According to Apple, this generation marks the biggest leap in battery life in iPhone history. The figures released by the company show that both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max last significantly longer than their predecessors, while the foldable iPhone Duo also delivers surprisingly strong battery life despite having to power two displays.

iPhone 18 Pro gains battery life over iPhone 17 Pro

Apple says the improved battery life of its latest iPhones comes from a combination of factors, including a redesigned internal battery architecture, greater energy efficiency from the new A20 Pro chip and system-level software optimizations.

Of course, these figures still need to be tested under real-world conditions. Independent reviews will provide a clearer picture of how long the iPhone 18 Pro can actually last when users continuously message, take photos, play games, stream video or browse the web.

For now, however, Apple's published specifications remain the best basis for comparing the different generations.

The company uses streaming video playback as one of its main benchmarks for measuring iPhone battery life.

The iPhone 17 Pro offers up to 30 hours of streaming video playback, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max reaches 35 hours. On the iPhone 18 Pro, that figure rises to 36 hours.

Even more striking is the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which jumps from 35 hours to 45 hours of streaming video playback. This represents one of the most substantial battery improvements for the iPhone Pro line in recent years.

Beyond video playback testing, Apple has also introduced a new battery-life metric for the iPhone 18 Pro series, designed to better reflect how people actually use their phones.

The method combines a range of common activities, including messaging, photography, gaming, web browsing and other everyday tasks.

Apple says the metric is based on what users typically do with their iPhones in real life, rather than focusing on a single activity such as watching video.

Under this new benchmark, the iPhone 18 Pro Max can run for up to 30 hours on a single charge, while the iPhone 18 Pro reaches 24 hours under the same testing conditions.

If those figures hold up in real-world use, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be a particularly compelling option for users who prioritize battery life.

The 30-hour result under mixed-use testing also suggests Apple is trying to make its battery-life claims more representative of everyday usage.

One important detail is that these figures apply to iPhone 18 Pro models using eSIM, such as those sold in the US.

In many international markets, the iPhone 18 Pro continues to feature a physical SIM tray.

That hardware component takes up some internal space and, according to Apple, has a slight impact on battery capacity and endurance.

Specifically, non-eSIM versions offer around two hours less streaming video playback than their eSIM counterparts.

Battery performance may therefore vary slightly between iPhone 18 Pro models sold in the US and those available in some international markets.

Foldable iPhone Duo delivers a battery-life surprise

While the iPhone 18 Pro is focused on extending everyday endurance, the iPhone Duo has attracted even more attention as Apple's first foldable iPhone.

The device uses two batteries, with one housed in each half of the body. The greater challenge, however, is that the iPhone Duo has to power two displays, including an inner screen measuring as much as 7.8 inches.

It is the largest display ever fitted to an iPhone, significantly larger than those found on Apple's conventional models.

Even so, Apple's figures are impressive. When using the large inner display, the iPhone Duo offers up to 31 hours of streaming video playback. Switching to the outer display pushes that figure to as much as 44 hours.

Assuming users spend much of their time on the inner display, the iPhone Duo's battery life is essentially comparable to that of the iPhone 17 Pro, based on Apple's published figures.

That is a notable result for a foldable device, as a dual-display design typically comes with higher power demands.

For now, however, these numbers remain Apple's own estimates. Whether the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo can comfortably last through a full day will only become clear through real-world testing once the devices reach consumers.

The iPhone 18 Pro will be available for pre-order this weekend, starting September 12, with deliveries beginning September 19. The iPhone Duo is scheduled to open for pre-orders on October 16 before going on sale on October 23.

That means users will have to wait a little longer before they can properly assess the real-world battery performance of Apple's first foldable iPhone.

Hai Phong