Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max reportedly getting brand new battery with higher energy density and stainless steel housing

The Apple iPhone 16 series is expected to be officially unveiled in around four months. According to the latest information from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which apparently stems from sources in Apple's supply chain, the successor to the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the only model in the iPhone 16 series to receive a brand new battery with a higher energy density.

This means that the battery will either have more power per kilogram (Wh / kg), which means that Apple can either achieve a higher capacity with the same battery size, or the same capacity in a smaller battery. According to earlier rumors, the battery of the iPhone 16 Pro Max will increase from 4,441 mAh to 4,676 mAh, i.e., by 5.2%, while the battery of the iPhone 16 Plus without the new battery technology is actually expected to shrink. It remains to be seen whether this will result in longer battery life, as the screen diagonal is expected to increase from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches at the same time.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the battery temperatures will be higher due to the higher energy density, which is why Apple is using stainless steel housing, as is already the case with the 41 mm Apple Watch Series 9. The metal not only dissipates waste heat more effectively, but also makes the battery more robust against external impacts, which should make replacing the battery easier without damaging it. If mass production goes according to plan, all four models in the iPhone 17 series may well receive comparable batteries next year.