Current, mobile handset power requirements are growing at a faster rate than handset battery capacity can handle reports
IMS Research.
The gap between power available to users and
the power need for power handset features threatens to
slow the connected and mobile lifestyle of consumers. Features such as high data throughput, faster processors and beautiful displays all drain battery power. The strongest battery available now at 1500 mAh will only provide six hours of battery life.
They say that handset power capacity limitations spell trouble for a number of
players across the entire mobile handset industry.
"There are two key drivers of increased power consumption among
handset users," Schreck added. "First, consumers are doing more with
their handsets than ever before. Mobile data and application use has
skyrocketed in recent years. Secondly, the types of features currently
being included in handset designs, not to mention those on the horizon,
require more power to operate than ever before. Faster processing
speeds, higher data throughputs, and more vivid displays all escalate a
handset's power requirements. Even with a 1500 mAh battery, which is
the high water mark in the industry at the moment, our estimates show
many smartphone users only have a battery life of 6 hours."
"Handsets with dead
batteries don't use very much data or talk time. That's bad news for
network operators looking to drive ARPU. Similarly, consumers are
unlikely to pay a premium for features that they know will only drain
their battery, which places downward pressure on handset selling prices
for handset OEMs," commented IMS Research analyst, Chris Schreck.
Potential solutions for this power gap are coming from all four
corners of the mobile handset industry, including new display
technologies, more power efficient silicon design, and new battery
chemistries, each of which have varying market potential. However,
given the pace at which power requirements are increasing, it is
unlikely that any one technology will completely address the need for
more power in mobile handsets.
Assuming power requirements for smartphone users increase at a 15%
rate each year, IMS Research projects the gap between power required to
power capacity to mirror the graphic shown in this article
About IMS Research
IMS Research is a supplier of market research and consultancy
services on a wide range of global electronics markets. The company is
supported by headquarters in Wellingborough, UK and offices in Austin,
Texas and Shanghai, China. IMS Research regularly publishes detailed
research on the mobile handset features, services, and applications
markets, among others.