Does it feel like your fancy new phone dies more often than previous models? It does

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Big outlets are starting to test out battery life on the latest batch of smartphones, and the results are a bit unexpected – our phones just don’t last as long as they used to and technology is to blame. Yes, the same technology that makes smartphones smarter, screens better, and apps more intuitive are causing phones to die quicker.

Quite frankly, battery technology just can’t keep up with our growing demands for what we want to see from a smartphone.

In a new report from The Washington Post, with help from outlets like CNET and Tom’s Guide, battery life was examined on many of the top-selling phones and the results were a bit surprising.

What phones performed the best?

Tim Cook and others will be quick to tell you why the latest iPhone is the greatest because they need to sell devices. And sure, they might feature more technology and features, but they are neglecting the fact that the fancy new screen you’re holding is draining your battery faster than previous devices. The same goes for Google’s Pixel lineup.

When looking at some of the major phones from the last few years, The Washington Post ran a test that had the phones constantly browsing the internet to see how long they lasted. Check it out:

Image: The Washington Post

What does this information tell us?

Well, quickly, the Samsung Note 9 manages to stay at the top because it features a bigger, 4,000 mAh battery which helps it stay at towards the top. The problem is that this isn’t realistic for many devices, due to the size and the weight of the battery.

Now, let’s look at Apple for a bit. The iPhone X actually features a better battery life than the iPhone XS. Why? The screen. The iPhone XS includes an improved OLED screen that looks better but requires more battery to power. This is also why the iPhone XR sits at the top, it doesn’t feature the fancier screens of the iPhone XS and XS Max and it shows in the battery life.

There is a lot of information to unpack in the report, so it is definitely worth checking out if you want to read more on the batteries and the tech that we’ll need to improve battery life in our smartphones.

What do you think? Have you noticed your newer phones lasting less time before needing a recharge? Let us know in the comments.

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Josiah Motley

Former KnowTechie editor.