Can an iPhone 12 Run Without a Battery?
Why not. I recently purchased a doorbell with two receivers, and it does not require any extra power, no cables, and no batteries. The force of my push generates enough power to function. Similarly, I own a flashlight that lights up when I turn the hand crank. A quick look on Amazon for a hand crank generator shows many options available. Yet, I have not seen a phone without a battery, but it is possible to recharge a phone yourself without additional power. If a landline phone, which can be considered a 'phone' nowadays, is getting its power from the attached cable, then we might miss the battery but still need added energy.
A future phone without a battery will always need a source of energy…
Special Cases: Running Without a Battery
In some cases, a phone can work without a battery just by connecting to a charger. However, this depends on the model and firmware of the phone. For instance, the LG V20 can run directly from USB-C power without a battery. Modern smartphones generally require a battery for proper operation due to design reasons, even when connected to a charger. For older phones with removable batteries, it may be possible to run without a battery while charging, but this is not a common or recommended practice.
While in some very specific cases, a phone may show signs of life when plugged in without a battery, it is generally not designed to operate this way. The battery plays a crucial role in the functionality and stability of smartphones, and removing it can lead to various problems. For best performance and safety, it is always advisable to use the device with a healthy and compatible battery.
Historical Perspective: Landline Phones Without Batteries
Landline phones with rotary dialers worked and served with distinction without batteries for many years. Public phones with rotary dialers went into use in about 1880 and operated without batteries installed. Currently, such rotary dial phones are still functional but have been phased out since around 1963 in favor of touchtone phones, which likewise do not contain batteries. It turns out that the telephone company supplies about 20 volts DC from their equipment to operate the basic function and about 90 VAC 20Hz intermittently for the ringer function. The technology of the past was indeed remarkable, as all that was accomplished with sticks, stones, and old bones. Too bad the school systems don't teach anything but woke politics anymore.