Launched with high expectations, iPhone 16 Pro promised top performance, but a critical look seems to be desired: battery life. The iPhone 16 Pro battery is surprisingly quickly degraded and it is not better at the autonomy. After no two months of use, the capacity of the battery (maximum capacity) decreased to 98%, with only 35 charging cycles.
While Apple emphasized the improvement of the camera and processor, I notice that the iPhone 16 Pro battery loses the maximum charging capacity and ages much faster than in previous generations. Since activating the iPhone 16 Pro (September 20, 2024) and so far (November 6, 2024), the degradation is two percent.
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The iPhone 16 Pro battery degrades much faster than in previous generations of iPhone devices
Normally, the battery should have been one of the strengths of the new generation iPhone 16 Pro. The capacity of 3,582 mAh, with 9.4% higher than the one present on the iPhone 15 Pro (3,274 mAh), should have guaranteed better autonomy and longer life. However, I have noticed from the first days of use that in terms of autonomy is worse than previous generations, and above that, at no two months of use I notice that the iPhone 16 Pro battery is worrying quickly.
Here's how the iPhone 16 Pro battery degradation looks after only 48 days of moderate use:
- Maximum Capacity: 98%
- Cycle Count: 35
- Avg. Screen Active: 2h 6m
- Avg. Screen Idle: 2h 16m
Specific that this iPhone 16 Pro has been used not even at a moderate level. I am not the kind of person to sit all day with the phone in hand. I have not installed any game, it is not used at all for navigation, I do not use the on-display screen function (Always on display) and it is connected to the Wi-Fi network for more than 90% of the time. Therefore, there is no problem of excessive use or conditions that could have led to accelerated battery degradation.
What does this quick iPhone 16 Pro battery degradation mean for users?
Normally, Apple estimates that an iPhone battery will keep about 80% of capacity after 500 charging cycles, but the current pace indicates the possibility of reaching this ability much earlier. If the current rate is maintained, the iPhone 16 Pro battery degrades up to 80% maximum charging capacity in less than 14 months and about 310 charging cycles. This is significantly faster than previous standards, which raises questions about the longevity of this model.
Related: Is the iPhone 16 Pro battery consumed very quickly?
It is easy to understand what this very weak performance of the iPhone 16 Pro battery means. In addition to the fact that a reduced battery capacity decreases the device autonomy, a quick degradation also means that users will reach the capacity of 80% much earlier, when the phone may start to have performance problems and require battery change.
