According to Chinese media reports, some iPhone users have recently been reporting an unusual phenomenon: during a plane flight, the battery seems to have inflated, while after landing, the condition returns to normal. This problem is increasingly discussed on social networks, where users share similar experiences.
Reports indicate that the phenomenon occurs in several newer models, including: iPhone 16 Pro Max, but also older devices such as the iPhone 15. One user described that his iPhone 16 Pro Max visibly inflated during the flight, while after landing the phone looked completely normal again. It is interesting that in subsequent flights the same problem did not recur.
A drop in cabin pressure is a possible cause of iPhone battery problems
According to available analyses, the cause could lie in the very nature of lithium batteries. During use, a small amount of gas can be created in the battery, which on earth, at normal atmospheric pressure, is compressed inside the casing. However, the pressure in the airplane cabin is lower than at sea level, so this gas expands, which can temporarily cause the battery to inflate.
Experts warn that although the battery visually returns to its original state after landing, this does not mean that the problem is harmless. Inflating can damage the internal structure of the battery as well as the phone itself, potentially affecting the device’s water and dust resistance.
This, after all, is not the first time that Apple has faced similar reports of this type of problem. Back in June 2024, a large number of cases of inflated batteries in the iPhone 13 model were recorded. Then Apple officially announced that the cause is most often related to the aging of the battery, with the additional influence of increased ambient temperature, writes mydrivers.