A new metal-encased iPhone battery should allow for longer battery life, according to Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says the new design should allow for higher energy density, resulting in a longer battery life.
Kuo made a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kuo said:
The EU regulates that by 2027, all smartphones must be equipped with replaceable batteries. The new iPhone’s adoption of a stainless steel battery case not only reduces the difficulty of removing the battery to meet EU regulations but also allows Apple to increase the battery cell density by 5-10% while meeting safety requirements, achieving two goals at once.
In February, we saw claims that the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery life could possibly last for over 30 hours for the first time ever.
A new European Union law requires smartphone makers to make batteries owner-replaceable using easily accessible tools by 2025. Apple plans to meet the new requirements by using a process called electrically-induced adhesive debonding, which involves encasing the battery in metal instead of foil. The battery can be dislodged from the chassis very quickly using electricity.
Unfortunately, it is believed that Apple will still require specialist tools to take an iPhone apart, just like the current models.
The new battery replacement method is expected to debut in at least one iPhone 16 model later this year, likely extending to all versions of the iPhone 17 in 2025.