One of the standout features in Apple’s new iOS 26 developer beta is Adaptive Power Mode, an AI-powered tool designed to extend your iPhone’s battery life. However, only users with newer iPhones will be able to take advantage of it.

What Is Adaptive Power Mode?

Adaptive Power Mode intelligently manages your phone’s energy use by making small performance adjustments—like dimming the screen or allowing certain tasks to take slightly longer—in order to reduce battery drain. Unlike the traditional Low Power Mode, which activates automatically at 20% battery and restricts background activity, Adaptive Power Mode operates more subtly and proactively in the background.

Apple explains that the mode uses artificial intelligence to optimize power usage based on your habits and system status. The feature is enabled by default in the iOS 26 developer beta, and users can also manually toggle it in Settings > Battery > Power Mode.

Which iPhones Support Adaptive Power Mode?

Unfortunately, the feature is only supported on iPhones capable of running Apple Intelligence, which means it’s limited to the most recent hardware. According to a report from MacRumors, Adaptive Power Mode will be available on:

iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max

While iOS 26 itself supports older devices as far back as the iPhone 11, Adaptive Power Mode will remain exclusive to iPhones with more advanced processing capabilities.

Why It Matters

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple was developing a battery optimization feature using AI. It would rely on collected battery usage data to prioritize energy efficiency, identifying apps that consume more power and selectively limiting their background activity.

This innovation could be especially impactful for upcoming devices like the rumored iPhone 17 Air, Apple’s ultra-thin model. With leaks suggesting a relatively small 2,800 mAh battery (significantly smaller than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s 3,900 mAh), Adaptive Power Mode and rumored silicon-carbon battery tech—promising up to 15% higher energy density—could be crucial to delivering all-day battery life in a slim form factor.

How It Compares to Android

Apple’s new feature echoes Google’s Adaptive Battery system found on the best Android phones. That system also uses AI to learn user habits and restrict background activity from rarely used apps, helping to preserve battery life. Over time, it reduces the impact of power-hungry apps even when the phone is idle.

What Else Is Coming in iOS 26?

iOS 26 is currently in beta and is expected to launch officially this fall. Beyond battery improvements, the update is rumored to include exciting new features such as: