Uh Oh! iPhone 5 Battery Leaked, Similar mAh As The (Underpowered) iPhone 4S
Posted by Michael Nace on Friday Aug 10, 2012 Under Apple Rumors, iPhone 4S News, iPhone 5 Opinion, iPhone 5 Rumor
Some iPhone 4S users complain about low battery performance. New purported images of the iPhone 5 battery reveal a longer, thinner design that is only marginally more powerful than the iPhone 4S’s battery pack. Is this cause for alarm, or is it a fake?
In an effort to continuously confirm their iPhone 5 sighting, 9to5Mac continues to assemble new iPhone parts that all seem to fit in with what they say will indeed be the new design. Almost every week has brought on new sightings in a kind of parts parade that keeps them and their iPhone 5 claims as the topic of conversation.
Their most recent discovery is what is said to be the iPhone 5′s new battery. 9to5Mac packages the story as yet another possible big find in the search for the truth about the iPhone 5 before it is actually unveiled by Apple. and from their accounts, its longer, leaner design appears to jive with what we’ve seen from them form factor-wise. Here’s what they have to say:
Today, a reliable parts source (via 9to5Mac contributor Sonny Dickson) sent us images of new iPhone battery packs that they received. Notably, these new battery packs sport a higher capacity than the packs in previous generations of Apple’s smartphone. This new battery features a capacity of 1440 mAh. That is up from the capacity of 1430 mAh on the iPhone 4S and up from 1420 mAh on the iPhone 4, according to iPhone repair shop iFixYouri, whom examined the battery photos.
At face value, this all looks very promising for those looking to lock up the longer iPhone 5 design. And hey — look! — 10 mAh more battery juice! That’s great, right?
Not really.
One of the problems with the iPhone 4S is that they added a beefier processor and tons of new processes all a Siri, and essentially did nothing to address the battery. Sure, it was 10 mAh more than the iPhone 4′s battery, but 10 mAh is chump change. To put it in perspective, mid-level rechargeable AA batteries can be 2100 mAh — perfect for powering basic electronics. But the high-end NiMH AAs used for digital cameras can be upwards of 2800 mAh. Now, we’re talking LiON battery packs here, no NiMH. But regardless of the battery technology, 10 mAh is a token increase.
The concern here is that if the iPhone 5 is going to have 4G LTE, a new processor, a bigger screen with perhaps increased resolution, maybe NFC, and all this other stuff, how can a thinner battery pack that is essentially the same as the already anemic iPhone 4S battery going to cut it?
For those who are still highly skeptical of the iPhone 5 that 9to5Mac has been trotting out, this might be a sign of the charade, and that all of these parts are being milled from 4S components. And for the conspiracy theorists out there, it could be Apple’s own rouse, trying to throw off competitors from seeing their new battery pack, which is something that will allow the iPhone 5 to stand out from the pack.
I don’t know about you, but one of the features I’d love to see on the iPhone 5 is a major improvement in battery life. But if this battery is the real deal, I don’t know if we can have that expectation.
By Michael Nace
Michael Nace is the Publisher of the iPhone 5 News Blog and iPhone 6 News Blog. He has published articles about the iPhone since 2010.
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August 10th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Iphone 3g and 3gs had the exact same size battery of 1150 mAh with the 4 it jumped up to 1420 mAh. That was an increase of 270 mAh or a 23% increase. With another updated form factor and all the new bells and whistles I would expect a similar 20% jump. That would put the new battery at roughly 1700 mAh. (which is much more believable) TO me this is just another point that this whole 9to5mac rumor device is not the new iphone. They just have too much knowledge and way too many parts for me to believe this story. Im pretty sure we would of heard about apple going after leaks if these were legit. Then again maybe 9to5 was at a bar at the right time and snaged an iphone5
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August 10th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
If this was real, apple would have called out the attack dogs. While all of the parts rolled out so far match a device, what if Apple really did double down on security and this was a new iPod touch?
I believe it’s either legit and Apple dropped the ball. It’s a new iPod touch; or the source of the parts is a great faker.
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August 10th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Ths rumors about the new iPhone design and the component parts shown by 9 to 5 are all fake . Common people think practically for once . No companys mobile design or components parts have ever been leaked as early as it’s happening here , especially apple who have a tradition to keep their products wrapped up from any leaks before the official announcement . Sure similar thing happens with the new ipad and it came true , but that was just days back not weaks or months before the announcement . Companys like Samsung itself don’t let their models leak , and we talking beer about apple . This is just the hype surrounded by the excitement and announcement off the people which is making people believe that these leaks are authentic . Even if these are true then apple have done a big mistake by the design off their new iPhone . Is that is how it’s gonna look ? Then it may not be as popular and would loose it’s business . Making a phone just long and not wide to increase the screen size can not be used as a proper smart phone . Sure it would be good for video mi play and games but that not the only reason.why people buy smart phone for . Eg : galaxy note and Dell streak , Dell streak was too long but not a wide device ,and was out off the market in no time because it didn’t live up to the entire smart phone experience . Where asking launched it with a perfect blend off length and breath , which made the dyouevice successful inspite off it’s new category smartphone name in the market . I am no Samsung fan , infact I love apple product as they have a different class of it’s own but completely against this new design off apple if this is their new design
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August 10th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
9to5 just posted some more “parts” they are getting harder and harder to believe that they are the real parts, even in the explanation it seems like they are grasping at straws to explain stuff. Such as this one statement “iFixit told MacRumors that the metal frame counts as its own pin even though there are eight gold pins. This adds up to nine pins,” I can make anything up and find the facts to support it which is what I really think is happening now they are so neck deep in their own lie that they are inventing anything to try to prove that it is true just my opinion though
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August 10th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
For me battery life improvement is #1 on my list. My current iphone won’t even last a day :/ i don’t always have a powersource to charge it so i have to stop using my iphone when it reaches 20% battery. That’s very very annoying. I rather have abit thicker iphone that can last 24h then a smaller iphone that doesn’t even last half a day of usage.
Having an iphone is great but it’s time for a major battery improvement. My old phones lasted up to a week. I know it ain’t a smartphone but i feel that apple, samsung ect are overlooking the battery-issue.
#2 is design and #3 is a quadcore CPU for me. If it has the same battery as the iphone 4S (which is a joke iphone iteration in my opinion), i’ll sadly have to reconsider my intention to buy an iphone 5 =(
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August 10th, 2012 at 8:10 pm
Dear Apple,
I NEED a good battery.
I DONT need a bigger screen, I could buy glasses if I needed a bigger screen.
Id take a better battery over a bigger screen any day.
If you have the option of fulfilling 1 want or 1 need, then F*** the wants, ill take the need.
By any means necessary, please dont compromise my needs. Thanks.
Sincerely,
-Your greatest fan-
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August 10th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Charles, I agree. Why isnt apple cracking down on anything here? Maybe this is all fake.
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August 10th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
If it is true I would be highly disappointed but I’m not gonna believe it until they actually reveal it I would think the new battery would at least get 8-10 hrs on 4G LTE and 10 hrs on 3G but I would think you would need at least between a 1700-1900 hr battery maybe a little more but I hope it’s better battery
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August 11th, 2012 at 2:40 am
If this is true, then say good-bye to your battery life folks! I means first we need to power the bigger screens, more processes from Siri like Michael said, more processors, 4G connectivity ext.
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August 11th, 2012 at 6:45 am
i can’t belive that a lot of people on this blog still don’t belive that this is the real thing.
i think a lot of people are going to be dissapointed in septmber/octomber…
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August 11th, 2012 at 8:11 am
I won’t be disappointed, I’m not buying it.
I just think its interesting that apple doesn’t care now that there are pictures out there of the new device… Makes for another unclimactic release… Again. But maybe that’s just the reality they face these days.
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August 11th, 2012 at 8:47 am
I’m just so confused; whether to believe the leaks or be part of some sort of second wave truther movement that believes because Apple have has done bugger all, in the way of ‘doubling down’, that they’re clearly about to release something so much better. I’ve contacted Vodafone too and apparently ‘iPhone 5′ is not on the market until December, surely they know nothing!?
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August 11th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
I’m sure that vodafone know the time around the release date. Because they should know it, if the iPhone 5 get a Nano Sim.
But the guy, who said you something about it, doesn’t know it. I’m sure.
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August 11th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
@vj Mobile device leaks happen all the time. Samsung, HTC, RIM, and Motorola releases are very much more common than Apple devices. In fact, the GS III is the first major Samsung release that wasn’t leaked early. The design of the other Galaxy mobiles were leaked through blurry pics through sites like Engadget and Gizmodo. The Motorola Photon was leaked six months before being announced. It is uncommon for Apple to have this many leaks (IF they’re the real things). You’re right, components don’t get leaked very often for other devices. I believe there are two reasons for this. 1. Most devices use pretty standard innards in that they’re not very special. Apple often has batteries, processors, etc that they actually design. 2. There aren’t many, if any devices with as much hype surrounding them as Apple products. That makes people go out of their way to look for such components. I also don’t understand that a longer screen can’t operate as a proper smartphone. It may be a little awkward at first to get used to, but inoperable? I do agree with others about Apple not going after those posting the images. That’s one of the only reasons I believe they may be fake.
On another note, did any of you guys see the post Thad an industrial designer break down his reasoning as to why the back would have the metal and glass back? It’s an interesting read. If I find it again, I’ll post the link.
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August 11th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
It doesn’t matter how long the battery lasts – people will always bitch. 10 years from now, devices will have batteries that last a WEEK and there’ll be people complaining it should last 10 days. I’m positive if the iPhone 5 comes out with a battery that lasts 2 days there will be people bitching it isn’t good enough – guaranteed. Most of these people who complain non-stop about battery life have absolutely no idea WHY and HOW the batteries in their devices last as long or short as they do.
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August 11th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
I won’t be suprised if the next iPhone doesn’t have LTE, or if it does it will be next to useless I the uk, been reading and it appears LTE for the uk is a fair way off, quote from one article: ‘Sadly, we might have to wait a couple of years for LTE mobile phones to appear in the UK. But being late to the 4G party will have its advantages’. So if LTE is one of the new iPhones Headline new features, I won’t be overly excited about it, just as I don’t really care about Siri in its current state, just a gimmick to me. I hope the new phone is similar to the change up from 3GS to 4, which was great….
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August 11th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
@michael, go look on Engadget. They have some awesome pics of an 16 pin (8 on each side) connector next to a USB plug in. Is pretty small.
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August 11th, 2012 at 6:40 pm
@Andrew, using the shell as a “pin” is legitimate, and it’s usually used as a ground. However, calling it a pin is a stretch, as pins are usually reserved for internal to the.cable conductors, which a shielded 8 conductor wire would have 9, since the shield would be a conductor as well.
@wicket, I saw it at cult of Mac…. http://www.cultofmac.com/183831/why-the-next-iphone-has-a-two-toned-metal-backplate/
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August 11th, 2012 at 9:11 pm
@ cosmin – the next best iPhone was anticipated in spring ’11. Then an even better one must be coming in the fall of ’11 to blow Android out of the water. Had to be great because of the delay we all said. 2012 WWDC came and went so iPhone enthusiasts now believe that 1 1/2 years of waiting for the new super iPhone will pay off. Has to right? SJ designed it, we waited forever.
Those 1 1/2 years tell me this is indeed the incrementally improved new iPhone. An elongated cube, but a cube none the less.
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August 12th, 2012 at 12:37 am
@Wicket : I seriously hope those leaks are not the real phone . True it might feel akward in the start , but then iPhones where about feeling it’s class ever since they launched , and an akward looking phone To use in the start would definitely turn users down . You gotta give competitors also a glance , they have device which feels perfect to use as a proper smart phone .
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August 12th, 2012 at 1:21 am
Not too impressed with the design, if this is the new ip5, looks unfinished and poorly executed in my opinion.
If they don’t dramatically improve battery life, they will lose a lot customers.
My wife’s iPhone only lasts half a day and when I went into the Apple store the ‘genius’ had the audacity to say that this was pretty good compared to other phones he has seen! Ridiculous, Apple really need to up their game or be left standing in the past….
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August 12th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
People keep saying that the new iphone was designed by Steve Jobs. It has been mentioned that Steve Jobs worked on it (well over a year ago) but there has never been any confirmation that the next model is due to Steve Jobs. Apple has not stated such a thing and how do we know that technology hasn’t advanced to the point of requiring a different model than what Steve Jobs idealized 1 1/2 – 2 years ago? They go through so many prototypes, I’m sure that they’ve had several since then.
Who knows, maybe it will actually be something that Steve Jobs had a hand in and it could be something that Apple will tout as being a superior phone because of it….but to actually claim that the next model was designed by Steve Jobs is pure speculation.
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August 13th, 2012 at 5:25 am
“Don’t believe the hype”
If these parts all turn out to be true, the Apple Worldwide Loyalty team will be an industry laughing stock, as would Tim Cook with his assertion that Apple would be “Doubling Down” on security.
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August 13th, 2012 at 5:32 am
“Eg : galaxy note and Dell streak , Dell streak was too long but not a wide device ,and was out off the market in no time because it didn’t live up to the entire smart phone experience .”
@vj – On the contrary, The Note is quite a success in comparison to the other larger screen phones mentioned, yahoo it. In fact, the rumor mills have it that Samsung will possibility be announcing its predecessor within this month, or shortly after. I’m quite fond of the Galaxy Note, actually. I could see myself selling my SGS2 and purchasing SGN2 easily. The rumors also claim the SGN2 screen will be increased to 5.5 inches, while not increasing the phone size, similar to what was done with the SGS3.
We’ll see though,huh?
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August 13th, 2012 at 6:42 am
@genXhippie, Samsung are regressing? “announcing its predecessor within this month”, shouldn’t that be successor? lol
I totally agree with you about the Note and Streak, the Streak sank almoist without a trace and Dell have tried hard to forget that it ever existed whereas the Note, much like the iPad has carved out its own niche in the market. The fact that Apple is considering a smaller iPad will no doubt have been due to the success of the Note and it’s screen size.
*** Warning: Anecdotal evidence alert ***
I personally, have seen quite a few people writing on their Note’s recently, and a good friend who bought one to help with his work (he’s rarely in his office and works from customers homes mostly) raves about it and how useful it is for his day to day activities.
Having said that, he does have a second phone he uses when he goes out for the evening as the Nots doesn’t sit well in pockets.
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August 13th, 2012 at 8:15 am
@Oscar, you can tell your friend to get one of these…
http://tablet-news.com/2011/10/02/the-office-tv-show-gets-its-own-sabre-tablet-video/
and Michael, when I read the headline, I was thinking of my childhood and seeing D cells leak and all that icky acid all over my hands…
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August 13th, 2012 at 8:28 am
“Samsung are regressing? “announcing its predecessor within this month”, shouldn’t that be successor? lol”
lol… yes it should, thanks. Glad someone follows me.
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August 13th, 2012 at 11:03 am
The design isn’t looking good if that’s the real battery. Nothing’s looking good for apple. Yet, they will sell to millions.
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August 14th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Granted I came from an Android background, but my iPhone 4s battery life is great in my opinion. I can go through a whole day and have 5-60% left depending on usage. Usually it gets down to 5% when I run Pandora on 3g, or if I am on the phone A LOT at work with no power. I plug it in every night and unplug in the morning and I’m confident in it’s battery life for the day. I work two jobs, one of which is being an insurance broker so I definitely use my phone a TON!
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August 17th, 2012 at 4:31 am
@Parish Jackson The Third,
Yes they will sell millions, probably tens of millions but the issue is not this current release as such, it’s the long term view. If people no longer find Apple design to be “cutting edge” then they are more likely to look at the competition and as the other manufacturers are slowly catching up the alternatives become more attractive.
Apple could find themselves losing their crown as the best tech design company and along with that the sales will drop too.
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