According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, there’s a possibility we could get a longer battery life on the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max, which will be expected to launch later this year.
Kuo links his claim to his recently released supply chain survey (via MacRumors), where he predicts that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will likely feature battery cells with increased energy density (essentially Wh/kg). There are two probable scenarios this could lead to. We will either get a longer battery life with the same battery size or the same battery life but a smaller battery on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Kuo also predicts a stainless steel battery case for the phone itself instead of aluminum. He explains that a battery with increased energy density will also heat up considerably more. The battery case needs a stainless steel enclosure as a thermal solution to tackle this. Kuo explains that while stainless steel is not as efficient at heat dissipation as the current aluminum being used, it is “more robust and less susceptible to corrosion,” so it will hold up against the increased heat fairly well.
Another reason why Apple might turn to stainless steel battery cases for the iPhone 16 Pro Max is because it makes removing the battery easier. Battery replaceability is currently a pain on the iPhone, and the European Union isn’t happy about it. After the demand to start using USB-C ports, the EU now requires Apple to make their iPhone batteries easier to replace.
Kuo believes that if the increased battery energy density and stainless steel case are adopted and are a success, Apple might include that in all models of the iPhone 17 next year.