Right after Apple released iOS 17 RC to developers and beta users last week, 9to5Mac found code references to a new option to limit the maximum battery charge on the iPhone in order to better preserve it. As some people already have iPhone 15 in their hands, we now have confirmation that this feature exists on the new phones. Plus, they provide more details on battery health for users.
New iPhone 15 battery features
As shared by Ray Wong on X, iPhone 15 models have a section dedicated to showing more details about battery health. For instance, users can check when the component was manufactured and when it was first used. There are also details about the cycle count (a cycle is counted every time the battery is recharged from 0 to 100%).
It was already possible to access this information on previous iPhone models. However, this required using some third-party tools, such as coconutBattery on the Mac. Now, these details are available as part of iOS, at least for iPhone 15.
There’s another new feature for iPhone 15 when it comes to battery, and that’s an option to limit the charge to 80%
9to5Mac first revealed this option last week, and now we know for sure that it’s already there for those who buy an iPhone 15. Since recharging a lithium-ion battery to 100% ends up making it age faster, users can sacrifice a few extra hours of daily battery life to ensure that the component will last longer.
The feature works similarly to “Optimized Battery Charging,” which learns the user’s daily routine so that it only finishes recharging the battery past 80% around the time the user unplugs the iPhone from the charger. The new option, however, will always limit recharging to 80%.
And older iPhones might not get them
Unfortunately, both new features are limited to iPhone 15 models for some reason. It’s unclear at this point whether Apple has plans to bring the same features to previous iPhone models with a future software update.
iPhone 15 will be available in stores starting this Friday, September 22. Apple says the new phones will arrive in 20 other countries next week.
- Here’s how to check if your iPhone 15 pre-order has shipped
- iPhone 15 is eSIM-only in the US: Here’s what you need to know
- These are the iPhone models compatible with iOS 17
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