iOS 18 adds a lot of new features to the iPhone, and there are even more to come with future updates like iOS 18.2. In addition to Genmoji, Image Playgrounds and a new Mail app, Apple has also been working on something else: the ability to show users how long it will take to charge an iPhone.
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Apple has launched the new M3 MacBook Air laptops and the new machines come with some nice upgrades and the same super-slim, flat chassis design. So how about M3 MacBook Air battery life? Here’s what to expect.
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iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are here – and just as the rumors predicted, they both come with a USB-C port instead of Lightning. This means that users can finally use the same cable between iPhone, iPad, and Mac to recharge. But there’s something else Apple may not have told us, as 9to5Mac has found evidence that iPhone 15 will have an option to limit the maximum battery charge.
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Apple is facing a new lawsuit from Deco Proteste, a private consumer organization from Portugal, over “planned obsolescence” with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, and 6S Plus. The lawsuit alleges that Apple’s planned obsolescence forces consumers to buy a new phone before they would otherwise have to.
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A man from Columbus, Ohio claims that his less than one-month old iPhone XS Max caught fire and exploded in his pants pocket around December 12, iDropNews reports. The man, Josh Hillard, says he initially noticed a strange smell emanating from his rear pant pocket, before feeling a “large amount of heat” allegedly burn his leg.
While the man says he’s already been in contact with Apple regarding the matter, their offer of a replacement hasn’t seemed to bode well, who says he’s already exploring his legal options against the company.
Apple has today begun rolling out a battery replacement program for the non Touch Bar 13-inch MacBook Pro.
An Israeli consumer protection group today announced that it is investigating Apple over how it handled the rollout and announcement of its performance throttling feature in relation to battery wear.
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My iPhone X lost a fight with concrete on Sunday morning when I folded up my jogging stroller and forgot the phone in its storage compartment. The smashed iPhone X is on its way to Apple’s repair facility (yes, the one that makes all those 911 calls) and I’m living on an iPhone 6 Plus for the week.
A few observations: the modern haptic engine is light years ahead of the 2014 vibration motor, cameras on newer iPhones have improved dramatically, and older iPhones feel slow in comparison with or without throttling. More on my experience with a throttled iPhone so far below.
On Electrek today, we reported that Tesla’s battery research partner announced that they managed to double the lifetime of the batteries in Tesla’s products 4 years ahead of time.
They achieved that through a new method to test battery cell longevity and we now learn that Apple also bought the same machines developed through the method.
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In the wake of recent MacBook Pro battery life controversies, Apple has added two notable job listings to its website this week: Battery Algorithm Analysis Engineer and System Power and Control Architect. The new job listings seek employees to develop algorithms that will improve battery life and power management, while another mentions a “budding electrical test lab” Apple is growing internally for batteries.
One of the casulaties in today’s 10.12.2 Sierra update for macOS is Apple’s decision to remove the inaccurate time remaining on battery estimation built into the system’s battery menu bar icon. A feature long used by macOS customers all around, the removal of the time remaining may line up with the iOS battery experience but it will leave some users a bit frustrated. Let’s take a look at some alternative third-party apps that can bring this feature back and make you feel back at home in your own system.
Two weeks ago, 9to5Toys introduced you to a unique Apple accessory that will likely help a ton of you with one of the biggest issues we iPhone users experience: the dead battery. We’ve seen tons of small MFi keychain chargers and tiny USB battery packs but this is the first time, to my knowledge, that a battery is actually included into a Apple Certified MFi cable.
This week, I took the $16 (after code JCRJEWEL) Jackery Jewel for a spin.
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A Weibo report has surfaced that indicates the iPhone 7 may have a slightly larger battery than the current generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. According to the poster, the iPhone 7 will include a battery with a 1735 mAH capacity and iPhone 7 Plus will feature a 2810 mAH battery. On both models, this is (slightly) more than the current-generation iPhones. The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have batteries with 1715 mAH and 2750 mAH respectively.
The iPhone 7 is rumored to look very similar to the current iPhone, with a thinner body and redesigned antennas. A major chassis design change is currently expected for the ‘iPhone 8’ in 2017.
Recently I noticed that my Late 2013 MacBook Pro with Retina Display seemed to be dying at a faster clip. Naturally, I assumed that the battery might be going bad.
After checking the battery cycle count, I learned that I was probably wrong about the battery being bad, as the cycle count was still well within the normal life span of my MacBook. Here’s how I was able to verify that everything was okay with my MacBook’s battery.
According to a new investigation performed by Amnesty International, Apple is one of several technology companies using cobalt mined by child labor in their lithium-ion batteries. The report claims that Apple, Sony, Samsung, and Microsoft are all using the cobalt mined by child labor, as are electric car makes like Volkswagen and Daimler.
We are big fans of Kanex so we snuck over to their CES booth last night for an early look at their 2016 accessories. In short, they have a lot of goodies that they’ll be announcing later today (and we’ll update this post when they do). What stuck out for us were 2 products…
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A new report from Chinese media site MyDrivers is starting up the rumor mill for the iPhone 7, Apple’s next major revision to the iPhone due later in 2016. The iPhone 7 is expected to feature external design changes which means big changes inside and out. The report claims specifically that the iPhone 7 Plus (5.5 inch screen) will come in a new 256 GB storage configuration and feature a larger internal battery, rated at 3100 mAH.
For battery comparisons, it’s important to remember that the batteries actually got smaller with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. 3100 mAH exceeds the battery sizes of the 6s Plus and 6 Plus, featuring 2750 mAH and 2915 mAH respectively.
The track record of the site is somewhat dubious, so it’s probably foolish to treat anything as for certain, but it is thought provoking and both points indicate Apple will be addressing too major pain points with the iPhone range with the iPhone 7 …
With thousands of generic battery packs now on the market, it takes something special to make a new option stand out, and Nomad’s new Wallet for iPhone certainly succeeds. Shaped like a standard bifold wallet, the Wallet hides a 2,400mAh battery pack in its spine, as well as a 3″ Made for iPhone-certified Lightning cable.
Nomad notes that the goal was to produce a wallet that wasn’t any thicker than what “guys are already sitting on.” Made from Saffiano leather and measuring 4.7″ by 3.5″ by 0.75″ when closed, Wallet can hold six cards and a bunch of cash, in addition to providing at least a full recharge for pre-iPhone 6 models of the iPhone, and around 100% for the just-released iPhone 6s. Wallet for iPhone is available for preorder now for $79, and shipping on November 16; the price will go up to $99 for all orders placed after November 15. A gallery of images is below…
With the post-launch dust now settled for the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPad mini 4, two accessory makers have released four batteries designed to fuel Apple’s latest devices. While they carry significant price premiums over top-rated batteries we’ve covered, both vendors have received Apple’s seal of approval for device compatibility.
Mophie has officially released Juice Pack Reserve for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 ($60), officially guaranteeing compatibility with both versions of the 4.7″ iPhone. Juice Pack Reserve is a form-fitting battery case promising over 60% extra battery life with an 1,840mAh integrated cell. It features built-in button protectors and a very small “chin” for audio and charging. Power Reserve 1x ($35) is a device-agnostic, 2,600mAh battery shaped like a large pack of gum, reliant on a self-supplied Lightning cable to charge your iOS device. Each Reserve battery is available in 5 soft touch rubber colors, and comes with a micro-USB to USB cable for recharging.
U.K.-based TechLink has launched Recharge 5000 ($90) and Recharge 12000 ($120), Lightning cable-equipped batteries for the iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus and iPad mini/iPad Air, respectively. While each battery works with other Apple devices, the partially aluminum Recharge 5000 is specifically pitched at iPhone 6/6s Plus users, as it’s bundled with a leatherette carrying case that holds both the slim 5000mAh battery and either 5.5″ iPhone, promising a 1.2X recharge. Made entirely from plastic, the dual-port Recharge 12000 has iPad-ready 2.4-Amp power and a really nice built-in stand that holds an iPad on a recline while it’s charging. Capable of delivering at least one full recharge to any recent iPad, the 12,000 mAh battery also includes a zippered carrying case. Each has a micro USB cable for recharging.
There’s no shortage of external battery packs for iPhones, iPads and other USB-powered devices. With occasional exceptions, the majority have little to distinguish them. But thanks to the addition of a USB-C port, the Xtron can power the 12-inch MacBook as well as iPhones and iPads …
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With the recent revelation that Apple had (not unexpectedly) sourced the A9 processor in the iPhone 6s from two different suppliers came the discovery that the model manufactured by Samsung is 10% smaller than the one built by TSMC.
Along with the size difference comes a difference in the power efficiency of each model, with many reports indicating—and Apple eventually confirming—that phones with the Samsung chip will likely see 2-3% lower battery life.
Today Ars Technica has published its own findings based on the results of a set of battery tests on each processor, showing that the TSMC hardware outpaces Samsung’s in most test categories, but not all.
If you’ve ever tried to charge your iPhones/iPads/etc. directly from a small solar panel you probably know it is pretty difficult. Even with direct sunlight, you aren’t likely to be able to charge the device reliably. Most USB-charged devices require a minimum of 5W (5Vx1A) of continuous power to even register a charge. Then a cloud comes or the sun moves and you aren’t charging anymore.
Adding a battery to the mix helps, especially if the battery is big and can charge the device on its own without any sun. But most of the solar/battery combos fall into 2 categories: Either messy because they are a bulky 2 step solution or the solar panel is too small to make a meaningful charge and you are mostly using it like a regular USB battery.
SolarTab is a breath of fresh air here. It is a relatively big 5.5W solar panel built on a thin 13,000mAh battery enclosure that fits in an included Moleskine-esque case. Size-wise, think the original iPad with a nice leather case and a huge solar panel instead of a screen…
With the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus officially going on sale and delivering to pre-order customers over the weekend, it’s just a matter of time before you smash your display to pieces and drain your battery’s capacity. While some screen breaking and defective batteries might be covered under AppleCare and the 1 year hardware warranty included with all iPhones, otherwise you’ll need to refer to one of these handy guides from our friends at iFixit.
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Nomad, maker of the beautiful Stand for Apple Watch and Pod portable charging station for Apple Watch, today announced Roadtrip, a unique combination of an iPhone car charger with a 3000mAh battery. Made from a mix of anodized aluminum and plastic, Roadtrip takes the shape of an elongated traditional USB car charger, packing both USB and USB-C ports alongside a four-LED battery power indicator on its face. Each of the USB ports promises 1.5-Amp output.
Roadtrip is designed for people who want to be ensured a full iPhone recharge whenever they leave their cars, regardless of whether they’ve had enough time to complete the charge during the drive. The power output and battery capacity are suited to iPhones, iPods, and Apple Watches rather than iPads, which have larger batteries and charge fastest with 2.1- or 2.4-Amp power.
Available for pre-order today through October 14th at a discounted price of $40, Nomad’s Roadtrip will sell for $60 starting on October 15th, and ship October 30th. Nomad offers free shipping on any order through its web site using coupon code SHIPUS at checkout. Additional images are below…
