iFixit Teardown: iPhone Air Battery Revealed in MagSafe Pack?

iFixit may have uncovered the iPhone Air’s battery design during a teardown of Apple’s new MagSafe battery pack built exclusively for the slim device.

The pack, which Apple says extends the iPhone Air’s life by about 65% — up to 44 hours of video playback — was pried open to reveal a 12.26Wh steel-encased cell. Instead of Apple’s usual rectangular or L-shaped batteries, the unit featured a bottom protrusion and subtle curves that closely match the shape of the iPhone Air’s internal battery shown briefly during Apple’s launch event. At 2.7mm thick, the cell would fit inside the Air’s 5.6mm body.

The discovery explains why the MagSafe pack doesn’t provide a full extra charge. Wireless energy transfer, combined with normal efficiency losses between two batteries, limits the output to around two-thirds of a full recharge.

iFixit noted that the pack was difficult to open, relying on heavy adhesive that makes repair or replacement impractical for most users. That raises questions about whether the same approach will affect repairability inside the iPhone Air itself.

Apple’s iPhone Air MagSafe battery costs $139 in Canada. The iPhone Air itself starts at $1,449. You could always wait for third-party battery packs for the iPhone Air that likely will be cheaper.

Check out the video teardown below by iFixit. If this is the same battery used in the iPhone Air, that would be a prime example of Apple’s supply chain optimization: