New Apple Patent Indicates A Location-Aware Battery System For The iPhone

Future iPhone devices may come with intelligent batteries that draw down power based on a user’s location and charging habits, a new patent application suggests.

From the application : 

A method for modifying one or more characteristics of a mobile electronic device in order to save or reduce power consumption of the device. The method includes determining by, a processor of the mobile electronic device, an estimated use of the mobile electronic device during an upcoming time period; using the estimated use, determining, by the processor, whether an internal power source of the mobile electronic device has sufficient power to continue operation of the mobile electronic device in a first state during the upcoming time period; based on the estimated use and the internal power source, if the internal power source does not have sufficient power, adjusting the one or more characteristics to reduce a power consumption of the mobile electronic device during the upcoming time period.

Apple proposes a system that can compare the estimated time period a user will spend on their device with battery reserves, determining whether the device has sufficient power to last for said period. If the battery does not have sufficient power, the system will adjust “one or more characteristics” to conserve energy. 

Image Courtesy : Apple Insider

As devices like the iPhone get thinner and come packed with more features, improving or maintaining the same battery life will be one of the biggest challenges for Apple. It will also have to come out with innovative software based solutions to improve battery life.

We’re already seen Apple use software based solutions such as intelligent scheduling, opportunistic updates, coalesce updates, push notification triggers etc. to bring us smarter multitasking in iOS 7 without having a major impact on your iPhone’s battery life.

[Via]