Apple: difference in battery life between iPhone 6s models is small

Apple states in a statement that there is hardly any difference in battery life between the iPhone 6s models. Tests that appeared online and show a big difference between models with TSMC-soc and with Samsung chip, according to Apple, are misleading and not representative of practice.

Apple’s statement was sent to TechCrunch and Ars Technica, among others. The manufacturer states that ‘certain tests that continuously load the processor very heavily until the battery is empty’ are not representative of practical use. According to Apple, it is therefore a misleading way to test the battery life. Apple itself claims that tests and user data show that the difference in battery life between the models is only two to three percent.

At the end of September, Chipworks discovered that Apple is having the A9 soc in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus devices made by two manufacturers. Samsung makes the soc with its 14nm FinFet process, TSMC does that on 16nm. As a result, TSMC’s chip is slightly larger and, in theory, Samsung’s variant should be slightly more economical because of the smaller process.

Last week there was a fuss on the internet about a big difference in battery life between the devices with different soc, usually referring to some limited tests by a Reddit user and the Chinese site MyDrivers. The iPhone 6s with TSMC chip in particular showed a longer battery life. According to the Reddit user’s test, the iPhone with TSMC chip lasted eight hours, while the battery of the variant with Samsung soc was empty after six hours. He ran the battery test with GeekBench. Extensive battery tests that have been performed accurately and that can provide a definitive answer do not seem to have appeared online yet.