A PhoneArena report discusses the “secret” behind the rumored battery boost for the iPhone 18, suggesting Apple may finally be preparing to introduce a new battery approach in a future iPhone generation.
The report says Apple may appear slow from the outside on battery innovation, but industry chatter indicates ongoing internal R&D efforts. It also references earlier expectations that an ultra-thin iPhone Air could debut a major battery change—an idea that reportedly didn’t materialize because Apple wasn’t ready.
Key claim: Citing a Korean outlet referencing industry insiders, the article says Apple is working to pack more innovations into a milestone iPhone generation, including a new battery type and an under-display front camera.
The author then points to Apple patents as circumstantial evidence. One patent highlighted focuses on an interconnected porous silicon structure intended for anode active material. The report explains that adding silicon can increase energy storage, but it also introduces a major challenge: significant swelling during charge and discharge cycles, which must be controlled with stabilization methods such as carbon coatings.
A second patent discussed relates to a “metal can” battery design/sealing approach, which the report suggests could help enable greater silicon adoption in the anode structure.
Capacity expectations (speculative): The article argues that if Apple takes a conservative route, an initial implementation might resemble today’s silicon-carbon advances. As an example scenario, it suggests a roughly 20% capacity increase could be feasible if battery size stays similar—mentioning a potential ~6,000 mAh iPhone 18 Pro Max as a realistic starting point.
The report concludes by stressing that Apple’s exact position on the roadmap remains unclear, and the discussion is based on patents, industry talk, and the author’s speculation about timing and real-world implementation.
