

Quick Summary
Realme's next phone will have a 7,000mAh battery and there's an even bigger one coming.
But Apple and even Samsung are unlikely to see this as an upgrade worth adding.
Realme's launching two new phones that could make even Apple's best iPhone look underserved – in the battery department, at least. Even the Samsung Galaxy S25 could struggle in comparison.
Both the imminent Realme Neo7 and a currently unnamed handset for 2025 are said to be coming with batteries that make the even the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max look seriously short on stamina.
The first carries a huge 7,000mAh cell – as confirmed by Realme in advance of its official launch. And the second is reportedly even bigger, with a credible leak by renowned source Digital Chat Station claiming that it'll be 8,000mAh.
Even if Realme decides not to do the 8K one, the Neo7's battery is much bigger than that in Apple's biggest iPhone, the iPhone 16 Pro Max. It runs on a 4,685mAh battery.
However, Apple and its closest rival, Samsung, are highly unlikely to care.
Why Apple won't be bothered by bigger batteries
If we were talking about the Samsung Galaxy S25 then Apple might be concerned.
But Realme isn't competing in the same market – literally, in some cases. The Chinese brand rarely sells its phones in the UK, US or Australian markets, so the firm could be offering every one of its customers a free horse for all that Apple or other global rivals care.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
There's another reason why it won't bother Apple though, and that's the fact that while Realme's battery size is impressive, having that much more capacity means trade-offs in portability, weight and overall design.
For example, I've just bought a power pack (even tech writers aren't immune to Black Friday) that's double the capacity of my previous one, and while it's from the same manufacturer with the same basic design it's much heavier. It also takes much longer to fully charge.
I don't mind the bulk when I'm travelling, but I don't want to be lugging around such a heavy lump every day.
That's a trade-off you can be sure Apple thinks about. For years it's talked about battery life in terms of "all-day" rather than milliamps. And with Apple apparently focused on making ever slimmer phones such as the iPhone 17 Air, aka iPhone 17 Slim, you can be confident that for the foreseeable future, it will prioritise lightness over battery life.
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
The new Mercedes Vision V concept might be the coolest van I’ve ever seen
The interior of this Mercedes van looks more luxurious than a private jet
By Alistair Charlton
-
One of Apple CarPlay's new Tesla-like features will soon be removed again
Just when you thought you could watch Netflix through CarPlay
By Rik Henderson
-
iPhone 17 Pro case leak shows Apple really is about to make a huge design swerve
This is going to alienate some users
By Sam Cross
-
Apple's Severance computer may have been a joke, but the keyboard is coming for real
Tell us where we can sign up!
By Britta O'Boyle
-
New iPhone 17 Pro Max renders give us the best look yet at the flagship phone
This is going to cause a stir
By Sam Cross
-
Apple Watch is set to get Apple Intelligence this year, but only with a little help from a friend
Bring on watchOS 12
By Britta O'Boyle
-
Apple's iPhone just did something it never has before
This is an unprecedented event for the iPhone
By Sam Cross
-
Leaked iPhone Fold pricing suggests it will be fighting an uphill battle from the start
It looks set to be the most expensive foldable phone
By Sam Cross
-
iPad reportedly getting major makeover and your current model could benefit too
Apple is said to be making a change that iPad power users have been wanting for years
By Carrie Marshall
-
Will there ever be a US-made iPhone?
It's something right-wing commentators have called for
By Sam Cross