Whatever Happened To Powerbanks?

Remember the days when we were forced to carry a hefty brick just to ensure that our smartphone battery made it to the end of the day? What about the inconvenience of having to wait for ages, while it charged, at a snail’s pace? If you were one of the unfortunate few who have had the misfortune of witnessing one, hiss and threaten to catch fire, then you’re probably glad that they have outlived their usefulness.

The demise of the modern day powerbank can be attributed to one of several factors, all of which pertain to the advancement of the smartphone. The advent of fast charging technology, has resulted in a significant reduction in charging time. It used to take 5-6 hours to charge a smartphone, now however, a mere 30-minute charge can provide up to 50 – 70% of juice to a phone’s battery.

Evidently, in the last couple of years, smartphone processors have become more power efficient, and capable of doing more without taxing its battery. Then there’s also the software aspect. Android 9.0 and 10 have been designed to be power efficient and help keep a watchful eye on errant apps that drain excessive power. The system will even alert you of power hungry apps and advise you on the next course of action.

The final nail in the coffin, is the fact that manufacturers have been cramming larger batteries into newer smartphones. In 2020, the average Android device has at least a 4000mAh battery. This guarantees at least a day’s worth of use before a charge is needed. And even then, with just 10 minutes of fast charging, you get another 1/2 day’s worth of battery power.

Cumulatively, these factors have resulted in smartphones that are able to last considerably longer than their predecessors. Even Apple, has broken with tradition of old, choosing to shoehorn larger batteries into their devices. This has allowed modern devices to remain untethered the entire day, negating the need for a secondary power source.