Power for Power Phone Features Growing Faster than Battery Power, Says IMS

By Contributor Wireless and Mobile News on September 29, 2009 12:22 PM

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.