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Android Flagships Could Reach 10,000mAh With Apple-Style Steel-Cased Batteries, Leak Says

A new leak says Chinese Android makers, likely Xiaomi, are testing steel-cased batteries with stacked-cell technology. The target is 9,000mAh to 10,000mAh in future flagships, compared with Apple’s cited 5,391mAh rated iPhone 18 Pro Max battery.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-25 23:12

The leak comes from Digital Chat Station on Weibo, a reputable leaker. According to Android Authority, the post points to Apple’s continued use of steel-encased battery cells on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which reportedly has a rated capacity of 5,391mAh and a typical capacity around 5,500mAh. The leaker says a major Chinese smartphone maker is testing a similar steel-shell architecture. Based on Digital Chat Station’s post format, Android Authority identifies Xiaomi as the most likely candidate.

The report says Android brands are looking to adopt Apple’s rigid, steel-cased battery design to replace traditional soft-pouch batteries. The steel casing is described as removing the extra clearance needed to accommodate potential cell swelling. But it also adds physical weight and imposes tight internal assembly constraints.

Combining the steel-shell design with stacked-cell manufacturing is the route to the higher capacities. The leak says the brand could aim to deliver 9,000mAh to 10,000mAh batteries in future top-tier flagship devices. Android Authority reports that upcoming Android flagships might soon deliver better battery endurance, both physically and in terms of battery life.

The report’s lead image caption refers to an aluminum-cased iPhone 16 Pro battery, while the leaker describes steel-encased cells on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The report does not reconcile the two descriptions. It also does not provide a timeline for when such batteries might enter mass production, and it does not name the Chinese company beyond the indication that Xiaomi is the most likely.

The leak also does not detail how the added weight or tighter internal assembly constraints would be managed. The information remains unconfirmed by Apple, Xiaomi or other Android manufacturers. Digital Chat Station has a track record of publishing supply-chain claims, but the reported plans are still described as experiments and tests.

If the testing progresses, the move would mark a shift from soft-pouch battery designs that have been common in Android phones. Apple’s steel-encased cells are presented in the leak as the reference point for the new Android experiments. The reported target capacity would be substantially higher than the 5,391mAh rated capacity cited for the iPhone 18 Pro Max.