Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Alleged iPhone 16 Battery Details Show Smaller Capacity for One Model

Sippincider said:
Like an automaker, where you need to buy the premium package to get the good features and good drive train in the same freaking chassis.
Click to expand...
It goes farther than that: think about all of the engines that are exactly the same but electronically limited (like some CPU do).
Would producing a smaller engine be more ethical, even if it costed more than limiting a more powerful one?
Isn’t this exactly how selling software also works (the company spends absolutely nothing to deliver its products or different versions, you’re paying for the development).
I don’t love it either but its more a psychologically annoying thing than an unethical one.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: Account25476
klasma said:
Of course, the 15 Plus’ battery life was just too good.
Click to expand...

Was it? Outside of better 'spec sheet checklist' bragging rights did it lead to higher sales? The Plus has had similar issues that the Mini had in competing in a crowded iPhone line up. Apple appears to have thrown "max battery life" at the plus (e.g., 100 hours audio playback versus 95/75 for the Pro Max and Pro respectively. Also substantively better all-around for the 'plain' 15. ).

If the "more battery life" feature didn't substantively boost sales , then a pretty good chance Apple will just take better margins ( or probably less likely price reduction) on a slower unit moving phone. They would just settle for this phone being "bigger than a plain 16" and just leave it at that for differentiation. If that leads to roughly equal sales then it is a better fit with the rest of the line up. Some folks they will 'walk up' the product line to Pro version and others will fall into the plain iPhone.

It is a relatively weak differentiating feature when plain 15 users can just buy a MagSafe battery pack if maximum battery life was really the absolute top priority. $50 versus Apple's $100 for better battery life. That should be pretty competitive. Not sure why Apple would 'bet the farm' that would work on customers hyper focused on that narrow aspect.

It would also be a better fit when the 16 becomes the 'n-1' iPhone sold during the second year. If the iPhone 15 Plus didn't ramp sales higher it is going harder on the margins to sell when the volume goes down versus the iPhone 16 Plus over next sales cycle. That bigger, more expensive battery gets tougher in year 2 if it isn't offset by economies of scale benefits (over both years). If Apple sells the Plus in the 'n-2' slot on the 3rd year cycle... even more so. ( that would be longer than the 'Mini' iterated. )


P.S. Note the substantive increase in the 'plain' 16 battery size. It is going to have a bigger screen (which will incrementally 'eat' into Plus sales) and perhaps also longer battery life than 14/13/12/11 plain iPhone (if battery increase is relatively bigger than screen size increase power consumption) ... which again 'eats' into the battery life feature as a differentiator. ). When Apple makes the plain iPhone 'better' then the Plus gets squeezed from both sides ( 'plain' and Pro line up) even harder.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: SFjohn and _Mitchan1999
JosephAW said:
iPhone Mini Possibly? :rolleyes:
One can hope.
Click to expand...
One problem with the mini wasn't the size of the display, but the "mini" name. I'm convinced its name put off many of its potential sales. I've encountered this a couple of times with people who didn't want "a mini iPhone" only to change their mind when they actually got to use the device, which wouldn't have happened if not for me. "It's not actually that mini", one said, confused. I would instead make it 5.6" and drop the "mini" label. 5.6" is a good size for a regular phone, call the next size up Plus (6.2"), and the next size Max (6.8"): iPhone, iPhone Plus, iPhone Max — give each tri-rear cams and drop every other iPhone model including the titanium Pro lineup and all iPhone numbers. Simultaneously introduce a new SE model in the same three sizes with a processor two generations behind featuring one rear camera, and a 60Hz display ... simplicity!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Haha
  • Wow
Reactions: Tim Apple’s Glasses, gusmula and JosephAW
Sasparilla said:
Will have to see if this pans out, if it does - it's Apple doing the en********ation to the 16 Plus, I despise seeing in so many other tech companies (typically advertising based). Hopefully that is not the case, but we'll see.
Click to expand...
I agree. We will have to wait to see if:

A) This report is accurate and the iPhone 16 Plus actually comes with a reduced-capacity battery.

B) Whether there are mitigating factors that come with a reduced-capacity battery, such as a more efficient screen or a thinner, lighter phone.

C) Whether there are legitimate engineering reasons for a reduced-capacity battery - or whether it’s simply a cynical move designed to “differentiate” the iPhone Plus from the iPhone Pro Max.

I stress I am only speaking for myself when I say IF it actually turns out to be true and only a way to make the Pro Max more appealing, my 15 Plus will have been my final iPhone purchase - and possibly my final Apple purchase.
 
  • Wow
  • Like
Reactions: gusmula and _Mitchan1999
The real question is if they’ll be bringing leather back after the panned FineWoven cases have turned out to be flops?
 
dampfnudel said:
As much as some people would’ve liked to replace their 13 mini with a 16 mini, that unfortunately is not in the cards. So make peace with a larger phone, larger screen, more battery life and a better camera when it’s finally time to replace your mini. It is what it is.
Click to expand...
It's a phone. More battery life is the only thing the mini needs. Better camera? Why? I have a DSLR for when I want to take serious pictures. Need more screen than a mini? That's why I bought an iPad. Take some junk out of the mini to make the battery bigger.
 
Wonder why the Plus model alone is getting a reduction in capacity. Anyway will be good to see an increase for the Pro Max model.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gusmula
G4er? said:
It's a phone. More battery life is the only thing the mini needs. Better camera? Why? I have a DSLR for when I want to take serious pictures. Need more screen than a mini? That's why I bought an iPad. Take some junk out of the mini to make the battery bigger.
Click to expand...
I don’t think there was any “junk” in the mini to be taken out. We’re still waiting for stacked battery tech to show up on the Pro models, hopefully with the 16 Pro. That could help a hypothetical future mini last longer.
 
I'm hoping for a better battery life and battery health. At heavier usage the iPhones battery is wrecked too fast imho.
Have to change my battery every 2 years, annoying.
 
again crappy iphone 16 pro batterylife...
Why let the base iphone 16 get away with better battery life...
pump 3800mah in the iphone 16 PRO or it's not pro at all!
 
coffeemilktea said:
And here I had been thinking that Samsung was getting cheap by putting only a 5000 mAh battery in their most expensive phone (even Google, a company normally allergic to big batteries, put a slightly larger battery in their flagship), while Chinese OEMs just casually drop 5500+ mAh in their phones like it's no big deal.

Meanwhile, Apple... 😐
Click to expand...
MilliAmp hour does not directly correlate to more battery life.

Apples interested iOS likely allows them to keep this lower.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back