iOS 19 will reportedly use AI to extend the iPhone’s battery life

Macworld

Finally, an Apple Intelligence feature we can all get behind! Instead of more generative features of questionable quality, Apple reportedly plans to use AI to help us all get longer battery life, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

While it’s likely to be promoted as part of Apple’s “Apple Intelligence” platform, this is the kind of data-analysis AI that we’ve seen on iPhones for years already, rather than the generative AI that has been met with mixed reviews, to put it charitably. Apple is taking the battery data it has collected from many millions (or billions) of devices, combining that with each individual user’s own usage trends, and using that to determine when it can lower the power draw of certain applications or features to save battery life without impacting the user experience.

In addition, Gurman says, the lock screen will now show long long it will take to charge up your device. Finally! We first heard about this feature hidden in the iOS 18.2 beta, but it was never available for testing. Gurman reports that the feature has been in development primarily as a way to offset the smaller battery required for the new ultra-slim iPhone 17 model, but it will work on all devices running iOS 19, so you won’t need a new iPhone to benefit.

Gurman refers to the feature as a “mode,” so it’s likely to be an optional feature you can turn off. The new battery feature is just one of many features said to be “powered by Apple Intelligence” in iOS 19, along with a major overhaul to the interface. The report also says Apple is “pushing engineers to ensure that this year’s releases are more functional and less glitchy,” but we’ve heard that before, haven’t we?

Apple will unveil iOS 19 during its WWDC keynote on June 9.