Apple iPhone 18 Pro faces battery and repairability scrutiny

The iPhone 18 Pro series faces criticism in Germany due to hardware differences compared to models in the US, Canada, and Japan. While versions in those regions utilize eSIM-only technology to maximize battery space, German models retain a physical SIM slot. This design choice results in lower battery capacities; for instance, the iPhone 18 Pro in Germany offers up to 34 hours of video playback compared to 36 hours in the US.

Regarding maintenance, Apple’s self-assessment for the iPhone 18 Pro indicates slight improvements in repairability compared to the iPhone 17 Pro. While the device maintains a middle-range repairability class of C, its repairability index rose from 3.04 to 3.14. The most notable improvement was in the “tools” subcategory, which increased from 2.05 to 2.55, potentially reflecting the impact of EU regulatory pressure to make hardware more accessible to third-party repairers.