Apple Filings Reveal iPhone 18 Pro Max 5,567mAh Battery, Up Nearly 500mAh

Q: Is the iPhone 18 Pro Max a smarter buy than the delayed, pricey foldable Ultra with its smaller battery?

Yes—for most buyers, the iPhone 18 Pro Max looks like the smarter purchase. The biggest reason is value. The foldable iPhone Ultra is expected to cost roughly $2,000 to $3,000 and may not be available to order until late 2026 because of manufacturing issues. By contrast, the iPhone 18 Pro Max should launch on Apple’s normal September schedule and almost certainly at a far lower price. Battery also favors the Pro Max. Based on regulatory filings, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is rated at about 5,391mAh in China and 5,567mAh in the U.S., while the foldable Ultra is rumored at a combined minimum 4,883mAh from two cells. That does not automatically mean worse endurance for the Ultra, because foldables use power differently, but on paper the Pro Max has the larger battery. The Ultra’s appeal is its form factor: a 7.8-inch inner display and the novelty of Apple’s first foldable. It may also share the A20 Pro chip and 12GB of RAM with the Pro models. But first-generation foldables usually carry more risk on durability, repair cost, and resale value, and Apple’s delayed rollout suggests supply constraints remain real. The Pro Max also appears to be the safer all-around flagship. It should deliver Apple’s top-tier conventional camera system, strong battery life, and fewer compromises. The Ultra is better viewed as an expensive early-adopter device for buyers who specifically want a foldable iPhone, not the most rational buy for most people.

3 articles · Updated · MacRumors · Jul 11

Chinese C3 certification filings list the iPhone 18 Pro Max at 5,391mAh in China and 5,567mAh in the U.S., a notable jump from the iPhone 17 Pro Max's 4,823mAh and 5,088mAh.
The same filings show the iPhone 18 Pro at 4,056mAh in China and 4,288mAh in the U.S., up modestly from 3,988mAh and 4,252mAh on the iPhone 17 Pro.
Those disclosures surfaced because Chinese regulatory approvals require battery-capacity details for upcoming devices before Apple's annual iPhone launch event, now about two months away.
Separate filings also point to Apple's foldable iPhone Ultra using two cells rated at 1,921mAh and 2,962mAh, for a combined minimum capacity of 4,883mAh.