MEDIA AND BATTERIES: MANIA OR EDUCATION?

We are happy and flattered by Antony Leather’s report today in Forbes on Qnovo’s fast charging. A self-described passionate of gadgets, Antony understands many of the subtleties of the batteries and their challenges in mobile devices.

The media is now paying a lot more attention to the battery. Several sites publish thorough tests of batteries and their performance. For example, sites such as GSM Arena and AnandTech perform battery tests on different types of devices to quantify the number of hours a consumer should realistically expect to obtain. Considering that the claims of battery life from the device manufacturers are often met with skepticism, these independent tests can be quite useful and insightful.

Until recently, such independent tests were mostly focused on battery life; in other words, the number of hours for talking on the phone, or web browsing, or watching a video…before the battery was required to be charged. Some sites are now beginning to test for charge times. Slowly, some reports are now beginning to look into battery longevity and cycle  life — the ability of a device to hold charge after a few months of use is now beginning to get noticed by end consumers. In all cases, these tests and rigor will aim to keep the mobile device makers and the battery vendors a little more honest about their claims.

Of course, in contrast to some of these useful independent tests and reports, the media and the internet also carries news and press releases about new breakthroughs in batteries without vetting out the sources or the veracity of the claims. This tends to create a short-lived attention for the source, but generates very little in educating the public on the battery.

As the battery is rapidly climbing to become one of the top challenges in mobile devices, the media can play a very productive role in educating itself and the public about the battery. Reports and demonstrations such as the ones done by Antony Leather give its audience useful insight and background. You, as a reader and user of mobile devices, will also benefit immensely in wisely making your purchase decision about your next mobile device if you are able to find appropriate education material and sites that can be trusted with their tests, reports and explanations.