The next iPhone could have the biggest increase in battery life ever

Published Jan 5th, 2024 7:08AM EST

One of the main reasons to update to a new iPhone is the promise of a better battery life. While this is not true for every new release, Apple and other tech companies always look for the “next big thing” in the battery field. Fortunately, it seems the next battery breakthrough is just around the corner.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Apple supplier TDK believes its new battery will change the smartphone game, as the company is applying to smartphones the same tech its rivals have been exploring to improve mileage for electric vehicles.

TDK Chief Executive Officer Noboru Saito says that in the first half of 2023, the company started shipping small-size lithium-ion batteries using silicon electrodes, which are said to offer 10% more capacity than conventional graphite anode batteries. However, its true potential could be lifted by 40% or more.

If the studies are right, TDK might win in the next battery breakthrough tech, as Samsung and LG bet on graphene-based cells and solid-state batteries to hydrogen fuel cells or sodium-ion batteries.

“We need to assume that other companies will come into this space, and we need to develop the next, followed by the next, technology to differentiate ourselves and keep our lead from shrinking,” the 57-year-old said in an interview. “There’s room for the technology to evolve further.”

That said, this new battery technology could soon be available on the iPhone, as TDK is an Apple supplier. This could mean other company devices could get this in the future, such as the new version of the Vision Pro.

Interestingly enough, Cupertino seems to be working with other possible battery technologies, as leaker KosutamiSan posted a few months ago that Apple plans to improve battery life on the next generation of iPhones by adding a graphene thermal system to improve cooling. They wrote:

“Apple is actively working on the graphene thermal system of iPhone 16 Series to solve the existing heating problem. And the battery of the Pro series would change to a metal shell for the same reason.”

While it’s still unclear where Apple will point, at least we can expect that the company is on the verge of introducing a new battery technology for its upcoming iPhone models.

José is a Tech News Reporter at BGR. He has previously covered Apple and iPhone news for 9to5Mac, and was a producer and web editor for Latin America broadcaster TV Globo. He is based out of Brazil.