Apple is currently working on their next generation flagship iPhone series. The upcoming iPhone 16 lineup will hit the market by September. However, there have been speculations in the technology circles for the past few months about this series of smartphones. Various information has already been leaked online. And now a well-known tipster has shared some pictures of the Apple iPhone 16 battery pack. Surprisingly, the battery is seen with a metal casing instead of soft foil packaging. Although initially it looks like a dummy unit, on closer inspection it appears to be a real battery, with an additional metal casing over the plastic foil packaging. Let's find out what information has emerged about the battery of the Apple iPhone 16 handset.
The metal coating on the Apple iPhone 16 battery will improve heat dissipation
Tipster Majin Bu shared some live images of the iPhone 16 battery from his X (formerly Twitter) handle. As per the image, this battery pack retains the familiar shape, but offers a higher capacity of 3,597 mAh compared to the 3,349 mAh of the current generation iPhone 15. The battery capacity is written on the metal surface.
While the exact reason behind Apple's switch back to a hard casing design is unknown, reports suggest that it could be aimed at dissipating heat from the battery faster. The iPhone 15 series actually suffered from overheating issues after launch. Although the issue has been resolved by the next software update for most users, further improvements in heat dissipation are expected with this change to the battery.
Note that the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max weigh 240 grams, which is heavier than the book-style foldable Honor Magic V2 (231 grams). Last year Apple replaced the stainless steel mid-frame with titanium. As a result, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is 19 grams lighter than its predecessor. The extra metal casing for the battery could make the iPhone 16 model heavier than the 171 gram iPhone 15 phone. A higher battery capacity will also add some weight to the device.
Also, the use of a metal casing takes up a significant portion of valuable interior space, which was one of the biggest reasons behind many smartphone manufacturers switching to thin plastic foil packaging. Soft packaging is safer as it allows the gas (if formed due to an accident) to expand and easily escape from the battery pack, avoiding risk to the user's life.
That being said, the iPhone 16 may have a new battery technology inside the phone, which requires a tougher casing but may not carry the same risk of explosion. It could also offer a higher power density, as otherwise the phone would have to be thicker to house the 3,597 mAh metal-encased battery. For example, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro phone has a 5,700 mAh battery (the largest battery among existing foldable phones). This batter is made of a relatively new silicon carbide (Si/C) composite material.
