OLED iPhone 8 to have significantly larger battery

A note was obtained by MacRumors from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo where he mentioned the iPhone 8 will use a more expensive stacked logic board design to allow Apple to use a 2,700mAh battery (comparable to the 5.5″ Plus models) in a 4.7″ form factor.

Stacked SLP

The stacked logic board design creates more space inside the iPhone, allowing Apple to fit a higher capacity battery in the same space as the previous iPhones.

OLED displays are more energy efficient than LCD displays as they do not require a backlight, this will lead to huge gains in battery life but at a higher price. It is rumoured that the iPhone 8 will start at $1000.

Kuo’s report:

As battery material tech isn’t likely to see major breakthroughs in the next 3-5 years, mainboard area can only be reduced via stacked SLP, which makes space for larger battery and extended usage time.

Thanks to stacked SLP, we expect the OLED iPhone to have similar dimensions to a 4.7-inch LCD iPhone, and have comparable battery capacity (equipped with around 2,700 mAh L-shaped 2-cell battery pack) to a 5.5-inch LCD iPhone.

It is highly likely that the iPhone 8 will not replace the traditional S models but will be added as a more premium option to mark the iPhone’s 10th anniversary as it was introduced in January 2007. The 7S and 7S Plus will stick to the current logic board designs to maintain their price point and act as a differentiator to the iPhone 8.

Recently, Apple have secretly joined the Wireless Power Consortium, adding to the expectations for Apple to introduce wireless charging into the iPhones this year.