Apple's iPhone 17 Pro has been named the fastest-charging phone overall in a new CNET lab test covering 33 smartphones, with Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra taking the top spot for wired charging speed.


To determine the rankings, CNET's lab team ran each phone through a 30-minute wired charging test starting at 10% battery or less, using the phone's included cable and a wall charger rated at or above the device's maximum supported speed. Phones that support wireless charging went through a matching 30-minute wireless test using a Qi (7.5W), Qi2 (15W), or Qi2.2 (25W) charger matched to the phone's peak supported speed. CNET then averaged the wired and wireless results into an overall charging score.

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌'s win in the overall category is partly a function of its relatively compact 4,252mAh battery, which is smaller than the 5,000mAh or larger capacities common among competing flagships. With less capacity to fill, the 17 Pro charges faster in absolute terms, and it supports both 40-watt wired charging and 25-watt Qi2.2 wireless charging. CNET notes that battery size is just one factor in overall battery life, alongside processor and software efficiency, and in its battery life testing, the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max came out on top for endurance.

For wired charging, Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra took the top spot, adding 76% charge in 30 minutes via its 60-watt wired charging speed, the fastest of any Samsung flagship to date. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ came in second at 74%, tied with Motorola's Moto G Stylus (2025). The OnePlus 15 followed with 72%, while the iPhone 17, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, and Samsung Galaxy S25 FE each reached 69%.

Apple's ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ also claimed the fastest wireless charging result, gaining 55% in 30 minutes. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max added 53%, followed by the ‌iPhone 17‌ at 49%, the iPhone Air at 47%, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra at 39%. CNET again attributes the 17 Pro's edge over the 17 Pro Max largely to its smaller battery, since both devices share the same A19 Pro chip and software.

Across all brands tested, Apple had the most consistent fast-charging performance by a considerable margin, averaging 54.6% across the four ‌iPhone 17‌ models and the ‌iPhone Air‌. Samsung's nine-phone average came in at 38.5%, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra as its strongest performer and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as its weakest at 29%.

Silicon-carbon batteries, which use a silicon-based anode rather than graphite to enable higher capacities and faster charge rates, appeared among several of the top performers. The OnePlus 15, for example, recharged 72% of its 7,300mAh silicon-carbon battery in 30 minutes using a proprietary 80-watt charger. Silicon-carbon phones in the U.S. remain limited to OnePlus, RedMagic, and Poco. Apple, Samsung, and Google have not yet adopted the technology.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Named Fastest-Charging Smartphone" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new survey suggests most U.S. smartphone owners are not motivated to upgrade by foldable phone designs or AI features, a potential challenge for Apple as it prepares to launch both the rumored "iPhone Ultra" and an expanded suite of Apple Intelligence features this fall.


The survey, commissioned by CNET and conducted by YouGov across 2,407 U.S. smartphone owners between April 29 and May 1, found that only 13% of respondents would consider upgrading for a phone concept such as a foldable or flip phone, while just 12% cited AI integrations as an upgrade motivator.

Among iPhone owners specifically, interest in foldable designs was slightly higher at 14%. Apple is widely expected to launch its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro this fall, with a starting price of around $2,000.

While a 13% interest statistic in foldable designs has been characterized as evidence of limited appeal, it may actually represent a larger addressable market than anticipated for a product most consumers have never used and whose likely price was not disclosed to respondents. Interest could shrink considerably once a $2,000-plus price tag enters the picture, and supply chain reports suggest smooth availability may not occur until 2027.

Consumer sentiment around AI integrations dropped sharply from 2024 to 2025 before edging slightly higher in 2026, though the figure remains low at 12%. Previous surveys found that the majority of iPhone users felt existing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features added little to no value to their experience.

Price remains the overwhelming driver of upgrade decisions, cited by 55% of respondents, followed by longer battery life at 52%, and more storage at 38%. Those top three motivators are unchanged from 2025, when price led at 62%, battery life at 54%, and storage at 39%.

Camera features (27%) and display size (22%) ranked well ahead of either foldables or AI as upgrade motivators. Smartphone owners are also not particularly swayed by a phone being thinner or available in new colors, findings that are relevant given Apple's recent emphasis on the ultra-thin iPhone Air and expanded color options across its lineup.
This article, "Few Smartphone Owners Care About Foldables or AI, Survey Suggests" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A broad new smartphone test has found that Apple devices lead the industry for battery life, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max ranking as the longest-lasting phone tested and Apple tied as the top overall brand.


CNET this week published the results of a large-scale battery-life comparison based on testing conducted throughout 2025 across 35 smartphones sold in the United States. According to the report, Apple and OnePlus ranked as the two brands with the strongest battery performance overall, based on averaged results from multiple battery benchmarks.

The top-performing individual device in the testing was Apple's ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, which finished first overall despite not having the largest battery capacity among the tested phones. It has a battery capacity of 5,088 mAh, and its extended battery life is largely attributed to silicon efficiency and software optimization.

The iPhone 17 tied for second place alongside the OnePlus 15. The ‌iPhone 17‌ achieved this ranking despite having the smallest battery capacity among the top-performing phones. The Poco F7 Ultra placed third, while the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ placed fourth in the overall rankings.

CNET's methodology included standardized tests using two benchmarks designed to minimize real-world variability. The first involved streaming video over Wi-Fi at full brightness for three hours, while the second was a 45-minute endurance test that included gaming, video streaming, social media scrolling, and a video call. Results from both tests were averaged to determine final rankings.

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max again ranked first in the endurance benchmark, followed by the ‌iPhone 17‌, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, and iPhone 16e. The publication noted that Google's Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold also performed well in this specific test, along with Motorola's Razr.

The experiment also compared battery life across smartphone brands by averaging results from companies for which at least three models were tested. Apple and OnePlus ranked first and second respectively in overall brand battery performance. Motorola and Samsung followed in third and fourth place, while Google ranked fifth.
This article, "iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Android Battery Life: New Test Reveals Winner" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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