The MagSafe Battery Pack for the iPhone Air features a battery with the same capacity and design as the one in the iPhone Air itself, judging by a new video teardown.
While Apple said the iPhone Air offers "all-day battery life," the company announced the phone alongside a specially designed MagSafe Battery Pack. This accessory allows for 40 hours of video playback, but only on the iPhone Air, as the new MagSafe Battery doesn't really fit any other iPhone.
As for why the battery is so thin and practically unusable with most iPhones, a recent iFixit teardown of Apple's redesigned MagSafe battery offers some clues.
To achieve a relatively thin profile, while also saving on development costs, Apple appears to have used the same type of battery for the iPhone Air and its MagSafe Battery Pack.
The teardown video points out the near-identical shape of the iPhone Air battery and the one used in the MagSafe accessory. At 2.7mm, the battery of the MagSafe Battery Pack would easily fit inside the 5.6 mm-thick iPhone Air.
When attached to the iPhone Air, the MagSafe Battery Pack provides 65% additional charge, rather than an extra 100%. This is most likely because wireless charging is less efficient than wired charging, meaning more power is wasted.
The MagSafe Battery Pack is rated at 3,149mAh, offering 12.26Wh. The required energy label for iPhone Air models sold in Germany lists the same capacity as that of the MagSafe battery, 3,149mAh. This also matches regulatory filings from China.
As for why the MagSafe Battery Pack is thicker than the iPhone Air despite using effectively the same battery, it's likely due to the case material. Unlike the titanium used on the iPhone Air, the redesigned MagSafe Battery Pack is made of thicker plastic for durability and cost.
Of course, there are plenty of much better third-party MagSafe battery options.
Apple has added performance-enhancing chips to the iPhone Air that help extend its battery life. This includes the updated C1X modem, which is faster than the modem in the iPhone 16 Pro and uses 30% less energy.
Apple claims the iPhone Air is the "most power efficient iPhone yet."
Still, Apple ultimately chose form over function with the iPhone Air, and the power-saving measures will never be enough for some users.
