Apple’s latest M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro models are set to arrive over the next 24 hours. One of the many updates we see with the new iPads is the addition of a new Battery Health menu in the Settings app. It’s strange how Apple didn’t mention it during the Let Loose event because, it’s one of the most valuable additions, especially when you intend to sell an iPad or buy a used iPad (which I’ll talk about later).
The latest addition helps maintain the health of the new iPad batteries and extends their lifespan by partially charging them unless changed manually. Additionally, you can now view the battery’s cycle count, which was previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 series, showing how many times the battery has been charged.
First spotted by iCulture(via MacRumors), the latest iPad models now support these new battery features, including cycle count, maximum charging capacity, and the date of first use. As to how it works, the maximum charging feature is limited to 80%. So, even if your iPad stays connected to power, it won’t charge past 80%. This helps the battery last longer because keeping it at full charge for too long can make it wear out faster.
Interestingly, the early hints of this feature were spotted in iPadOS 17.5 beta code last month, and as expected, it’s exclusive to the new iPads. And we’re pretty sure that older iPads won’t have a chunk of it. Once users have the 2024 iPad Pro or iPad Air, they can spot it by heading to Settings > Battery > Battery Health menu.
This information becomes valuable, especially when selling a used iPad—or buying a used one—as it tells how intensively the previous owner must have used it and whether the battery might need replacing.