Leaked Photo Reveals Huge Battery Upgrade for iPhone 18 Pro Max

Recent reports have indicated that Apple is planning to enhance the battery capacity of its largest iPhone Pro model this year. A new leak has surfaced, featuring a photo alleged to be of the actual battery, confirming this speculation.

Back in July, a screenshot from China’s 3C regulatory database, shared by Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station, revealed the battery capacities for the upcoming models. The information suggested that the US models would receive a 4,288 mAh battery for the iPhone 18 Pro and a 5,567 mAh battery for the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The Chinese models, on the other hand, were listed with slightly smaller batteries – 4,056 mAh and 5,391 mAh, respectively – due to the inclusion of a physical SIM slot. This trend was introduced by Apple in the previous iPhone 17 lineup, utilizing the extra space in eSIM-only models to accommodate slightly larger batteries, a trend that seems to continue with the iPhone 18 Pro models.

Another photo has emerged on Korea’s Naver, showcasing what appears to be an iPhone battery from various angles, with a close-up of a regulatory label clearly indicating “5391mAh” at the standard 3.907 V.

As mentioned in the post, this figure matches the one from the Chinese 3C certification database. A table accompanying the photo reaffirms this number, while also reiterating the higher 5,567 mAh value for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. While there are no physical photos supporting the latter, it is reasonable to assume that if the SIM-equipped model aligns with the earlier report, the eSIM-only model is likely to follow suit.

This enhancement would signify a 10–12 percent increase for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, a slightly larger boost compared to the 8 percent increment seen in the current model over its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Unfortunately, leaked specifications so far suggest that the smaller iPhone 18 Pro may not see a significant improvement. While the US iPhone 17 Pro experienced a substantial increase of almost 19 percent over the iPhone 16 Pro, this year’s 6.3-inch model is expected to remain relatively unchanged.

Here’s a comparison of battery capacities over the past two years and the predictions for the eSIM-only models:

Although there are no corroborating photos yet for the 4,288 mAh capacity of the smaller iPhone 18 Pro, it aligns with what another leaker, Fixed Focus Digital, shared in early June.

Due to the physical SIM card slot, the batteries in iPhone 17 Pro models sold in China and other countries are 265 mAh smaller than their US counterparts. If the leaked numbers are accurate, this discrepancy will lessen slightly with the iPhone 18 Pro models; the Chinese iPhone 18 Pro is expected to have only a 232 mAh difference compared to the eSIM-only version, while the gap for the iPhone 18 Pro Max may decrease to 176 mAh.

Despite these variations, improvements in battery life are anticipated across the board. Apple’s A20 Pro chips are likely to be more power-efficient, and the rumored inclusion of Apple’s C2 5G modem in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup should further reduce power consumption. If the leaked figures hold true, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is likely to offer significantly better battery life than the standard Pro model.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]