 am PDT by
Instagram will remove end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users from May 8, 2026. When the date comes around, Meta will potentially be able to see the contents of all messages between users on the social media platform. Encrypting messages has been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but in March of this year the social media platform quietly updated a help page to say ...
Read Full Article • 54 comments
iOS 26

Apple Says iOS 26.5 Adds Three New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday May 5, 2026 7:36 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 includes three new features for iPhones, according to Apple's release notes for the update, which is expected to be released next week. As discovered during beta testing, iOS 26.5 enables end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between iOS and Android devices. Apple says this security upgrade is limited to supported carriers around the world and will continue to roll out....
Read Full Article • 27 comments

Top Rated Comments

WarmWinterHat Avatar
WarmWinterHat
21 months ago
Spent all of elementary school practicing for this moment.

Attachment Image
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
vegetassj4
21 months ago
me trying to replace the iPhone battery with my homemade step down transformer



Attachment Image
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krspkbl Avatar
krspkbl
21 months ago
that seems awfully complicated.

there is no reason we can't go back to the way old phones connected batteries.



if they are worried about the battery moving then have it clip in or stick a tiny bit of adhesive but it shouldn't really be an issue... it's not like the battery has any space to move lol. that way all you gotta do is remove the screen and easily pull the battery out.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
con2apple Avatar
con2apple
21 months ago
That damn EU. Instead of investing in camera or battery life, Apple had to make battery replacement easier.

If you're angry about the tiny upgrade, direct your hatred at the European Parliament. This would never have been possible in the States.

/s
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
CarAnalogy
21 months ago

that seems awfully complicated.

there is no reason we can't go back to the way old phones connected batteries.



if they are worried about the battery moving then have it clip in or stick a tiny bit of adhesive but it shouldn't really be an issue... it's not like the battery has any space to move lol. that way all you gotta do is remove the screen and easily pull the battery out.
The thickness of that phone is a reason. People already complain about weight. Also, that phone is dead if it gets hit with any water.

I get where you're coming from, but I don't think plastic backed phones are gonna fly with the vast majority of people anymore. They could make the back easier to get off, but with all the magnetic charging and fancy stuff in there now, it seems about as easy as it could be. It's going to be more complicated no matter how you slice it because the phone itself is just more complicated now.

As for this glue specifically, it sounds like an improvement if it comes off easily and cleanly, which seems to have been an issue in many teardowns I've seen. With the tiny spaces they're working with, to be able to use a small precise amount helps a lot.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
MayaUser
21 months ago
did you hear this Samsung? please copy paste on your next models
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments