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Battery life might be a big problem for the HTC One M9

Published Mar 17th, 2015 2:21PM EDT
HTC One M9 Battery Life
Image: HTC

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As good looking the HTC One M9 might be, the handset has received some criticism from some Android fans who expected HTC to do more than just refine and polish the HTC One M8’s design. It also didn’t help that, for the first time ever, Samsung actually came out with a Galaxy S model that touts a beautiful design and premium materials to match its powerful components.

However, in addition to a phone’s looks there are many other factors that might influence a buyer’s decision, and it looks like the HTC One M9 might have problems in this area as well.

FROM EARLIER: Watch: Your first official look at the HTC One M9’s best features

As Tweakers reports, the HTC One M9 might actually offer shorter battery life than its predecessor. That’s despite the fact that the M9 has a 2,840 mAh battery that’s even bigger than the 2,600 mAh battery found in the M8.

The publication reveals the HTC One M9 scored lower than the HTC One M8 in both Internet browsing and video tests. In web browsing tests, the HTC One M8 lasted for seven hours and 10 minutes of continuous use, while the HTC One M9 died after 5 hours and 30 minutes. When it comes to video playback, the HTC One M8 lasted for 9 hours and 32 minutes, while the HTC One M9 only managed 6 hours and 8 minutes of life.

In a PCMark Android test that simulates daily activity, the HTC One M9 almost matched its predecessor by scoring 5 hours and 37 minutes compared to 6 hours and 5 minutes for the HTC One M8.

When addressing overheating concerns the other day, HTC said the phone is not running the final version of its software – in fact, the company supposedly had to push back the launch of the phone in Taiwan over software-related issues. As a result, battery life might improve once the final version of the HTC One M9 is released.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.