• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Apple

Apple Could Bundle a Bigger Battery Into a Smaller iPhone

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 14, 2017, 11:38 AM ET
Apple Fans Await iPhone 7
BERLIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 16: A visitor tries out an Apple iPhone 7 on the first day of sales of the new phone at the Berlin Apple store on September 16, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. The new phone comes in two sizes, one with a 4.7 inch display, the other with a 5.5 inch display. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)Sean Gallup — Getty Images

Apple could be planning some big improvements to future iPhone batteries.

In a note to investors on Monday, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple could bundle a battery typically reserved for a larger iPhone into a smaller handset. Specifically, Kuo, who has been one of the more reliable sources of Apple (AAPL) rumors in the past, said that the next iPhone—believed to be known as the iPhone 8 or iPhone X—could feature a size similar to the iPhone 7, but use the same-sized battery Apple offers in its substantially larger iPhone 7 Plus.

Battery size is a critical component in battery life. While certain hardware and software features can impact it, in general, the bigger the battery, the longer the battery life. Offering a bigger battery in a smaller frame allows Apple to offer more battery life in its handset without sacrificing size—a common tradeoff when companies want to bundle a bigger battery in their devices.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The iPhone 7 comes with a 4.7-inch screen and is 5.4 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide. The iPhone 7 Plus, which has a 5.5-inch display, stretches to 6.2 inches tall and is 3.1 inches wide. In addition to its bigger screen, the larger case is designed to accommodate a bigger battery. For that reason, the iPhone 7 Plus can last up to 21 hours during continuous talk time, compared to 14 hours for the iPhone 7.

If Kuo is correct, Apple wants to take the battery that delivers so much more talk time in the iPhone 7 Plus and squeeze it inside a device with dimensions similar to, if not exactly the same as, the iPhone 7.

According to Kuo, whose comments were earlier reported on by Apple-tracking site AppleInsider, Apple could achieve that by redesigning how components are laid out inside the device. Apple might also use smaller components, leaving more room for the battery.

For more about Apple’s iPhone, watch:

Kuo’s predictions also shed light on what Apple might have planned for its next iPhone’s design. Kuo said the bigger battery will be offered in the iPhone 8, the long-rumored, but so far not confirmed, big iPhone update Apple has planned for this year. He said that the iPhone 8 will actually be smaller than an iPhone 7s Plus Apple also plans to offer this year, and could come with a 5.1- to 5.2-inch display. That display, he said, will be based on organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and not the liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology Apple has used in the past. OLED is generally more energy-efficient than LCD, which could also boost the smartphone’s battery life.

In addition to new screen technology, Apple is also rumored to be planning an all-glass design for the iPhone 8, along with wireless charging support.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

robots
InnovationRobots
‘The question is really just how long it will take’: Over 2,000 gather at Humanoids Summit to meet the robots who may take their jobs someday
By Matt O'Brien and The Associated PressDecember 12, 2025
7 minutes ago
Trump
PoliticsWhite House
House Democrats release new Epstein photos including Trump, Clinton, Prince Andrew
By Stephen Groves and The Associated PressDecember 12, 2025
8 minutes ago
Sherrone Moore
LawMichigan
Michigan mystery revealed: Fired football coach had broken into a lover’s apartment and threatened to kill himself when their affair ended
By Ed White and The Associated PressDecember 12, 2025
11 minutes ago
Orlando
LawTheme parks
32-year-old’s death on Universal roller coaster was accidental despite deep forehead gash, investigation finds
By Mike Schneider and The Associated PressDecember 12, 2025
17 minutes ago
Donald Trump
HealthHealth Insurance
‘Tragedy in the making’: Top healthcare exec on why insurance will spike to subsidize a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 12, 2025
45 minutes ago
Man about to go into police vehicle
CryptoCryptocurrency
Judge tells notorious crypto scammer ‘you have been bitten by the crypto bug’ in handing down 15 year sentence 
By Carlos GarciaDecember 12, 2025
1 hour ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
At 18, doctors gave him three hours to live. He played video games from his hospital bed—and now, he’s built a $10 million-a-year video game studio
By Preston ForeDecember 10, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs are taxes and they were used to finance the federal government until the 1913 income tax. A top economist breaks it down
By Kent JonesDecember 12, 2025
10 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Palantir cofounder calls elite college undergrads a ‘loser generation’ as data reveals rise in students seeking support for disabilities, like ADHD
By Preston ForeDecember 11, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Baby boomers have now 'gobbled up' nearly one-third of America's wealth share, and they're leaving Gen Z and millennials behind
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 8, 2025
4 days ago
placeholder alt text
Arts & Entertainment
'We're not just going to want to be fed AI slop for 16 hours a day': Analyst sees Disney/OpenAI deal as a dividing line in entertainment history
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 11, 2025
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
‘We have not seen this rosy picture’: ADP’s chief economist warns the real economy is pretty different from Wall Street’s bullish outlook
By Eleanor PringleDecember 11, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.