Sony To Boost Smartphone Batteries Because People Aren't Replacing Phones (theguardian.com)

Not too long ago, people would replace their phone every 18 months. But that isn't the case with most people now. According to new estimates, more people are now changing their phones after at least three years. The problem with this is that by the end of two-three years, the battery on the phone reaches a stage where it gets really annoying. Sony has a solution, or so it says. From The Guardian:Sony is trying to fix that, but not by fixing the battery. That's because the lithium ion cells within smartphones don't exactly need fixing -- they will continue to work for years -- but their ability to hold their original amount of charge rapidly diminishes with repeated recharging cycles. Everyone who finds themselves with a chunky battery pack for their new smartphone or desperately searching for a charger by mid-afternoon knows battery capacity is a never-ending headache that only gets worse as a smartphone, and its battery ages. Rather than fixing the battery, Sony wants to do something about the recharging. Jun Makino, Sony mobile's senior product marketing manager, said; "We've started learning your charging cycles so that our new Xperia X smartphones only complete charging to 100% when they estimate you're about to start using them, so that the damage caused by maintaining a battery at 100% is negated. This is important, a battery that's usually kept at a charge between 20% and 80% of its capacity is much healthier -- it's going to the extremes that wears it out at a faster rate. This is important, a battery that's usually kept at a charge between 20% and 80% of its capacity is much healthier - it's going to the extremes that wears it out at a faster rate. The Japanese electronics firm has partnered with Californian adaptive charging company Qnovo to put technology into its Xperia smartphones. This includes the new top-end Xperia XZ and Xperia X Compact, which Sony reckons will double the life of the battery to around four years.

Comments

My old phone had a replaceable battery

[QuietLagoon]

That also worked well, and didn't require some hopefully-accurate battery-watching algorithm.

Re:My old phone had a replaceable battery

[Entrope]

People complained about the bulk and weight of having a removable cover and another layer of hard plastic around the battery. Reporters making comparison charts and designers decided that thin and light were more important than a replaceable battery. OEM upper managers approved when they realized people could be convinced to replace the whole phone instead of replacing just a battery.

Re:My old phone had a replaceable battery

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh please, this was classical propaganda (or, as it's called in English-speaking countries, "public relations").

There is ONE reason why phones are built with non-user-replaceable batteries, excepting those very few designed for rugged environments which need to be waterproof: it makes it more likely that the consumer will buy a newer iteration sooner.

There is nothing to be gained for the consumer from making it harder to remove the battery. Dimension differences are zero, and weight differences are negligible as glue or a smooth back/side is replaced by a tiny slit to fit your fingernail + plastic clips inside. Everyone who claims otherwise is lying to you, and is the modern equivalent of a religious disciple.

It's no surprise that Apple began this trend.

Re:My old phone had a replaceable battery

[gaiageek]

People complained about the bulk and weight of having a removable cover and another layer of hard plastic around the battery.

No, they didn't. I've never heard one actual person using a cell phone in the real world make that complaint. It's strictly an issue for the gadget review press. And besides, what are you talking about? Extra plastic? A non-removable battery is still covered by the phone case. There's no extra layer of hard plastic, just the small tabs or whatever mechanism keeps the cover attached.

Mod parent up. And I'd like to add: A non-removable battery is an issue, or shall we say plan, for the manufacturers who want to ensure obsolescence.

Re:My old phone had a replaceable battery

[Anne Thwacks]

Are "the gadget review press" not people?

I suspect not. They are aliens from a planet where they breathe methane and communicate at 11GHz.

Otherwise they would know that "slim, bendable, metal, trendy" are NOT an attractive features in phones, and "plastic, waterproof, long battery life and standards compliant" are.

Batteries going to 11?

[MiniMike]

a battery that's usually kept at a charge between 20% and 80% of its capacity is much healthier

If longevity is a higher priority, then why don't they build batteries with a higher actual capacity but only let them charge to 80% (calling that the new 100%)? People would be willing to pay more for a 'premium long-life' battery.

Of course building phones that let you replace the battery is a better and simpler option.

Re:Batteries going to 11?

[Grishnakh]

Who are these people "clamoring" for thinner and lighter? The only people I've seen like that are Apple buyers.

This is like claiming that "the public is clamoring for bare-bones utilitarian off-road vehicles" just because there's a small but vocal crowd of Jeep fanatics.

Re:Softare and wording problem

[Holi]

Obligatory xkcd my ass, he doesn't get any credit for Spinal Tap. The joke is older then Randall.

Re:Softare and wording problem

[fizzup]

If the 80% level is labelled 100, then the 100% level should be labelled 125.

Simpler Solution

[Roger W Moore]

There is an even simpler solution which does not put a limit on the lifetime at all: make the battery replaceable and sell replacements. You know, like everyone used to do 5+ years ago.