Battery

Apple admits some iPhone 5s units exhibit battery woes due to ‘manufacturing issue’

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 29, 2013

In a rare but not entirely unprecedented response, Apple's gone on the record Tuesday with The New York Times (of all publications) to admit that a fairly limited number of iPhone 5s units may be plagued with lower than expected battery life and slow charging issues due to what the company attributed to an unspecified "manufacturing issue".

This isn't your typical teething problem fixable in software: Apple has said it will provide owners of the affected phones with a replacement unit. Here's Apple's full statement on the matter...

iPad rumors: redesigned Smart Covers, Retina iPad mini could bulk up slightly

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 14, 2013

In today's roundup of the somewhat obvious Apple rumors, a new report has suggested that the upcoming iPad mini 2 will be a tad thicker than its predecessor, presumably in order to accommodate a bigger battery needed to drive Apple's power-hungry Retina display. This is newsworthy as none of the leaks to date has pointed to added bulk.

The thicker iPad mini meme isn't unexpected: watchful readers will remember that Apple's third-generation iPad with Retina display turned out to be slightly thicker than the previous iPads, due to the larger battery inside...

Is iOS 7 battery life getting you down? These tips may just help

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It's a situation we seem to find ourselves in with each iOS update, yet we always seem to be surprised when it happens. Alas, it seems that iOS 7 has left many of us with the same battery problems that plagued almost every other big point-0 release of the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPad.

Anyone with a long memory will remember that we had your back when iOS 5 was causing chaos with iPhone 4S batteries a couple of years ago, and with iPhones the world over seemingly unable to hold a charge as long as they used to, we thought it might be time to offer one or two tips on trying to eek as many hours out of a charge as possible.

So, without further ado, let's get started turning things off...

Stronger battery inside iPhone 5s/5c detailed

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2016

Apple's marketing honcho Phil Schiller noted during Tuesday's iPhone 5s/5c keynote that both new iPhones feature a slightly bigger battery though he stopped short of giving us specifics. Now, Apple's specs page would have us believe that both new iPhones feature essentially the same battery, though that's not true.

Per Apple's stats, both devices provide ten hours of talk time on 3G, 250 hours standby time, 8 hours of Internet use on 3G (10 hours on LTE or Wi-Fi), 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of audio playback.

What Apple didn't tell us is how it's managed to boost the iPhone 5s battery capacity by as much as ten percent. The iPhone 5c battery life gains are more modest at a respectable five percent compared to the iPhone 5...

New Apple invention detects usage patterns to save iPhone battery life

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 3, 2017

Longer battery life is one of those things that's usually at the top of people's smartphone feature wish list. I know it is mine. But unfortunately, there hasn't been any major new developments in mobile battery tech over the last few years.

Companies like Motorola are figuring it out though. The Google-owned maker just introduced a new handset with a staggering 48-hour battery life. And according to this patent application just published by the USPTO, Apple is too...

Motorola introduces the Droid Maxx with 48-hour battery life

Cody Lee ∙ July 23, 2013

Despite the fact that it's gearing up to launch the Moto X next week, Motorola joined Verizon on stage this morning at a very low key event in New York City to introduce a trio of new Droid smartphones: the Droid Mini, the Droid Ultra, and the Droid Maxx.

All 3 handsets seem like decent offerings, but the Mini and the Ultra were most decidedly overshadowed by the Droid Maxx. In addition to its 5-inch, HiDef OLED display and 8-core processor, the Maxx promises up to 48 hours of 'typical use' battery life...

Griffin’s multi-device charging station now shipping

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

The accessory maker Griffin at this year's CES in January 2013 took the wraps off the PowerDock 5, an intriguing charging station capable of charging and syncing up to five devices at once. Each of its five bays features an individual 10-watt, 2.1-amp power supply.

This lets you charge any iOS device, including the power-hungry iPad 3 and iPad 4 (which can be docked even in their cases). Those eyeing this ultimate charging station should be pleased learning that Griffin today started shipping the PowerDock 5...

Apple invents flexible batteries, likely for iWatch

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 5, 2013

With iWatch trademarks linked to Apple spotted in places like Japan, Russia and a slew of other countries, it is no surprise speculation is intensifying that the iPhone maker is secretly developing a wearable gizmo of some sort. Another piece of the Apple smartwatch puzzle has now fallen into place as The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) published Friday a patent filing detailing a flexible battery design specifically conceived for a wristwatch and/or other bendable mobile devices...

iFixit’s video walkthrough details DIY iPhone 5 battery replacement process

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2013

Teardown experts over at iFixit know a thing or two about repairing consumer electronics and just yesterday they posted a nice video walkthrough explaining the process of replacing your iPhone 5's battery. So, if your battery died on you and you're eager to bring life back yourself to the device with a new one, block out your next hour, grab your screwdrivers and prying tools and arm yourself with patience and a steady hand...

Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 beats nine-month-old iPhone 5 in speed and battery life tests

Ed Sutherland ∙ June 28, 2013

Samsung's latest smartphone, the Galaxy S4, won top honors in a series of tests conducted by a UK-based consumer research organization called Which?. The organization found that Samsung's Galaxy S4 topped Apple's iPhone 5 and other competitors when it comes to speed, call time and Internet use.

Apple's nine-month-old handset led in just one test: time required to recharge...

Tray full of purported iPhone 5S batteries shown on pictures

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 28, 2013

A pair of images published by a French blog depict a tray of batteries on an assembly line, allegedly for the upcoming iPhone 5S and suggesting Apple's manufacturing partners are now prepping to assemble the device in time for its rumored Fall introduction.

Numerous leaks over the past two weeks have suggested that Apple's next S-upgrade most likely sports a twelve-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash for improved low-light photos, a new A7 chip and slightly revised internals, all encased in the familiar iPhone 5 form factor...

AT&T installing solar-powered charging stations around New York

Cody Lee ∙ June 19, 2013

This is quite interesting. It appears that AT&T has begun installing charging stations in parks throughout New York to help keep smartphones and other mobile devices up and running. The stations are solar-powered and capable of charging a wide range of gadgets.

The carrier says that the new Street Charge project was born out of its work during the recovery from Superstorm Sandy. After the hurricane ripped through most of the eastern US, AT&T setup charging stations in the blacked out areas. And now it's expanding on the idea...