iPhone 18 Pro Max battery size just leaked – and it's bigger than we thought
If there was ever an iPhone to buy for the battery life, this might be it
📱 Apple might give the iPhone 18 Pro Max an even bigger battery than we thought
🔋 Regulatory filings reveal that its capacity could be close to 5,600mAh
⚙️ Combined with the upcoming A20 Pro chip, this could result in multi-day battery life
👀 The regular iPhone 18 Pro could also get a bigger battery than the 17 Pro
📆 Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro series in September
Apple’s next high-end iPhones could have the biggest batteries we’ve ever seen in an iPhone before. Rumors have suggested that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would have longer battery life than the 17 Pro series from last year, and according to regulatory filings through the China Compulsory Certification (via Digital Chat Station), it sounds like that’ll be true.
🔋 iPhone 18 Pro Max could have a huge battery
Digital Chat Station says that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will come with a 5,567mAh battery in the United States, which is a big upgrade over the 5,088mAh battery inside the iPhone 17 Pro Max. In China, the capacity will shrink a bit to 5,391mAh to make room for the physical SIM tray (something China still requires in every phone), but it’ll still serve as a big upgrade over the 17 Pro Max’s 4,823mAh battery in the territory.
The boost in battery size would dwarf what Samsung and Google have on the market by a noticeable margin. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, for example, has a 5,000mAh battery. Meanwhile, the rumored Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to come with an identical battery, which is a downgrade from the 5,200mAh cell in the Pixel 10 Pro XL. For Apple to beat both of its biggest competitors with the iPhone 18 Pro Max is stunning, to say the least, since Apple has famously kept its batteries smaller than other companies while maximizing efficiency in the past.
If the new battery size and rumored efficiency improvements in the A20 Pro chip work out to be true, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could have proper multi-day battery life. We’ll have to test it to know for sure, but it sounds promising nonetheless.
The same leak also highlights the regular iPhone 18 Pro’s battery. According to the filings, the 18 Pro will gain a 4,288mAh battery, a small jump compared to the 4,252mAh battery inside the 17 Pro. We don’t expect the same battery performance gains here as a result, but between the A20 Pro and iOS 27’s improved efficiency, there’s a good chance you’ll get a couple more hours of juice out of the 18 Pro.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to come with slightly thicker designs to accommodate bigger batteries, upgraded cameras, and more. Each device is said to come with the same screen sizes as the 17 Pro lineup, smaller Dynamic Islands, and the A20 Pro chip inside. It also looks like both phones will be offered in a snazzy new red finish, alongside a light blue.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro in September alongside the much-anticipated iPhone Fold. Meanwhile, the regular iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will all arrive next spring.
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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.