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Official documents reveal exactly how much bigger Apple’s iPhone 11 and 11 Pro batteries are

Published Sep 18th, 2019 7:31AM EDT
iPhone 11 Battery Size
Image: Tony Avelar/AP/Shutterstock

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Battery life is easily one of the highlights of Apple’s new iPhone 11 models. Early reviewers confirmed Apple’s claims for all three devices, which is great news for buyers who’ve been asking for better battery life from their iPhones. We’ve already explained that it’s a combination of factor that allowed Apple to increase battery life by one to five hours, depending on models, including more efficient components and bigger battery capacities. At the time, however, we had no idea how big the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max batteries were, but the new iPhones are definitely bulkier than their predecessors. That meant Apple must have made the most of the available internal space to increase battery capacity, even if that meant making the new iPhones slightly thicker than before. Apple, of course, doesn’t actually mention battery size during its iPhone launch events. But thanks to newly discovered regulatory filings for the three devices, we know exactly how big Apple’s new batteries are.

TENAA filings from China reveal that the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 has a 3,046 mAh battery. Comparatively, the iPhone XR has a 2,942 mAh battery, and the 6.1-inch Galaxy S10 has a 3,400 mAh battery.

The 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro, meanwhile, features a slightly bigger battery than the iPhone 11, even though the 11 Pro is a tad smaller. We’re looking at a 3,110 mAh capacity, which is significantly larger than the iPhone XS’s 2,658 mAh battery. The 5.5-inch Pixel 3 has a 2,915 mAh battery, almost as big as the Pixel 3a’s 3,000 mAh battery; the 6-inch Pixel 3a XL has a 3,700 mAh battery. The 5.8-inch Galaxy S10e features a 3,100 mAh battery.

The biggest of the three new batteries is the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro’s 3,969 mAh unit, a massive upgrade over the iPhone XS Max’s 3,174 mah battery. Comparatively, the 6.8-inch Galaxy Note 10+ has a 4,300 mAh battery, while the 6.5-inch Huawei P30 Pro has a 4,200 mAh battery. The 6.4-inch OnePlus 7 packs 3,700 mAh of juice, while the 6.7-inch OnePlus 7 Pro has a 4,000 mAh battery package. Finally, the 6.3-inch Pixel 3 XL has a 3,430 mAh battery.

The upcoming iPhone 11 teardowns are likely going to confirm these battery capacities. The iPhone 11 phones hit stores on Friday, which is usually when the new iPhones get dismantled by iFixit and others.

Last year, the iPhone XR delivered the best battery life of the three iPhone XS-series phones, even though it’s smaller in size than the XS Max. That’s not the case anymore, with the iPhone 11 Pro Max getting the best battery life estimates this year.

Image source: Apple Inc.

According to Apple’s own estimates above, the iPhone 11 lasts up to one hour longer than the iPhone XR, while the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max deliver up to four and five hours of extra battery juice than their predecessors.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.