Consumer electronics companies are still struggling to build smartphones with battery life that can actually carry the user through a full day, let alone two days. We might see some serious progress next year if Apple really does launch a larger version of the iPhone X, but until then it’s just a dream. The same can be said of laptop computers, but it appears as though the dream of multi-day battery life is about to become a reality thanks to the work Microsoft and Qualcomm are doing right now.
Speaking at the Qualcomm 5G Summit with Pete Bernard, Principal Group Program Manager for Connectivity Partners at Microsoft, Trusted Reviews learned that the company is currently testing hundreds of laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor. While the final figures aren’t yet available for this new breed of what Microsoft calls “Always Connected PCs,” testers within the company are seeing battery life that sounds like it’s truly phenomenal.
“To be frank, it’s actually beyond our expectations,” Bernard told the blog. “We set a high bar for [our developers], and we’re now beyond that. It’s the kind of battery life where I use it on a daily basis. I don’t take my charger with me. I may charge it every couple of days or so. It’s that kind of battery life.”
He continued, “I would consider it a game-changer in terms of the way people have experienced PCs in the past.”
HP, Asus, and Lenovo are all working on developing Always Connected PCs right now, and the first round of devices should launch soon. They’re expected to be a bit pricey at first, though prices will obviously come down once more OEMs join in. Of note, there are plenty of people out there who will happily pay a premium for multi-day battery life, and they’ll soon have the opportunity to do so.
