Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max battery capacities revealed
New Chinese regulatory filings appear to confirm the battery capacities of the upcoming Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models. According to new entries in the Chinese C3 database, discovered by leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the Pro model will apparently have a battery capacity of 4,056 mAh in China and 4,288 mAh in the US.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro
| China | China difference | USA | USA difference | |
| iPhone 16 Pro | 3,582 mAh | +308mAh | 3,582 mAh | +308mAh |
| iPhone 17 Pro | 3,988 mAh | +406mAh | 4,252 mAh | +670 mAh |
| iPhone 18 Pro | 4,056 mAh | +68 mAh | 4,288 mAh | +36 mAh |
This represents a slight increase compared to the 3,988 mAh and 4,252 mAh of the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone 18 Pro Max shows a more significant jump: it is listed at 5,391 mAh in China and 5,567 mAh in the US, compared to 4,823 mAh and 5,088 mAh respectively for the iPhone 17 Pro Max – an increase of almost 500 mAh.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
| China | China difference | USA | USA difference | |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | 4,685 mAh | +244 mAh | 4,685 mAh | +244 mAh |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | 4,823 mAh | +138 mAh | 5,088 mAh | +403 mAh |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | 5,391 mAh | +568 mAh | 5,567 mAh | +479 mAh |
Although the devices mentioned in the filings do not explicitly bear the names iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, it is very likely that they are related to these models.
The battery capacities in China and the US differ because Apple continues to use a physical SIM card slot in iPhones sold outside the US, while US models have been exclusively eSIM-based since the iPhone 14 series. Since no physical slot takes up internal space, Apple can install a slightly larger battery in the US version of each device.
The certification lists include battery models S2232 and S2233 for the iPhone 18 Pro, as well as 2235L/2235 and 2236L/2236 for the Pro Max, and also specify nominal energy values of up to 21,751 Wh and a maximum charging voltage of 4,520 V. All four batteries are valid until May or June 2031.
The figures match the report from Digital Chat Station in June, which gave identical figures for the iPhone 18 Pro.
In a separate post on the same day, Digital Chat Station reported that supply chain information from months ago had already indicated that the Chinese model would end up in the “5,000 mAh” range, and suggested that a 5391 mAh cell in combination with the 2nm A20 Pro chip could enable a noticeable improvement in battery life.
Rumors suggest the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a smaller Dynamic Island, a main camera with a variable aperture, the C2 modem (outside the US), and other new features. The Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to launch in September, alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone Ultra.
