New Energizer Phone Has Beast of a Battery

Energizer has made a smartphone that is not surprisingly all about the battery. Though to be fair, it's got six times the capacity of some leading models.

The few people who've seen the phone say it's bordering on impossibly big, but that it does provoke debate about the way phones suck up electricity.

The Android-based handset is called the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop. It has a battery capacity of 18,000 mAh. To put that into context, it's three times more than a Motorola phone that's specifically marketed around long battery life. It's also around six times more than many flagship Android handsets on the market right now.

Battery Brings Bulk

According to Energizer, that translates to two straight days of video use, 90 hours of talk time, or 50 days on standby. You can usually take manufacturer claims with a dose of skepticism, but it certainly seems likely the average user wouldn't have to recharge much more than once a week. (Source: macrumours.com)

The downside is that the battery (and phone) are understandably huge (pic), with the phone measuring 18 millimeters thick. The weight hasn't been confirmed yet, but hands-on reviews suggest the size and weight of the handset is roughly equivalent to having two 'standard' phones taped together. (Source: expertreviews.com)

The battery reportedly charges in just two hours. One useful feature is that it can act as a power bank, meaning a user can hook it up to a friend's phone that needs a recharge.

Looks Vs Power Still An Issue

Critics have noted that despite is heft, the phone doesn't have particularly impressive protection against knocks, drops, dust or water. That might rule out one potential benefit in being able to take it while on extended off-grid expeditions.

Realistically the sheer bulk may put many users off. The few people who have reviewed it weren't allowed to take it away for extended real-world testing. It's also questionable whether it could fit in a pocket comfortably.

That aside, it has provided a talking point by reopening the issue of whether smartphone manufacturers go too far to make handsets as slim as possible at the expense of battery life. While this beast of a handset goes too far in the opposite direction, it is odd that using the most expensive phones on the market can often mean having to recharge before the day is done.

What's Your Opinion?

Is there any point in a phone with this big a battery? What's the right balance between bulk and battery life? Should manufacturers work with software developers to concentrate on using power more efficiently?