iPhone 16 Pro Battery With Metal Shell Spotted Online, Could Offer Improved Heat Dissipation

iPhone 16 Pro is expected to arrive in 2024 as the successor to the iPhone 15 Pro that was launched in September, and details of Apple's next flagship smartphone have already begun to surface online. According to details shared by tipster Kosutami (@KosutamiSan) on X (formerly known as Twitter), the company could make a change to the battery on the iPhone 16 Pro that might improve thermal management compared with its predecessor — these improvements are also expected to make their way to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The tipster leaked four images of a purported prototype of the iPhone 16 Pro battery from different angles. While this "early stage" prototype of the component is L-shaped — like Apple's existing iPhone batteries — it isn't covered by foil and features a metallic shell. The tipster has also shared close up images of the component that reveal it is a lithium-ion battery, suggesting some of its specifications.

The images show that the iPhone 16 Pro could be equipped with a 3,355mAh battery, which means its capacity will be slightly higher than its predecessor, which has a 3,274mAh battery. Apple doesn't reveal the exact iPhone battery capacities, but these details are usually revealed in teardown videos once a new iPhone is launched. The leaked battery capacity increase makes sense, as the iPhone 16 Pro is tipped to sport a slightly larger 6.3-inch display — which would provide room for a bigger battery.

The tipster claims that the iPhone 16 Pro battery will be housed in a frosted metal shell — an earlier prototype was said to have a glossy finish. The inclusion of the metal shell suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro will offer improved thermal management compared to their predecessors, as the metal shell could offer better heat dissipation than the existing solution.

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were both affected by overheating issues that were previously believed to be related to the new A17 Pro chip, until the company issued software fixes to solve the issue.

However, the changes to the battery's design are expected to lead to better thermal management on the iPhone 16 Pro at a hardware level, which means they might run cooler than their predecessors. These benefits are also expected to be available on the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max model, as it could feature a larger version of the same battery technology.