Battery Technology: HTC Thunderbolt Hampered By Battery Life

Battery Technology: HTC Thunderbolt Hampered By Battery Life

Battery Technology: HTC Thunderbolt Hampered By Battery Life

With HTC's Thunderbolt finally in stores, questions of the device's battery life has returned to the fore. Reviewers of the device have praised the Thunderbolt's quick speeds and slick interface, but they've also almost universally maligned the device's battery life.Average LTE battery times clock in at 2.5 hours, reviewers say. "

Battery life remains a constant issue for smartphones, and the Thunderbolt is not immune to the concerns. While the device's large screen and video capabilities hold a portion of the blame, much of the cause for the device's paltry battery life seems to appear when it's connected to Verizon's LTE network.

PCMag reported 2.5 hours of battery life while using the Thunderbolt on LTE. SlashGear got similar results, logging 2 hours and 45 minutes of battery life while on LTE.Laptop magazine found similar results.

The Thunderbolt's official talk time is 6.3 hours, with a stand by time of 330 hours. These metrics do not take into consideration the likely usage patterns for Thunderbolt owners, who are certain to take advantage of the device's multimedia capabilities.

Concern over the Thunderbolt's battery life has been so pronounced that it inspired Verizon to create a high-capacity battery that the company will sell for $49.99. The standard Thunderbolt battery costs $39.99.

At 2750 mAH, the larger battery nearly doubles the capacity of the one built into the phone. It also adds an ounce to the device's weight, making the Thunderbolt 7.7 ounces.

Verizon has not announced a release date for the beefed-up battery.

It's no secret that part of the delay of the Verizon HTC Thunderbolt release was do to the challenging battery life of the handset on the 4G/LTE network. InSlashGear's review today, that was never more obvious when solely relying on 4G for average use, the Thunderbolt red barred after less than 3 hours. And even though coupling 4G with WiFi the battery life becomes comparable with other HTC 4G options, clearly something needs to be done. HTC is addressing battery life concerns by announcing they will be selling an optional extended life battery in the near future.

"We want customers who are power users, that are going to have the hotspot on all day, to just go," said Pat Bucci, Verizon's director of accessory products.

The new battery, which will cost $49.99, nearly doubles it's mille amp hours from 1400 mAh to 2750 mAh. But that extra boost comes at a cost because it will add another ounce to an already hefty 6.23 oz handset. And the Thunderbolt will also have to deal with being thicker as the larger battery means a new backing that will come with the battery. There is no word if that new backing will also eliminate the hefty metal kickstand that is built in.

In addition to the new extended battery, Verizon will also be offering a charging dock for $59.99 that can charge both the phone and a backup standard or extended battery in concert. A second standard battery will run about $30. Another option takes advantage of the Thunderbolt being the first Verizon phone that supports wireless charging. The optional Qi-compatible back and charging pad will set users back $29 for the Qi back and another $70 for the charging pad. Geez, that's a lot of money to address an obvious battery life flaw.

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