With the release of Apple’s new Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 6/6s, some pundits are proclaiming that this is proof that Apple has been putting form over function, and that this product is an admission that the iPhone’s battery life is not enough.
Of course, the more careful journalists like Joanna Stern do not forget to mention that the people who find the iPhone lacking in battery life are heavy users.
You know who I blame for my battery anxiety disorder? Obviously not me, and my excessive checking of email and social media. I point the finger at Apple, and its insistence on compromising battery life for phone slimness.
On Tuesday, the company finally admitted that heavy iPhone 6 or 6s users like me could use more power
Some are less so and make very careless comments (Phil Baker writing for Techpinions).
The thinness tradeoff most likely was driven by their passion for ID winning over usability. Apple’s design of nearly every product for years has been about thinness, from the Air to the iPads, to the phones. Each new generation is thinner than the last. Apparently, there was no one strong enough to push back. I bet at least 80% of iPhone 6 users would have preferred more battery life in exchange for a phone that’s 1 or 2 mm thicker.
Now I am totally aware that in survey after survey of smartphone users, battery life is the major concern. However, the percentage of customers who are complaining is in the 30-40% range, and it is also unclear whether they are suffering enough to chose a phone that has more stamina, but is also heavier and bulkier.
Lacking any good publicly available survey results, we could look at the market-wide product trends for clues.
The hugely respected Anandtech website conducted battery tests for a variety of devices, and concluded the the iPhone 6s/6s Plus have very good battery life compared to other smartphones. If the iPhone battery life was so inadequate, and 80% of customers would really put up with a few extra millimetres of thickness for a larger battery, then why haven’t the competition opted for better battery life then the iPhone?
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is also reported as to having a smaller battery than its predecessor. Why would Samsung do this if most customers valued battery life over thinness?
Personally, I know I often run out of battery life and I bought the Smart Battery Case. I have my own opinions, but I am also aware that they do not represent the bulk of the market. That is why data is important and why personal opinions are mostly worthless, unless you are writing reviews for a audience that is just like you.
Naofumi Kagami 