Launched with high expectations, the iPhone 16 Pro promised top-tier performance, but one critical aspect seems to fall short: battery life. The iPhone 16 Pro battery is degrading surprisingly fast, and its battery life isn’t faring much better. After only two months of use, the battery’s Maximum Capacity has dropped to 98%, with just 35 charge cycles.
While Apple has focused on improving the camera and processor, I notice that the iPhone 16 Pro’s battery is losing maximum charge capacity and aging much faster than in previous generations. From the activation of the iPhone 16 Pro (September 20, 2024) until now (November 6, 2024), the battery degradation is already at two percent.
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The iPhone 16 Pro battery is degrading much faster than in previous iPhone generations.
Normally, the battery should have been one of the strong points of the new iPhone 16 Pro generation. The capacity of 3,582 mAh, 9.4% higher than that of the iPhone 15 Pro (3,274 mAh), should have guaranteed better battery life and longer durability. However, I noticed from the first few days of use that, in terms of battery life, it’s worse than previous generations, and beyond that, after less than two months of use, I see the iPhone 16 Pro battery degrading worryingly fast.
Here’s what the iPhone 16 Pro battery degradation looks like after just 48 days of moderate use:
- Maximum Capacity: 98%
- Cycle Count: 35
- Avg. Screen Active: 2h 6m
- Avg. Screen Idle: 2h 16m
I’d like to specify that this iPhone 16 Pro has not even been used at a moderate level. I’m not the type to spend all day on my phone. I haven’t installed any games, it’s not used for navigation at all, I don’t use the Always-On Display feature, and it’s connected to Wi-Fi more than 90% of the time. So, excessive usage or conditions that could lead to accelerated battery degradation are out of the question.
What does this rapid battery degradation of the iPhone 16 Pro mean for users?
Normally, Apple estimates that an iPhone battery will retain around 80% of its capacity after 500 charge cycles, but the current rate suggests the possibility of reaching this capacity much sooner. If the current rate continues, the iPhone 16 Pro battery could degrade to 80% maximum charge capacity in less than 14 months and around 310 charge cycles. This is significantly faster than previous standards, raising questions about this model’s longevity.
Related: Does the iPhone 16 Pro’s battery drain quickly?
It’s easy to understand what this very poor battery performance of the iPhone 16 Pro implies. Beyond reduced battery life, rapid degradation means that users will reach the 80% capacity mark much sooner, at which point the phone may start experiencing performance issues and require a battery replacement.
