Compare the battery life of the four new iPhone 12 models with the previous generation iPhones

Apple officially launched four new iPhone 12 models at the event last night, with many changes and improvements to the design, processor, camera, screen and 5G connectivity. However, there is another rather important detail that Apple did not mention at its launch event last night, which is battery life.

In fact, the iPhone 12 feature presentation on the Apple website didn't mention any battery improvements either. The main reason, not surprisingly, is that the iPhone 12 has the same battery life as previous generations.

One of the highlights of last year's iPhone 11, is the significantly improved battery life, which helps to clear criticism of the previous iPhone Xs and Xs Max for having poor battery life. The reason is that Apple has used the A13 chip to save more power and generously increase the battery capacity.

Now, iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are equipped with A14 Bionic chip based on 5nm process, which is even more energy efficient than iPhone 11's A13. So why is battery life still not increase?

The reason may be that the iPhone 12's batteries have shrunk. It stems from Apple having to retrofit components to support 5G technology, and new design changes have affected the battery.

Below is a table comparing the battery life of the four new iPhone 12 models, and the previous-generation iPhones. Note that the battery capacity parameters of the four iPhone 12 models are based on leaked information, not Apple published or confirmed numbers.

One interesting detail is that the iPhone 12 mini is rated to have 20% better battery life than the 2020 iPhone SE, albeit with a smaller size. According to Apple, the iPhone 12 mini can last 50 hours of normal use, while the iPhone SE 2020 is only 40 hours.

Of course, all four new iPhone 12 models bring us 5G connectivity technology, larger screens, and a host of other features. As a result, the battery life hasn't changed from the iPhone 11, which is, in fact, an improvement.

Another detail to keep in mind is that the new iPhone 12 won't ship with a charger inside the box. As a commitment to environmental protection, Apple only provides the USB-C to Lightning charging cable that comes in the box of the iPhone 12. So you'll have to use an old charger, or buy a new one from Apple.

Jessica Tanner

Update 14 October 2020