The latest rumor in circulation about the newest edition to the iPhone family, the iPhone 7, are suggesting that it will contain a battery upgrade.
14 percent ‘better’ battery
Rumor season usually heats up in the months before the arrival of a new iPhone, and this year is no different. The launch date is September, but as Apple start producing and shipping the devices, so that they can hit the stores usually a week or two after their unveiling, leaks start appearing more frequently.
The latest comes from the self-proclaimed king of technology leaks, Steve Hemmerstoffer. He has claimed that the iPhone 7 will have a battery with capacity increased by 14 percent on last year’s model, the iPhone 6S.
It is believed that the new phone’s battery will be 1960 mAh, compared to with the current 1715 mAh battery currently in use with the iPhone 6S.
Hemmerstoffer announced the information through his twitter account, @stagueve. Hemmerstoffer has a very solid track record in his claims about unreleased phones, so we can treat this with some respect. He stated his source was “pretty reliable” but not 100 percent.
Then full tweet reads, “Pretty reliable (not 100% but almost…) source told me #iPhone7 battery = 1960mAh (#iPhone6s = 1715mAh).”
Battery issues
So would a 14% bigger battery capacity mean we will get 14% more talk time or phone usage before seeing the battery icon turn red? A slightly larger battery does not necessary mean longer battery life unfortunately. A more powerful phone will require a more powerful battery just to provide the same capabilities. Battery life is dependent on the operating system, in this case the iOS10 and other components in the phone.
Battery life is probably the biggest issue facing smartphone production. The general trend is that phones are getting smaller, thinner, sleeker, (obviously excluding the phablet lines). As these devices are getting smaller, they are generally getting more powerful, and this is the catch-22. It is difficult to improve the battery life, by fitting a larger cell with greater capacity to store power, in an ever decreasing internal space.
iPhone 7 speculation
As discussed a number of times, it seems that iPhone 7 will not offer a radical new design, so it appears that Apple have managed to find a way do some tidying up inside the phone to make room for the slightly bigger battery.
The tweet did not speak to what we can expect from the iPhone 7 Plus and Pro models, which are expected to be released in conjunction with the standard iPhone. If the 7 is expected to have a better battery, we can probably assume with some certainty that the other models will benefit from a similar upgrade.
The battery life increase will come as relief to any keen Apple followers, as the general feeling among the community is that Apple are not going to offer an especially large upgrade with this phone. The usual two-year policy cycle appears to have been abandoned, and instead the big improvements will be held back for the big 10-year anniversary edition to be released next year.
Boring but predictable caveat…
As with all rumors, the metaphorical pinch of salt is required. While Hemmerstoffer has built a reputation as generally being on the money when it comes to these things, even he is saying that his source is not 100 percent reliable.
With barely two months to go, the rumors will continue, the leaks will continue, and the speculation will intensify. My advice is that until you see Tim Cook on a stage, holding the phone and saying that it contains a bigger battery, do not assume anything.
