Forget cameras, AI, and chip upgrades – you really want better phone battery life

1 hour ago 11

An iPhone 17 Pro being held in the hand outside

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve covered a lot of phone launches – almost too many to remember – and the general themes of them is to tout upgrades in performance and camera quality, along with design changes, new features, and, more recently, AI integration. But what often gets only a cursory glance is battery life; whether that’s a big boost in capacity, or efficiency allowing more charge to be sucked out of a pack that’s the same size as before.

However, last month I ran a poll asking, "What's the most important phone feature for you?" And the most popular answer was battery life, with 40% of respondents valuing battery over other features like performance and cameras.

Speaking of which, cameras come in second with 25% of the vote. I’d have expected cameras to come out on top, particularly now that we live in a world where it seems like every third person is a content creator.

an image showing the results of the poll What's the most important phone feature for you?

Interestingly, making clear calls came in as the third most important phone feature, with 12% of the vote. Now that might seem rather obvious, but smartphones have arguably evolved beyond portable phones and more into pocketable do-it-all computers. Yet it seems like making a clear call is still important, despite the prevalence of instant messaging and multiple social networking platforms.

A good design and power came in fourth and fifth, with 8% and 7% respectively. This would indicate to me that not many people really worry too much about their phone’s looks – given lots of people use cases, that’s not surprising – or that the latest Snapdragon or A-series chip offers 15% more performance than their predecessors.

Joint last, with 4% each of the vote, are a good screen and AI features. While I’m a huge advocate for a 120Hz, crisp and clear OLED display on phones, I can understand why others might not overly fuss about it. And AI still seems to be in its infancy on smartphones, although I’m sure that people have run into some form of AI on their phones, even if they’re not actively using generative AI elements.

So there you have it: TechRadar readers value battery life in smartphones over other features. If Apple, Samsung, Google, and others are reading this, then pay attention.

Do you agree with the results of this poll? Let me know in the comments below.

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Roland Moore-Colyer is Managing Editor at TechRadar with a focus on phones and tablets, but a general interest in all things tech, especially those with a good story behind them. He can also be found writing about games, computers, and cars when the occasion arrives, and supports with the day-to-day running of TechRadar. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face and a nose for food markets.

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