It is fair to say that Big Tech is always looking for ways to make our working lives better whether that be boosting productivity or improving communication tools etc. The one thing that we are all still struggling with may soon be a thing of the past.
There is always at least one device waiting to be plugged in, but struggling with battery life may soon be a thing of the past.
Last week, we learned that Windows 11 is currently testing a new Efficiency mode feature.
This will allow us to switch any apps that are draining resources, and battery life, to Efficiency mode rather than closing them down. Not only will that mean our devices run at optimum speed, but it will also keep laptop batteries charged for longer and maybe even boost their overall life.
Whilst this feature, that many of us have been crying out for, is only in preview mode for now, if the testing works OK we should see it rolling out later this year!
It also sounds like it is just the beginning of many new battery innovations we are going to see over the coming years.
After all, we rely on batteries for so much in our everyday lives: phones, laptops, tablets, and now even our cars. The biggest brands are investing huge amounts of time and money into improving them for our convenience and for the sake of the planet.
This also means that developments in the performance of the technology we use can continue to move forward as a lot of things will only work as well as their batteries will allow them to … more powerful batteries = more powerful tech.
In the near future, it is expected that we will see new materials change our expectations of batteries. There will be more wireless charging and high-speed magnetic charging will become increasingly common.
It is also possible that we will see batteries being replaced entirely. We’ve already seen Samsung launch a solar-powered TV Eco Remote, which can also use a Wi-Fi router to charge itself. This may become the norm for low-energy devices.
Of course, as with most innovations on this scale, it will come at a cost. These new batteries come at a much higher production and material cost, which means there will be a high price point.
What are your thoughts on battery innovation? Would you be prepared to spend more on things like chargers if they saved you time and were better for the environment.?