Battery life is one of the most important factors when you’re considering a new iPhone. You don’t want an iPhone that’s going to run out of charge too quickly, but at the same time, you want an iPhone with the right amount of features, such as more powerful cameras or a nicer display, that call for a larger battery.
We’ve reviewed tonnes of iPhones over the years at Gizmodo Australia, and the battery is one of the things we constantly keep a keen eye on. Between day-to-day battery life and intensive battery use (when gaming or watching movies, for example) it’s good to know what to expect before you make a purchase.
How long does battery last?
Apple’s claimed battery life for the iPhone 15 Pro Max is up to 29 hours of video playback. For the 15 Pro, it’s 23 hours, 20 hours with the standard 15, and 26 hours with the 15 Plus.
Keeping in mind a disclaimer from Apple’s website:”All battery claims depend on network configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary. Battery has limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings.”
That means Apple’s battery life estimates are exemplary. If you go to the battery page of the website, you can find the settings Apple had applied for these figures: a repeated two-hour and twenty-three-minute movie, looped and playing from the iTunes store with stereo audio output.
The Pro Max, Apple’s best phone offering, has the best battery. In our standard phone battery test, where we let the phone play the entire three-hour runtime of Avengers: Endgame, the phone dropped to 92 per cent after hour one, 79 per cent after two, and 67 per cent after hour three. Not bad for its flagship.
In the same battery test, it outpaced the iPhone 14 Pro Max by about four per cent, and the iPhone 14 by 17 per cent. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Plus ended with 66 per cent.
If we look at Apple’s cheapest phone, the iPhone SE (3rd generation), the phone is supposedly capable of 10 hours of video playback of streamed video. In our testing, the phone died after five hours and 17 minutes of The Office.
Battery life varies greatly across the iPhone range, but it’s a simple rule with Apple – the more you spend, the better battery life you’ll get.
How many years will an iPhone battery live for?
Batteries degrade over time, and your iPhone battery will eventually feel like too much of a problem to bother. Based on our experience, after about a year (around the time the next major operating system comes out) you might notice issues with the battery life. After two or three years, though, you may seriously want to consider upgrading the phone entirely (to the newest model) or replacing the battery.
You can get a battery to last longer with proper care. If you want to prolong your battery life, avoid charging it to 100 per cent, and try to keep it up to 80 per cent. Also, disable unused features (such as push notifications, Bluetooth, and background refresh), don’t leave your iPhone without a charge for too long, and don’t leave your phone to charge overnight. It’s also recommended by Apple to update your phone to the latest OS version.
Is it worth it to replace an iPhone battery?
According to Apple, a replacement battery for any iPhone 15 and 14 model will cost an estimated $169. For the iPhone 13, 12, 11, XS, XR, or X, it will cost $149. For the iPhone 8 and 7 range, along with ‘SE’ models, it will cost $115.
These costs are based on estimates from the Apple website. The website claims that service providers outside of Apple can set their own fees, so you’ll need to ask for an individual estimate. Apple also states that there may be other factors that could impact the repair of the battery, such as a cracked screen, and these factors may eat into the cost of the repair.
Alternatively, Apple’s AppleCare+ plan offers a free battery replacement, though an Apple Care+ plan can cost as much as $409 depending on your model.
Image: Apple
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