Sam Oliver
Batteries said to be destined for Apple's next-generation. 4.7-inch "iPhone 6" appeared on the internet Thursday, seemingly lending credence to recent whispers that the company would bump the handset's battery capacity to 1,800 mAh from the iPhone 5s's 1,500 mAh unit.
The pictured parts bear a capacity rating of 1,810 mAh and appear to be manufactured by Desay Battery, a supplier previously rumored to have been certified by Apple for the iPhone 6. French blog nowhereelse.fr was first to publish the snapshots, which appear to come from sources in China.
Not clear from the photos is the batteries' physical dimensions, which is said to have caused a great deal of pain for Apple in the run-up to manufacturing. The company is thought to have had trouble when attempting to slim the parts down by some 30 percent, a reduction reportedly required for the design of Apple's next-generation handsets.
At least one report from earlier this week suggested that Apple may have solved that dilemma, though the company said to have come through with the solution is Taiwan-based Simplo Technology.
If legitimate, the 1,810 mAh battery in the iPhone 6 would give the handset one of the smallest power reserves in its class. Motorola's own 4.7-inch Moto X, in comparison, packs a 2,200 mAh battery.
A corresponding part for the anticipated 5.5-inch "phablet" iPhone variant was not pictured, though that device is expected to sport a 2,500 mAh unit. Both models are likely to bring upgraded internals, possibly including additional
AppleInsider Staff
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58 Comments
Somebody on the inside is feeding that French blog exclusives.
[quote name="AppleInsider" url="/t/181405/1-800-mah-battery-for-apples-iphone-6-purportedly-shown-off-in-new-photos#post_2565391"][I]A corresponding part for the anticipated 5.5-inch "phablet" iPhone variant was not pictured[/I], though that device is expected to sport a 2,500 mAh unit.[/quote] Because it doesn't freakin' exist!
Given the larger size this new battery should be good enough to make it till noon if one stays off YouTube. And I'm sure Apple will brag about having the thinnest phone in its class.
We all know that iOS devices are more energy efficient than their Android counterparts (leaner OS, custom chip design, etc). So it's not necessarily a bad thing that the battery is smaller. My minivan has a 20 gallon tank and my VW GTI has a 15 gallon tank. Both can go the same distance. It's just that one is a whole lot more fun to drive :)
Somebody on the inside is feeding that French blog exclusives.
Supply chain leaks are notoriously unreliable. The French blog has posted some accurate images before, but they have also posted misses. There's no way to tell until the product comes out.
We have ample history on supply chain leaks. There is no single reliable individual for leaking parts; that would likely draw eventual suspicion anyhow.
In this case, there's nothing that directly ties this battery to the next-generation iPhone. It's just a battery. It could easily be destined for a competitor's device.
Saying that "somebody on the inside is feeding ___ exclusives" is meaningless when it comes to supply chain rumors because by definition, they are all on the inside. We just don't know which inside and for what product. Even a shot of a running iDevice is highly suspect since iOS screens can be easily faked.
Do not take supply chain leaks as a reliable source of information.