iOS 17.4 is now available, and the new software update brings some welcome additions to iPhone. One neat change to the Battery Health section on iPhone 15 models gives you deeper insight into your power consumption, although owners of older iPhones have been left behind.
On 17.4, owners of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max will find additional information in Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Previously, you could only see the battery’s maximum capacity, but now there’s information on its cycle count, and the date it was manufactured is visible.
This is a great addition to the best iPhones, giving you added detail into your battery’s lifespan. Owners of older iPhones, however, are left in the dark, even if they own last year’s iPhone 14 Pro. There’s no confirmation as to why previous generations have not been given this information in the latest iOS update, but hopefully, we’ll see these changes reflected across the iPhone lineup at a later date.
Just last month, Apple confirmed the latest models would retain 80% capacity at 1,000 charges instead of the 500 charges found on older models. Combined with the easily accessible cycle count information, it’s clear that Apple is taking battery longevity in newer iPhone models very seriously.
The battery champ
After a terrible year of battery life with my iPhone 14 Pro, which led to my smartphone needing a charge nearly three times every 24 hours, I was not best pleased with the battery performance of the top-of-the-line iPhones. My iPhone 15 Pro Max, on the other hand, has been incredibly reliable and continues to hold its charge throughout the day, even when I spend far too much time on YouTube.
This time last year, my iPhone 14 Pro had less than 90% of its battery capacity, while my 15 Pro Max still has 100%. I’m not sure what exactly Apple is doing under the hood, but despite early overheating issues, the battery in the latest models is quite possibly the best new feature from this generation of iPhones — and iOS 17.4 makes it even better.
