Apple To Upgrade iPhone 16 Design In Important Way, New Leak Claims

Updated July 3 with details of new report on how the design will be updated with a new processor across multiple models of iPhone 16 and Ming-Chi Kuo’s report of increased battery density.

The next iPhones, the iPhone 16 series, are expected to include models with an all-new battery design, with battery life amplified with a new, powerful processor. Everyone wants better battery life as well as more power and there’s also a suggestion we will be able to hold on to our iPhones for longer. The entire iPhone 16 series could feature the same new processor—unlike the iPhone 15 series which has one chip for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and a different one for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

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More than that, the added benefit of a battery clad in stainless steel instead of the foil currently used, offers greater battery cell density, according to a recent post on X from industry insider Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo says, “The EU regulates that by 2027, all smartphones must be equipped with replaceable batteries. The new iPhone’s adoption of a stainless steel battery case not only reduces the difficulty of removing the battery to meet EU regulations but also allows Apple to increase the battery cell density by 5-10% while meeting safety requirements, achieving two goals at once.”

And what would greater battery cell density mean? Greater battery life, which is probably the most popular thing any phone can offer. Of course, historically Apple has used this extra battery life to power more features, and since this fall’s iPhones will have Apple Intelligence—eventually—you can bet that battery life will be pushed hard by the new features. So, don’t expect the iPhone 16 models that have this new kind of battery will suddenly last for days. Apple is much more likely to spend the extra power on exciting new features and keep battery life the same as it is now.

A new report claims that code found by by Nicolás Alvarez and shared with MacRumors reveals multiple identifiers all with the same processor.

As the report points out: “Apple’s iPhones typically tie identifier to chip. Everything with the A16 chip has an identifier that starts with 15, and prior devices that had an A15 chip all had an identifier starting with 14. The same goes for the 13,x identifier (A14), and the 12,x identifier (A13).”

So, the evidence pointing to chips named iPhone17,1 along with iPhone17,2 and other similar suggest that every model in the new range this fall will have the same processor. And battery life is likely to be a beneficiary here, too as the new chips may champion efficiency along with power.

This doesn’t mean the chips will be identical in every way. For example there could be different numbers of graphics cores, which is something Apple has done in the past, and the naming could be different, for example A18 and A18 Pro.

All this seems very likely: Apple Intelligence needs a powerful processor, and Apple won’t want to leave the iPhone 16 out of the Apple Intelligence party.

The latest battery report chimes with earlier rumors which predicted a different external material for the battery case, replacing the current foil with a metal case, according to The Information.

This could mean that the next phone could have better thermal management, and so might avoid the controversy of overheating that dogged the iPhone 16 at launched, though it was quickly fixed by a software update.

But it also makes for another important change: it would mean it’s much easier to replace the battery. Right now, changing the battery is fiddly, requiring the careful removing of adhesive strips using tweezers, which becomes more complicated if the strip breaks on removal, so that heat or solvent is required to complete the operation. Replacing the battery is also a complicated procedure.

With the new metal-cased battery and what’s called electrically induced adhesive debonding technology, by applying a low voltage of electricity, the battery can be more easily removed from the chassis.

An easier, and perhaps cheaper, battery replacement process means users may choose to hold on to their iPhones for longer with a fresh battery rather than buying a new phone.

It’s thought the new battery will be found in some iPhone 16 models, though perhaps not all, with the expectation that all models in the iPhone 17 range released in 2025 will see the new design.

Another angle to this story is the influence of the EU, which requires customer-friendly battery replacement in some circumstances. If the cell does not reach 83% of capacity after 500 full charges, or 80% after 1,000 full charges, then the phone is required to have greater access to make replacement easier. While all the latest iPhone 15 models meet the 1,00-charge test, earlier phones do not.

The introduction of a new battery technology like this is a strong message for Apple, showing that iPhones can be more durable after all.

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