iPhone 18 Pro Max: Leak reveals gigantic battery leap compared to Samsung

Apple is apparently breaking with a long-standing tradition this September, equipping its flagship model with the largest battery in iPhone history. A new leak from the X source @fireuniverse8 and corresponding Weibo reports reveal, for the first time, exact battery capacities for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which even make established Android competitors look outdated. 

Cupertino is thus responding to the enormous pressure from Chinese manufacturers, who have long since surpassed Apple in terms of pure battery power.

The bare facts: Apple breaks the 5,000 mark.

As with the previous generation, Apple is likely once again employing a two-tiered technical approach, since the physical SIM card slot in Europe takes up valuable space in the casing. The US version without a SIM slot directly benefits from this freed-up space.

Leaked capacities in direct generational comparison:

• iPhone 18 Pro Max (eSIM-only / US): 5,425 mAh (Previous model: 5,088 mAh) – A significant increase of 337 mAh.
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (Physical SIM / EU): 5,235 mAh (Previous: 4,823 mAh) – A massive jump of 412 mAh.
• iPhone 18 Pro (eSIM-only / US): 4,288 mAh (Previous model: 4,252 mAh)
• iPhone 18 Pro (Physical SIM / EU): 4,056 mAh (Previous: 3,998 mAh)

What does this mean for the market?

For the end user, these specifications, combined with the expected A20 Pro chip manufactured using the highly efficient 2nm process, promise phenomenal battery life that could set new standards. Particularly exciting: Apple effortlessly surpasses the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (5,000 mAh), even though South Korea reportedly plans to counter with a 5,500 mAh battery in the upcoming S27 Ultra. The only remaining question mark on the software side is the charging speed. Anyone who continues to charge a 5,425 mAh battery with a sluggish 30 watts via cable will need a great deal of patience at the charging station.

For years, Apple fobbed us off with the argument that software optimization compensated for small batteries. The fact that Cupertino is now so drastically increasing battery capacity clearly demonstrates one thing: the pressure from Chinese competitors, who are already installing 7,500 mAh cells in their home market, has become an existential threat. For us customers, this arms race is a blessing – as long as Apple finally scraps the ridiculous 30-watt charging limit in September.

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