Facepalm: Apple’s iPhone 14 has been on the market for less than a year but some users are already complaining about rapid battery degradation. So we ask, what has your experience been like with battery capacity on modern iPhones?
Last month, Sam Kohl from AppleTrack posted on Twitter about the battery in his iPhone 14 Pro. According to the screenshot shared, the phone’s maximum battery capacity is already down to 90 percent after less than a year of ownership.
Others chimed in with their experiences, which vary from zero degradation to alarmingly steep declines in battery capacity. Joanna Stern from The Wall Street Journal recently said her iPhone 14 Pro, which she has had since September, is already down to 88 percent. Stern said she took her phone to an Apple Store and was told it was aging at a normal rate for a power user.
My iPhone 14 Pro is down to 88% battery capacity after less than a year.
Is it because I use my phone too much and have already hit 450 charge cycles?! (That’s what Apple Store says.) Is it from heat from fast charging? Is there something up with the battery?
My newsletter…
– Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) August 11, 2023
Stern downloaded a third-party app that showed her phone’s charge cycle count at 451. That’s a lot for a phone that is less than a year old but perhaps in line with a true power user.
Stern also wondered out loud if her use of fast charging could have damaged the battery, or if excess heat (she left it in direct sunlight in Mexico earlier this year) impacted it. What about the always-on display? Maybe that is having an impact on maximum capacity? Perhaps there is something else at play? Apple does have a history of questionable battery practices on its iPhones.
According to Apple’s battery service and recycling page, iPhone batteries are designed to retain up to 80 percent of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. Cupertino notes that new iPhones come with a one year warranty that includes coverage for a defective battery.
Battery replacement services are also available but will vary in cost depending on whether or not you have an AppleCare+ plan. A quick check on Apple’s website shows a battery replacement for an iPhone 14 Pro would set you back $99 without AppleCare+.
