Apple Increases iPhone 15's Advertised Battery Lifespan

Apple today announced that it retested the batteries in all iPhone 15 models and determined that they are able to meet a higher bar.

iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature Gray
In a support document updated today, Apple says the batteries in the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity at 1,000 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions, compared to the 500 charge cycles it advertises for all older iPhone models.

Apple told MacRumors that its latest testing for iPhone 15 models involved charging and discharging the battery 1,000 times under specific conditions, but it did not provide any exact details about the process. Apple added that it has continually made improvements to iPhone battery components and its power management system.

This revelation means that it could take longer for the maximum battery capacity of iPhone 15 models to decline to 80% compared to previous iPhone models. However, Apple said it is "investigating" the battery lifespans of older iPhone models, so a comparison based on the latest testing parameters remains to be seen.

In its support document, Apple says the battery lifespan of any iPhone model ultimately depends on how the device is regularly used and charged.

To view an iPhone's battery capacity, open the Settings app and tap Battery → Battery Health & Charging. On iPhone 15 models updated to the latest iOS 17.4 beta, the menu is now simply called Battery Health and shows more info at a glance.

This news was first reported by 9to5Mac.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
top stories 2025 12 04a

Top Stories: iOS 26.2 Coming Soon, Apple Execs Depart, and More

Saturday December 6, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public. There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...

Top Rated Comments

till Avatar
24 months ago
Admittedly it's only been five months, but I've been strictly using the 80% Limit option on my iPhone 15 Pro and the max capacity is still 100%. I'm optimistic that it'll easily last my typical ~5 years between phone upgrades.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FattiesGoneWild Avatar
24 months ago
Launch day 14 Pro Max down to 86% ?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farmboy Avatar
24 months ago

It is unbelievable how easy people are manipulated by Apple. They used recycled batteries in the 14 series hence the short battery lifecycle. They did the same with the 15 series but this time as marketing. At the same time telling users not to charge and use the battery over 80%! Of course it will degrade slower, do not get us started how the iOS code manipulated the statistic so users feel relieved. They did this with iPhone 4 cellular issue's you holding it wrong and performance gate iPhone 6.
You are wrong, or at least misstating. Apple uses about 25% recycled COBALT in their batteries, not "recycled batteries". All phone makers, indeed all portable electronic devices, use as much recycled cobalt as they can.

The recycling is done for several reasons: 1) because cobalt is a very expensive raw material, and because most of it comes from the Congo, where that mining is rife with human abuse; 2) Because it is environmentally unwise to mine the lithium cobalt; 3) Because it is environmentally unwise to just junk the old batteries; 4) Recycled cobalt charges just as efficiently and as much as new cobalt.

The cathode material is Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2), the anode is carbon graphite while the electrolyte is a solid polymer such as polyethylene oxide or polyacrylonitrile or similar. The LiCoO2 coats aluminum collectors while the graphite coats copper collectors.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chfilm Avatar
24 months ago
Great - so I can enjoy the absolutely mediocre battery in my 15 pro for even longer ?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jarman92 Avatar
24 months ago
Happy to see Apple clearly heard the widespread complaints about the 14 series' horrendous battery longevity and made some changes.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ethanwa79 Avatar
24 months ago

It is unbelievable how easy people are manipulated by Apple. They used recycled batteries in the 14 series hence the short battery lifecycle. They did the same with the 15 series but this time as marketing. At the same time telling users not to charge and use the battery over 80%! Of course it will degrade slower, do not get us started how the iOS code manipulated the statistic so users feel relieved. They did this with iPhone 4 cellular issue's you holding it wrong and performance gate iPhone 6.
It unbelievable how incorrect your statement is. They don't use "recycled batteries" in their products. It's MATERIALS. Big difference.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)