For the longest time it felt as though Apple didn't give much thought to how much battery life an iPhone user could count on every day. During an era when many phones (including the first real iPhone challenger, the Motorola DROID) were powered by replaceable batteries, the cell powering the iPhone was sealed into the body of the device.
Early iPhone users were "Wallhuggers"
In 2014, the year that Apple released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung aired a commercial for the Galaxy S5 that became a classic. Known as the "Wallhuggers" spot, it depicted iPhone users who had just arrived at an airport rushing to find an outlet where they could plug in their phones.
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In the process of charging their iPhones, these people would end up lying on dirty carpets, competing with other iPhone users for an open outlet. Near the end of the ad, a Galaxy S5 owner walks by and swaps the battery in his phone for a freshly charged replacement.
The first iPhone battery to meet or exceed the 5,000mAh benchmark was the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple started taking battery life more seriously starting with 2014's iPhone 6 Plus, whose battery capacity was nearly double that of its predecessor. 2019's iPhone 11 Pro Max was the first iPhone to deliver more than 10 hours of screen time. Last year's iPhone 17 Pro Max was the first iPhone to sport a battery exceeding 5,000mAh.
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This year's iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity of 5,567mAh for the eSIM model used in the US. That compares to the 5,088mAh battery that powered the iPhone 17 Pro Max, making the increase this year work out to a 9.41% increase.
The iPhone Duo battery capacity is 3.9% higher than originally thought
Checking the competition, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 sports a 4800mAh battery, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, and the Razr Fold is equipped with a 6,000mAh battery. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold carries a 4,806 mAh battery.
The Razr Fold is the battery life leader among book-style foldables, delivering 20 hours and 14 minutes of web browsing on a single charge. That compares to 17 hours and 44 minutes of web browsing for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, 14 hours and 11 minutes for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and 13 hours and 52 minutes for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
EU Document reveals iPhone Duo battery capacity and more. | Image by Apple
The iPhone Duo, despite having a much smaller battery than the Motorola Razr Fold, is estimated to provide approximately 22 hours of web browsing, which would put it at the top. The iPhone Duo will also deliver up to 24 hours of typical mixed use.
The iPhone Duo's external display is estimated to deliver up to 44 hours of video playback on a single charge. The internal display is estimated to provide up to 31 hours of video playback on a single charge.
It should be pointed out that heavy use of the internal display will drain the Duo's battery faster, while using the outer display extends the overall battery life of the iPhone Duo.
The Duo's Ingress Protection rating matches the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
Lastly, I'd like to note that the Ingress Protection (IP) rating for the iPhone Duo, IP68, is the same as the IP rating on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. All of these phojnes are rated to withstand a maximum depth of 6 meters (19.69 feet) for up to 30 minutes. Interestingly, only the Pixel 11 Pro Fold matches the iPhone Duo's IP rating of IP68. Both the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and the iPhone Duo are dust-tight.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the Motorola Razr Fold have IP ratings of 48, which means that dust particles less than 1mm, like fine beach sand and particle, can still damage the hinge mechanism.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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