Apple’s new iPhones pack some serious upgrades in the battery department. But just how long do the new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro batteries last?
It can be tough to tell, especially since Apple has taken to comparing its new batteries to previous generations. The iPhone 11 Pro, for example, “lasts four hours longer” than the iPhone XS. But if you don’t own an iPhone XS, you won’t know what that means.
We’ll save you form having to do any additional digging or additional math. Here’s what you need to know about how long the new batteries last.
Apple’s battery estimates & specs
In a nutshell, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max feature much larger batteries. Image via iFixit.
While Apple used comparison statistics during its September keynote and in most of its marketing material, the company has revealed more objective specifications — they’re just a bit buried in the iPhones’ Tech Specs page.
Similarly, Apple doesn’t release the battery capacities of its devices. But we can glean their capacities form supply chain insiders and regulatory filings.
Here’s how they break down.
iPhone 11: Has a 3,110mAh battery. Apple estimates it’ll last up to 17 hours of video playback, up to 10 hours of streaming video, or up to 65 hours of audio playback
iPhone 11 Pro: Has a 3,190mAh battery. Apple estimates it’ll last up to 18 hours of video playback, 11 hours of video streaming, or up to 65 hours of audio playback.
iPhone 11 Pro Max: Has a 3,500mAh battery. Apple says it’ll last up to 20 hours of video playback, 12 hours of video streaming, or up to 80 hours of audio playback
Those are pretty hefty batteries, especially for iPhones. And, in fact, Apple has actually made its 2019 devices slightly thicker and heavier to fit those batteries.
The battery life estimates also take into account Apple’s power management. In a recent interview with WIRED, Apple’s chief chip engineer revealed that the A13 Bionic uses machine learning to optimize power efficiency in the latest iPhones. That means better battery life without any sacrifice in performance.
Real-world battery testing and reviews
Capacities and specifications are one thing. But real-world testing of battery life is the best way to determine how long your iPhone will last.
Of course, batteries capacities won’t mean much to many consumers and specifications really only tell one part of the story. You don’t actually go around listening to music for 65 hours straight, for example.
Luckily, a slew of early reviewers from major media outlets took a deeper dive into the battery life of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The results are pretty promising for users who care about battery life.
For example, the iPhone 11 Pro consistently lasted around 12 to 14 hours in normal day-to-day usage during The Verge’s test. That’s a significant bump than the previous iPhone, and The Verge notes that it’s better than most current Android flagships.
The iPhone 11 Pro saw similar battery life gains, with Engadget finding their test model to last about 12 hours per charge in normal usage. Again, that’s pretty much all day battery life and a huge bump from the previous generation.
By comparison, the standard LCD iPhone 11 saw much more modest improvements. Apple says that device lasts 1 hour longer than the iPhone XR — but it’s worth noting that the iPhone XR already had the best battery life of any previous iPhone.
To be clear, battery life is largely dependent on how you use your iPhone. Because of that, your own mileage may vary. Similarly, lithium-ion batteries will naturally degrade over time, meaning that these battery life statistics aren’t permanent.
Still, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models all show signifiant improvements in battery life.
Mike is a freelance journalist from San Diego, California.
While he primarily covers Apple and consumer technology, he has past experience writing about public safety, local government, and education for a variety of publications.
He’s worn quite a few hats in the journalism field, including writer, editor, and news designer.
I charged my iPhone 11 to, 100%, and I’ve used it for 5hrs and 35 minutes so far and it’s only gotten down to 52%, with less than 50% battery. Which I’m assuming is pretty good.
My iPhone 11 is 10 months old, and the battery health lists at 87%. My performance has tanked, and I’m charging constantly. Can’t imagine what anything less than 80% would be like – 80% being Apple’s definition of ‘still optimal performance’, which is the extent of their 1 year battery warranty.
Funny that, because at 79% a phone will prompt for replacement & its operation is considered ‘compromised’.
With a 44% profit margin on phones you’d think Apple might go a tad further for their customers. My iPhone 11 is a pos….I hate this phone, and was far happier with my iPhone 8. The 11 has clunky functionality, web browsing requires way* too many taps, and I’ve never* gotten 17 hours of use off a full charge. At this rate of decline I figure I’ll likely hit 79% at 13 months or somewhere close – somewhere just outside of what’s covered. Go Apple
Apple contends that the iPhone 11 gives you up to an 18-hour all-day battery life. Tests show:
Video playback:Up to 17 hours
Video playback (streamed): Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 65 hours
Fast‑charge capable: Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes10 with 18W adapter or higher
When I’m listening to my music, while I’m doing my minimum of 10,000 steps my phone goes from 100% to 20%, surely that can’t be right
I charged my iPhone 11 to, 100%, and I’ve used it for 5hrs and 35 minutes so far and it’s only gotten down to 52%, with less than 50% battery. Which I’m assuming is pretty good.
My iPhone 11 is 10 months old, and the battery health lists at 87%. My performance has tanked, and I’m charging constantly. Can’t imagine what anything less than 80% would be like – 80% being Apple’s definition of ‘still optimal performance’, which is the extent of their 1 year battery warranty.
Funny that, because at 79% a phone will prompt for replacement & its operation is considered ‘compromised’.
With a 44% profit margin on phones you’d think Apple might go a tad further for their customers. My iPhone 11 is a pos….I hate this phone, and was far happier with my iPhone 8. The 11 has clunky functionality, web browsing requires way* too many taps, and I’ve never* gotten 17 hours of use off a full charge. At this rate of decline I figure I’ll likely hit 79% at 13 months or somewhere close – somewhere just outside of what’s covered. Go Apple
So, what is the overall battery life for Apple’s iPhone 11 Series iPhones?
HI Big Larry,
Apple contends that the iPhone 11 gives you up to an 18-hour all-day battery life. Tests show:
Video playback:Up to 17 hours
Video playback (streamed): Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 65 hours
Fast‑charge capable: Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes10 with 18W adapter or higher
My iPhone 11 battery life last’s 2 hours
You must have bad battery then