Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max will use battery cells with increased energy density, offering either longer battery life with the same size battery as the current iPhone 15 Pro Max. Or it could offer equivalent battery life with a smaller battery, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo’s comments came in his latest supply chain survey. He says the energy density (Wh/kg) of the battery cells in the iPhone 16 Pro Max will increase, which “has the benefit of longer battery life with the same battery size or lower battery size with the same battery life.”
Apple will use a stainless steel battery case for the first time as a thermal solution to avoid battery overheating, says Kuo.
Stainless steel is not as effective as aluminum in dissipating heat, but it is more robust and less susceptible to corrosion. The use of a stainless steel battery case also reduces the difficulty of removing the battery, which will help Apple comply with the European Union’s requirements for mobile phone batteries’ replaceability in the future.
Kuo says Sunway will be a major supplier of the stainless steel battery cases. If the new battery design performs well, Kuo believes the design will be adopted across all iPhone 17 models next year.
Apple will likely unveil the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup around mid-September.