Comparing the iPhone 3G's battery life

iPhone 3G
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)There's been some grumbling on the blogsphere about the iPhone's 3G's battery life, which Apple rates at five hours of 3G talk time. Indeed, five hours wouldn't get the most ardent road warrior through the day, but is five hours really that poor? Sure, it is quite low when compared with the iPhone's promised EDGE talk time of 10 hours, but when stacked up against other 3G handsets the iPhone holds its own. Below you'll find a selection of current 3G cell phones and smartphones and their tested talk time (in hours) from CNET Labs. Though not all the handsets listed here are direct iPhone 3G competitors, only the Nokia N78 beats Apple's device on the GSM side. Also, while 3G CDMA phones aren't exactly comparable, we've provided a few as a reference point.
Of course, as we say in our iPhone 3G review, real world use (where you're using several functions at once) will be a better barometer of the iPhone 3G's endurance. And in that regard the iPhone 3G's battery is draining quicker than we'd like.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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Just trying to point out that although talk times are close for the 8330 and iPhone 3G, real world battery life for someone like myself is far different. This is why I think the iPhone 3G is the best phone on the market for your average end-user while the Blackberry is still king for professionals.
iPhone Batttery life under real world usage (music, browsing, push, SMS, calling, etc.) cannot compare to battery life under real world usage on the CrackBerry (push, sms, calling, etc.).
If there's a way for Apple to optimize power usage for iPhone 3.0 (or hopefully 2.5
Also, many GSM phones will switch to which ever signal is better. if GSM has the stronger signal, the phone will use the GSM radio, if the 3G signal is stronger, it will use the 3G radio.
While this comparison isn't totally invalid, it is not a good basis to make a buying decision off of. Comparing 4 different technologies (GSM, 3G GSM, CDMA, EV-DO) it like comparing Apples to oranges to Pineapples, and while they're all fruit they have very different attributes just as the technologies.
When generation one iphone came out, in response to the issue of facttory replacement of failed batteries only, an Apple official said by the time the battery fails we'll have a new iphone to sell them. That's what's happening.
(Full disclosure: I do own a modest chunk of apple stock and have enjoyed makeing money off the apple cult.)
never let 3g enabled and it will never last more than one day
so if you are lost in the desert, it will maybe not save you
nath
http://www.themostpowerfulcompany.com
As for overall battery life, the iPhone 3G has great stamina. Most of people's concerns about having to charge it everyday fail to notice that compared to all of those other phones, you're actual USAGE is more on the iphone. What is usage? Usage is anytime you turn the screen on to check the time, listen to music, make calls, check your email, IM, create a note, or basically anytime the screen is on. When you add all those minutes up, you get more usage than your average smartphone user...including those on Blackberrys. I've had my iPhone last as long as 3 days with very minimal usage and 8 hours when I was using it non-stop after charging. Overall, battery life is how you use it and how much you use it. I'm definitely not dissapointed!
someone had mentioned that EV-DO is data only and CDMA do not provide 3G voice. what advantage does 3G voice have over regular voice? Doesn't 3G matter only in terms of data, because of the bandwidth it requires? Sure it might be comparing apples to oranges to some people's mind, but i think it's more of comparing Gala Apples to Fuji Apples. The end usage is the same.
And with amount of recharging I do with phone, even the Lit-Ion battery dies off quickly after 1 year of usage. I would hate to send my phone in for few days just to get my battery replaced. And it's not about the looks. There are many other great looking phones with user-replaceable batteries (at least in Korea). So there are ways to do it. It's just that apple doesn't want anyone else to take their profit away by providing aftermarket stuff.
This is coming from someone who has an iphone.