iPhone 16 Pro Teardown Video Reveals Metal-Enclosed Battery and More

[MacRumors]

YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 16 Pro teardown video, offering a first look inside of the device following its release.

Notably, the video reveals that the smaller iPhone 16 Pro is equipped with a metal-enclosed battery, confirming a rumor from last year. The battery has a capacity of 3,582 mAh, which matches the figure that surfaced earlier this week in a Brazilian regulatory filing. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro has a 3,274 mAh battery.

According to Apple, some iPhone 16 batteries use an adhesive that can be easily loosened with low-voltage electrical current, such as from a 9V battery. TechCrunch said this change applies to the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but not to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The teardown video did not test the low-voltage removal process on the iPhone 16 Pro, but it does reveal that the device's battery still has adhesive pull tabs, which suggests that the new process might indeed be limited to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

Meanwhile, a separate teardown video appears to show that the iPhone 16 Pro Max still has a battery enclosed in black foil instead of metal.

Apple announced that all four iPhone 16 models feature internal design changes for improved heat dissipation. In the teardown video, the iPhone 16 Pro's chassis appears to have a larger thermal sheet compared to the iPhone 15 Pro. Metal-enclosed batteries could also contribute to the heat dissipation improvements.

The video also reveals that the iPhone 16 Pro has a slightly more compact logic board compared to the one in the iPhone 15 Pro, and a few other changes.

Repair website iFixit will likely share its own iPhone 16 teardowns later.

Article Link: iPhone 16 Pro Teardown Video Reveals Metal-Enclosed Battery and More

 

[Ameer_1]

Let me guess you get only about an hour extra

 

[thadoggfather]

What is the point of that metal shielding? To keep temperatures down on the battery and hopefully prolonged battery health?

 

[jarman92]

Repair website iFixit will likely share more comprehensive iPhone 16 teardowns later.

Probably not. They used to share comprehensive teardowns, but now they release a cursory video where they spend 75% of the time trying to be witty, taking shots at Apple, and opining on public policy.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Probably not. They used to share comprehensive teardowns, but now they release a cursory video where they spend 75% of the time trying to be witty, taking shots at Apple, and opining on public policy.

I still think their videos usually provide a bit more detail about what we're looking at, but I'll just drop the word "comprehensive" there.

 

[cateye]

What is the point of that metal shielding? To keep temperatures down on the battery and hopefully prolonged battery health?

It's explained in the actual article: It allows a low voltage to be applied to the outside of the battery which causes the special, electrically-sensitive adhesive holding it in place to release more easily, aiding repair/replacement.

The traditional method is pull tabs (something like a 3M Contact Strip where changing the shape of the substrate causes the adhesion to release) but they don't always work very well and can damage the battery in the process.

 

[Return Zero]

"Metal-enclosed batteries could also contribute to the heat dissipation improvements."

I was wondering about this after most 16 Pro benchmarks came in slightly ahead of the 16 Pro Max, which was opposite of last year (it's within error margin but still fairly consistent from the early reviews I've seen).

However the battery life improvements on the 16 Pro aren't as impressive as those on the 16 Pro Max, somehow. Still, as a 16 Pro buyer, I'll take what I can get.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

It's explained in the actual article: It allows a low voltage to be applied to the outside battery which causes the special, electrically-sensitive adhesive holding it in place to release more easily, aiding repair/replacement.

You have it backwards. The electrically released adhesive is used on the 16/Plus, which do not have metal enclosed batteries.

The 16 Pro/Max have metal enclosed batteries with pull tabs, for whatever reason.

 

[Chunk72]

Amazing how small they have gotten the logic boards on the phones these days.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

You have it backwards. The electrically released adhesive is used on the 16/Plus, which do not have metal enclosed batteries.

The 16 Pro/Max have metal enclosed batteries with pull tabs, for whatever reason.

16 Pro Max doesn't have a metal-enclosed battery seemingly:

It's admittedly quite confusing.

 

[OMGwtfBBQwings]

why doesn’t PM have a metallic case?

 

[california_kid]

I'm guessing a very small piece of my iPhone 4 was recycled to make that metal shield.

 

[redbeard331]

What is the point of that metal shielding? To keep temperatures down on the battery and hopefully prolonged battery health?

That’s the rumor, and the pro max didn’t get it lol, gotta make sure people upgrade again next year.

 

[Gloor]

The teardown actually shows that iPhone 16 Pro Max doesn't have metal battery enclosure though

You have it backwards. The electrically released adhesive is used on the 16/Plus, which do not have metal enclosed batteries.

The 16 Pro/Max have metal enclosed batteries with pull tabs, for whatever reason.

 

[JPack]

The 16 Pro/Max have metal enclosed batteries with pull tabs, for whatever reason.

The 16 Pro Max teardown video in this very thread shows the Pro Max has a regular black foil battery.

 

[JPack]

why doesn’t PM have a metallic case?

Probably because the heat problem most affects the smaller Pro.

There is no reason for a fully encased metal shield if it were for electrically sensitive adhesive reasons. Only the back or small portions would be needed be covered with metal.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Well now I'm just confused. What is it with Apple and varying the interior construction of their phones?

 

[BigDO]

Is there any site comparing 13 Pro to 16 Pro in battery life?

 

[samven582]

where's the vapor chamber

 

[cdsapplefan]

where's the vapor chamber

The vapor chamber will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max next year. No other iPhone 17 will have the vapor chamber.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

where's the vapor chamber

 

[JPack]

Teardown of the iPhone 16 shows no metal encased battery. Apple says it's using the new adhesive. So it's clear the metal case has nothing to do with the adhesive.

 

[jarman92]

I still think their videos usually provide a bit more detail about what we're looking at, but I'll just drop the word "comprehensive" there.

Haha thanks for the update! But was really just commenting, not criticizing the article 😅

 

[tipoo]

Looks like on the Pro, the chip isn't above and more centered like they said for the 16. Still looking for if theres differences in the new cooling systems between them

 

[BorisDG]

16 Pro Max doesn't have a metal-enclosed battery seemingly:

It's admittedly quite confusing.

If the primary purpose is for heat dissipation, the size of the Max makes it unnecessary.