Jony Ive – Trust Me, You Wouldn’t Want A Bigger iPhone Battery

If you’ve ever cursed at your iPhone for running out of juice at the crucial moment, then maybe you think that Apple missed a trick in not including a mega-sized battery into the device.

But according to the man behind its build, Apple’s British design chief Jony Ive, this need for frequent recharging is all part of the company’s methods to ensure a unique user experience.

In an interview with the Financial Times ahead of the Apple Watch unveiling later today, Ive, 48, laid out his reasons for not including a larger battery in the iPhone, reasoning that usability comes ahead of stamina.

Getting personal

Ive (pictured left) says that the iPhone was made as light and thin as possible (meaning a smaller battery) to ensure customers use it as often as possible. This then necessitates frequent charging, and the cycle begins again.

A bigger battery would make the device heavier, more cumbersome, and what he calls less “compelling”, meaning customers would then be less likely to purchase additional Apple devices in the future.

“This watch is clearly the most personal product we’ve made,” he says.

Ive is set to play a key part in the unveiling of the Apple Watch in San Francisco tonight, marking the company’s first foray into the wearable market.

And he sees the new release as an important step forward for the company, which has been able to benefit from advances in miniaturisation technology to create a high-powered yet incredibly portable device.

“It’s technology worn on the wrist,” he says, “I sensed there was an inevitability to it.”

“What’s unusual about Apple is that we have a very small and focused portfolio of products, so everything we make is important. And while the watch is an extension of the phone’s functionality, it’s a new platform for us. We’ve invested a lot of money and have wrestled with the issues.”

First revealed at the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus back in September 2014, the Apple Watch looks to carry on the company’s usual high standard of design and user experience into yet another new market.

It will run a version of iOS designed specifically for smaller screens, and has a strong emphasis on health and fitness apps, communication and will be compatible with the Apple Pay mobile wallet. However, in order to take advantage of many of the stand-out features of the Apple Watch, users will need an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5S or 5C to sync with the device.

What do you know about the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch? Try our quiz!