iPhone 3GS battery life not showing much of an improvement

Over at the Los Angeles Times, writer and avid iPhone user Michelle Maltais has been putting Apple's claims of improved battery life in the hardware upgrade, the iPhone 3GS, to the test.

A day of average use after a full overnight charge left the handset limping toward the finish line at 6:30 PM with just 17 per cent charge left. Not exactly the power boost excited hardware upgraders were hoping for.

This disappointing result ties in quite closely with findings on iFixit.com, which dismantled an iPhone 3GS on its release date. The techno-tinkerers found a similar 3.7V battery under the 3GS hood, rated at 1219mAh. Compared to the 1150mAh battery of the previous iPhone model, this works out at only a 6 per cent increase.

The truth is, this small increase would probably make a significant difference to an iPhone 3G, but the considerable processing power boost of the 3GS evidently absorbs any extra battery life the handset would otherwise enjoy.

Portable iPhone charges and additional battery packs might be a good business for accessory manufacturers to get into.

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