Instead of increasing battery capacity Apple wants to use software to intelligently get you more time unplugged.
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If Apple has its way, devices will be able to estimate how long a user will spend on their device with battery reserves. It will then determine whether the device has enough power to last for that period. If the battery does not enough power, the system will adjust "one or more characteristics" to save battery.
The technology will essentially be able to turn hardware off (like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc.) or close running apps to get you more battery life.
We're not sure if this technology will make its way into the next line of Apple devices but it is still a step in the right direction to help a huge iPhone issue.
We first noticed this patent application via AppleInsider.