Less than a week ago, we called the new iPad a liar after DisplayMate discovered an inaccurate battery indicator. The new iPad’s screen shows a fully charged state two hours earlier, increasing the possibility of overcharging it. Apple addressed the issue today in an interview with AllThingsD and set things straight.
Apple Vice President of iPad Marketing Michael Tchao said “The circuitry is designed so you can keep your device plugged in as long as you would like. It’s a great feature that’s always been in iOS.” He further explains that all iOS devices act the same way – battery indicators show a 100 percent charged state before they are completely charged, discharging a little, and then show a full battery; repeating the process until the device gets unplugged. He says that interrupting the charging cycle of the new iPad won’t change its 10-hour battery life on Wi-Fi.
The statement by Tchao gives us reason to not to worry about the new iPad and its inaccurate battery indicator. He cites that iOS was configured that way so we could keep a device plugged for as long as we like. Beyond that, this configuration also prevents overcharging and maintains a battery’s optimal health.
According to Apple, the new iPad will last just as long even we unplug it during this charging state. Unless that is, real-world tests prove otherwise. Upon reviewing its specs, the new iPad has 9 hours of battery life on 3G/4G connection, 10 hours on Wi-Fi, and an even longer battery life when placed on continuous video playback without internet.
A few days ago, iMore was able to debunk the “warmgate” controversy surrounding the new iPad which, according to those who started the rumor, makes it prone to overheating problems. Tests show that while the new iPad gets warmer than previous models, it’s temperatures shouldn’t cause us to worry.
