Good news! The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro's batteries last longer than Apple expected

If you're the proud owner of one of the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro models you might find that your handset's battery lasts longer than you expected. In fact, it'll last longer than Apple had expected as well. That's according to a new 9to5Mac report which says that Apple has decided to update its battery cycle lifespan estimates for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models.

Apple had initially said that the iPhone 15's batteries would still offer up to 80% of their original capacity after 500 complete charge cycles, just like the older iPhones in its lineup. Now, it says that the iPhone 15 models can retain 80% of their capacity at double that figure - meaning that the 1,000 charge cycle count should arrive while the batteries still manage up to 80% of their original capacity.

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Apple says that the change comes about after it improved the way its batteries are built as well as the power and battery management mechanisms that are part of the latest iPhones. To that end, this new 1,000 figure only applies to its latest models which means that those who buy an iPhone of any other vintage should still expect the batteries to last around 500 charge cycles before they start to really degrade.

As for how Apple explains battery capacity, the company says that the "maximum battery capacity measures the device battery capacity relative to when it was new." It then goes on to add that a battery will have a lower capacity as it begins to chemically age which could result in fewer hours of usage between each charge. "Depending upon the length of time between when the iPhone was made and when it is activated, your battery capacity may show as slightly less than 100%."

This is of course good news for iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro owners and it means that fewer batteries should need to be replaced as quickly.

Apple is already hard at work planning what iPhone buyers will be upgrading to this fall regardless of this good news. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will likely be even better in terms of battery performance and longevity and they're likely to be announced this coming September. Buyers should then be able to get their hands on one of Apple's new handsets around 10 days after the unveiling, assuming they manage to find one in stock or are particularly quick when placing their preorder.

Beyond the iPhone 16, there are already rumors starting to swirl about what the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models will have to offer come 2025. If correct, the rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will have ProMotion displays which suggests they will also support always-in displays for the very first time outside of a Pro-level iPhone. There is plenty of time for Apple's plans to change however, we should wait until closer to the launch before we can say that with any kind of certainty.