Apple's New Rechargeable AA Batteries Actually Sanyo Eneloops?

093216 apple aa battery teardown 500

Several tipsters previously pointed us to the similarities in the published promotional specs of Apple's new rechargeable AA batteries and Sanyo's Eneloop batteries, suggesting that Apple have essentially rebranded Sanyo's offerings for sale it its own packaging. New testing by SuperApple.cz [Google translation] published today seems to confirm the suspicion, despite the lack of any definitive physical markings inside the batteries to give away the link.

In all likelihood, this indeed is the Sanyo Eneloop cells, specifically the model of HR-3UTG because they correspond to physical parameters of the articles (new articles Eneloop tests show essentially the same value) but also measured the capacity - if you view the document producer , you'll find it is these cells are indicated by the minimum capacity of 1900 mAh, then the regular 2000 mAh and Apple in this case decided to set the guaranteed capacity, although it is less beneficial according to the manufacturer, and according to our measurements.

The discovery that has rebranded another companies batteries is not necessarily a surprise, as it was unlikely that Apple took on the task of reinventing rechargeable battery technology on its own. The disclosure does reveal, however, that the Apple's batteries are not based on a brand-new battery technology, as Sanyo first developed its Eneloop batteries in 2005 and launched them for sale in 2006.

093217 apple charger teardown 500

But the other component of Apple's battery package, the charger, does appear to be an Apple-designed product, with SuperApple.cz finding no tell-tale branding on its internal components while obviously offering Apple's traditional styling. The charger is designed to automatically reduce power usage to 30 milliwatts once it senses that batteries have been fully charged, the lowest "vampire draw" in the industry and 10 times lower than the industry average.

Top Rated Comments

yanki01 Avatar
123 months ago
holy threadbump!

I've had eneloops in all my electronics around the house for a few years now. zero problems and not buying apples batteries.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WaxedJacket Avatar
123 months ago
Bumping an old thread but relevant to this topic. I recently purchased a Wii U with some WiiMotes and with my Apple batteries going into my keyboard and mouse I had one set left for a WiiMote. Anyway I needed to purchase more rechargeable batteries for the remaining devices.

It turns out that Panasonic is now making the Sanyo rechargeable batteries that Apple is bundling with their packs.

http://amzn.com/B00JHKSN76



Same manufacturer, newer advancements to prolong the battery life, and since it's the same tech (Ni-MH), it works with the Apple charger I already have. :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...