Apple Unveils iPhone 18 Pro With Disputed Battery Gains
Apple released the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with claims of significant battery improvements that independent testers say are much more modest.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its September 2026 event, highlighting a new battery design and the A20 Pro chip. The company claims the iPhone 18 Pro provides 36 hours of local video playback, a three-hour increase over the iPhone 17 Pro, while the Pro Max model reportedly reaches 45 hours. Apple also announced that both models can reach a 50% charge in 15 minutes when using a 60-watt charger.
Independent real-world testing contradicts these claims, showing more modest performance gains. TechRadar reported battery increases of only 6% for the iPhone 18 Pro and 3% for the Pro Max compared to previous generations. In separate automated testing, Joanna Stern found the iPhone 18 Pro Max lasted 18 hours and 57 minutes, which is only 34 minutes longer than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
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