X tipster Majin Bu has shared several images of the iPhone 16 battery. Surprisingly, the battery comes in a metal case instead of a soft foil package . Although at first it appears to be a dummy unit, upon closer inspection it appears to be a real battery with an additional metal casing on top of the plastic foil packaging.
The metal casing is said to improve heat dissipation
The battery retains the usual shape, but has a higher capacity of 3597 mAh compared to the iPhone 15's 3349 mAh. The battery capacity is engraved on the metal surface.
While the exact reason for Apple's return to a rigid body design is unknown, reports mention that it may be aimed at dissipating heat from the battery quickly. The iPhone 15 series did suffer from overheating after launch. While this issue has also been resolved for most people with subsequent software updates, further improvements in heat dissipation are expected with this battery change.
Inside the metal case, there may be another battery technology
iPhone 13 Pro Max and 14 Pro Max weigh a staggering 240 grams, which is heavier than the foldable Honor Magic V2 (231g), which can be folded like a book. Last year Apple replaced the middle frame from stainless steel with titanium. As a result, the iPhone 15 Pro Max became 19 g lighter than its predecessor.
The extra metal body for the battery will make the iPhone 16 heavier compared to the iPhone 15 weighing 171g. The larger battery capacity should also increase the weight of the device.
In addition, the use of a metal body also takes up a lot of precious internal space, which was also one of the main reasons smartphone manufacturers switched to much thinner plastic foil packaging. Soft packaging is also safer as it allows the gas (if formed in an accident) to expand and escape easily from the battery without risking the life of the user.
With this in mind, there may be new battery technology inside that needs rigid case, but may not have the same risk of explosion. It could also offer a higher energy density, otherwise the phone would have to get thicker to house the 3,597mAh metal battery. For example, vivo X Fold3 Pro has a battery with a capacity of 5700 mAh (the largest battery among foldables). The battery contains a relatively new composite material, silicon carbide (Si/C).