By Seb Janacek, 12 September 2008 09:00
COMMENT
Everyone thought convergence would be the real hurdle to a dream device. But it's actually something much more simple, says Seb Janacek.
I have a new condition to add to a growing list of anxieties and personal tics. I get very anxious if I'm away from a power socket for too long. This is a new problem which has only manifested since I bought an iPhone.
Like a smoker searching for the reassuring lack of prohibitive signs, whenever I'm at rest my eyes dart around looking for a power socket. Reception areas, trains, friends' houses - the anxiety is always there, bubbling beneath the surface.
"You look a bit worried, fancy a cup of tea?"
"Please. Also do you mind if I just plug this in next to the radio? It's getting a bit low on juice, sorry."
Cup of tea, iPhone charging - now I can relax.
I bought an iPhone about three weeks ago and quite frankly it's a great little device. Curiously, it's usually defined in terms of what it lacks as opposed to what it has, which is strange considering how feature-rich it is.
Most of the major omissions aren't big deals; once or twice it would have been useful if I could cut and paste. Picture messaging isn't something I've ever missed on previous mobiles. As for the two-megapixel camera, it is a bit stingy compared to other smart phones but I've yet to see a phone camera that convinces me I don't need my digital snapper.
There is, however, one big problem with the iPhone and it's the battery. At the end of an average working day a battery that was fully charged that morning usually starts flashing the 20 per cent remaining message.
(For those wondering, 3G, Bluetooth and location-based services are normally turned off. Fetch set to once every half hour and Push is activated for mail and calendars via MobileMe.)
This isn't an isolated issue with my device, it's well documented. Just Google it or check the Apple Support Forums.
The heart of the problem isn't necessarily the iPhone's power management or battery technology. The problem is this: the iPhone has nailed convergence. Five gold stars. It's in the bag.
A few years ago we were all talking about the challenges of getting two or three core functions working on one device and the iPhone does it like a dream. In user experience terms it has squared the circle.
Take the three core functions of communications device, media player and web browser. Since each works so well, you end up using the iPhone for all three without having to revert to other devices.
And now we have the App Store, the newest and single greatest risk to my disposable income since Amazon introduced 1-click shopping.
No, the real problem with the iPhone is that it's so good at doing what we want it to do we forgot that as a single device it only has the one battery.
I always assumed that user experience was the true challenge for device convergence. Actually, it's only half the battle, the other is battery technology and power management - or maybe to convince people that they shouldn't use it quite so much.
Comments
There are 5 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
silly guy, just buy an external battery pack and stop worrying.
2. George
He is right, this is the major problem with the 3G (and why 3G wasn't in the original iPhone).
The original iPhone is slimmer because its battery is smaller but lasts about twice as long as the 3G's.
If Apple had made the battery easily exchangeable as in most phones, then people could've carried a spare, but that would've meant an unsightly door which wouldn't fit in with Apple's "form over function" policy (see the ibook air for more details).
An external battery pack is bulky and cumbersome.
3. Peter Wright
...or get a solar charger. They are quite neat and release you from the mains dependancy. It is something else to carry though.
4. Mervin Walker
I would have to disagree. As a communications device all smart phones including the IPhone are lacking in that for talking and texting and nothing else they should last a day at least or else what is the point of having these phones on tariffs which give you lots of minutes and text??? As a music player it is the bees knees but again for how long can you listen to music on it (I don't believe manufacturer's claims!). I really don't want to strain my eyes looking at a web page on a tiny screen!
5. Richard A
Hey, I got it! Divergence is that way to go...
Instead of carrying a mains charger, a solar charger and an external battery pack for your iPhone, why not carry an iPod nano and a Blackberry.
They are smaller and lighter than those cumbersome accessories and would free up your iPhone for its main jobs of making calls, playing games and just being cool.
In contrast, my trusty Nokia 6310i has a battery life of one week.