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MySmartPrice has spotted certifications for three new Apple batteries that it believes could be for the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, despite them being less capacitive than the batteries in the current iPhone 11 series.

fouriphones2020.jpg

The batteries are identified with the model numbers A2471, A2431, and A2466, and appear on Safety Korea, China's 3C, and the Danish agency UL Demko.

Apple is expected to release four iPhones this fall, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model. MySmartPrice has interpreted the different capacities as belonging to the following iPhone 12 models (assuming the higher end iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro share the same battery):
  • Apple iPhone 12 (5.4-inch) – A2471 – 2,227mAh
  • Apple iPhone 12 Max (6.1-inch) – A2431 – 2,775mAh
  • Apple iPhone 12 Pro (6.1-inch) – A2431 – 2,775mAh
  • Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7-inch) – A2466 – 3,687mAh
Apple improved the capacity of its batteries in the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, which have both heavier and thicker batteries than those used in the previous XS and XS Max models. The iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,046 mAh battery, up from the 2,658 mAh battery in the iPhone XS, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969 mAh battery, up from the 3,174 mAh battery in the iPhone XS Max.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the largest battery life of any iPhone ever, lasting up to five hours longer than the iPhone XS Max per charge.

If these batteries are indeed destined for the iPhone 12 series, the numbers are likely to disappoint some waiting for Apple's next smartphone lineup. The capacities are especially discouraging given that Apple suppliers were reportedly developing a custom battery protection module that's 50 percent smaller and thinner than the same component in previous iPhones.

The rumored iPhone 12 series could also have higher battery demands than previous iPhones, meaning Apple would have to make some serious energy efficiency improvements to make them last as long as current-generation models. All four devices are expected to have OLED displays, 5G support, a new iPhone 4-like metal frame, up to 6GB of RAM, up to triple-lens rear cameras with 3D sensing, and more.

Article Link: Possible 'iPhone 12' Battery Certifications Suggest Lower Capacities Than iPhone 11 Series
 
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console65

macrumors newbie
Jul 11, 2020
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6
I know efficiency gains from going down to 5nm can make up for some of the loss of capacity but that still won’t help them maintain the same battery life of the 11’s.

Or does Apple have some magic up their sleeves to help them break even or, dare I say, increase battery life.
 

ksec

macrumors 68020
Dec 23, 2015
2,204
2,544
Apple is reaping the benefits of the 5 nm process node.

This bodes well for A14 series chip performance. Bring on the new Arm Macs!

The SoC itself uses very little energy in terms of the whole iPhone package. So I doubt it has to do with 5nm.

For iPhone Pro that is kind of expected to have less space if they included the mmWave Antenna. I am not sure why they have lower battery size for 12. May have to do with OLED being efficient so they decided with a smaller one.

I am partly guessing the 14nm Intel Modem are so inefficient, using 7nm Qualcomm Modem actually brings more benefits.
 

M3gatron

Suspended
Sep 2, 2019
799
600
Spain
Battery life is more important than overall capacity.

If they can increase efficiency and make do with a smaller battery then kudos to Apple.

Gut feel says this smells off. There is more to this than we currently know. I have faith!!
Yeah but what if they improve the efficiency and at least keep the same battery size? How does that sound vs making the battery smaller?
 

Nordichund

macrumors 6502
Aug 21, 2007
493
264
Oslo, Norway
I know there is a debate about whether 5G uses more juice than 4G or whether changing between the two drains the battery faster. Anyway I can't wait, but I will be waiting for the 2nd 5G generation before I buy, when everyone will have a better overview of 5G about what it can offer and the tech will be more streamlined.
 
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PBG4 Dude

macrumors 601
Jul 6, 2007
4,255
4,467
I wonder if this is because Apple supposedly increased battery size in the 11 series so they could wirelessly charge AirPods but now that they’ve decided not to do that, they’re removing the extra battery power that had been put in to support this now abandoned functionality?
 

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
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Here
Speaking selfishly for me, the iPhone 11 Pro crossed a pretty important threshold for me in terms of battery life as I now have a couple of extra hours at the end of each day. Again, solely for my uses, I would trade up a little bit of battery life to get rid of some of the weight. The iPhone 11 Pro is very heavy for a portable smart phone device.
 
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