Apple’s upcoming flagship, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, may receive only a marginal battery capacity increase compared with its predecessor, according to a new leak from a China-based tipster.
The information comes from Digital Chat Station, which shared the details on the Chinese social platform Weibo. The leak claims Apple will again ship different battery capacities for the device depending on the market.
Different batteries for different regions
According to the report, the battery specifications could be:
- China model: 5,000mAh
- U.S. model: 5,100–5,200mAh
The difference is attributed to hardware design. U.S. versions rely entirely on eSIM technology, while Chinese models still support physical SIM cards. The physical SIM tray occupies internal space that could otherwise be used for a larger battery.
The claim also suggests that physical SIM support will continue in China, despite regulators recently approving certain eSIM-only iPhone variants.
The smallest increase in recent years
If the figures are accurate, the capacity bump would represent one of the smallest year-over-year improvements in Apple’s flagship lineup.
For comparison, regulatory filings show the iPhone 17 Pro Max battery at:
- China: 4,823mAh
- U.S.: 5,088mAh
That model delivered roughly an 8.6% increase over the previous generation, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max had improved by about 5.9% over the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In real-world testing, the jump from the iPhone 15 to the iPhone 16 Pro Max translated into more than four additional hours of usage.
Based purely on capacity, the iPhone 18 Pro Max would see a gain of roughly 2% at most.
Efficiency may matter more than size
Battery capacity alone does not determine real-world endurance. The device is expected to run on Apple’s next-generation Apple A20 chip, which is rumored to deliver improved power efficiency. If those gains materialize, users could still see meaningful battery life improvements despite the modest increase in capacity.
Apple typically does not publish battery size figures, instead focusing on estimated hours of use, meaning official performance details will only become clear after launch.
Limited external changes expected
The same source has also suggested that the iPhone 18 Pro lineup may feature minimal external design changes compared with the current generation. However, Digital Chat Station’s track record is mixed, and the information should be treated as preliminary.
With the iPhone 18 series still months away, further leaks and supply-chain reports are likely to provide a clearer picture of Apple’s next flagship before its expected unveiling.
