Apple says iPhone 15 battery lifespan is now doubled — here's why

All iPhone 15 models shown together.
(Image credit: Future)

Recently there was a rare occurrence in the world of smartphones as it appears that the battery lifespan of the iPhone 15 is actually better than was originally claimed by Apple. 

It is rare for details about a device to change after it has already been released, and even more so for it to be a particularly drastic change. However, it seems that the battery lifespan of the iPhone 15 is more than double what was originally claimed, although Apple has yet to mention what has caused this change to occur. 

According to a report from 9to5Mac, Apple has retested the batteries in the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro (and the 15 Plus and 15 Pro Max) and now claims they can maintain at least 80 percent of their original capacity for 1,000 charging cycles, which is more than double the 500 cycles that they originally claimed. 

When we tested the iPhone 15 series batteries we found them all to be relatively very long-lasting with both the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max appearing in our best phone battery life list.

iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro cameras

(Image credit: Future)

When Apple mentions charging cycles they mean charging the phone up to 100% and then letting it naturally wear down to 0%. Batteries naturally decay over time and lose the amount of charge they can hold, despite saying 100% on the phone. This means that, over time, the phone won’t be able to run for as long. However, battery testing can be difficult and it is rare to get a concrete answer as many varying factors can change the result. 

The main question currently is how this occurred and why. Apple has yet to comment so we do not know if the battery is simply better than was originally stated, or if Apple has changed how it tests its batteries. Apple has had some issues over battery longevity in the past. For instance, iPhone 14 users found their phones losing battery health after less than a year of use, and then there's the infamous “Batterygate” controversy that was settled this year.

However, this is still great news for those who like to keep their iPhones for as long as possible before upgrading. 

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Josh Render
Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.