Technology Progression, Battery Regression

As cell phone technology progresses, battery life is regressing at a significant rate.

A decade ago, you couldn’t watch Netflix on your phone. You couldn’t play Angry Birds or update your Facebook either. There is, however, one thing you used to be able to do that seems like a distant memory: Leaving your phone off the charger overnight.

Whereas the simple flip phones of yesteryear would keep chugging along for two days or more, modern smartphones seem to spend as much time on the charger as they do in your pocket. The reasoning is twofold – today’s consumers favor technological advancements over battery life, and the science of batteries hasn’t developed enough to keep up anyway.

A 2005 survey showed that increased battery life was at the top of consumers’ wish lists. Nowadays, battery life seems to be an afterthought in the industry, as increased functionality pushed a lasting charge to the backburner. (“Who cares if it only lasts a few hours? Look at all the stuff it can do!”)

The truth is, the industry is unable to provide that kind of battery life anymore. Bigger, brighter screens and connectivity features (such as Bluetooth) suck the charge out of a phone so fast that battery technology simply can’t keep up. Unfortunately, the best way to increase battery life is still to get a bigger battery. A big clunky battery just doesn’t jive with the sleek, slim design of modern phones.

The solution for most people has been to carry around an external charger wherever they go. Newer technologies like charging stations and wireless chargers seem to have far more potential than improving the batteries themselves.Using charging stations and charging kiosks will provide a safe place to charge your phone on the go.  Regardless, the days of leaving your phone unplugged overnight are long gone. Here’s a guide on 5 ways to increase cell phone battery life.