Here we list and explain the battery capacities of every iPhone
from 2007’s original iPhone to the very latest iPhone 13
series.
Measuring iPhone battery life in straight hours of real-world
usage (as Apple likes to do) is not an accurate metric for
comparison purposes as so many use and environmental factors play a
part.
We can, however, rely on straight technical specifications to
tell us the battery capacities of each iPhone.
Apple is notoriously secretive about these battery
specifications, mainly because smartphones from rivals such as
Samsung boast much larger battery capacities.
These are measured in either Milliamp Hours
(mAh) or Watt Hours (Wh).
Milliamp hours are a measure of electrical charge, while a
watt-hour is equal to one watt of energy consumed for one hour of
time. And it’s energy consumed that matters when we’re measuring
actual battery life.
Wh is a more accurate and consistent way to compare the total
amount of energy that similar types of batteries can store.
And it’s all about the battery voltage, which mAh ignores, which
determines the wattage (power) of a battery.
If the mAh is the same, the higher the voltage, the greater the
actual stored power.
Volts (V) are a measure of electric pressure. Amps (A) are a
measure of current. Multiply V x A and you get Watts (W) that are a
measure of power. So V × A = W.
You can convert watt hours (Wh) to milliamp hours (mAh) using
this formula: (Wh x 1,000) divided by V = mAh.
The lithium batteries that power most portable electronics have
a voltage of about 3.6V, but some external battery packs (such as
Apple’s 7.62V MagSafe Battery Pack) boast a higher voltage, which
means they actually carry more power than their mAh implies.
Here we list the battery capacity of every iPhone ever released
in both mAh and Wh.
