Phil Schiller: Apple Working With Consumer Reports to Understand MacBook Pro Battery Test

You mean, Apple is working with Consumer Reports to help them understand how they're using the machine wrong.

The problem isn't that Apple's power saving features don't work. They work exceptionally well, that's where 16 hours is coming from. The problem is that they work too well and the battery is undersized. The moment you load the machine down, the battery % begins to drop through the floor because the machine quite literally was not designed for that kind of use. The "time remaining" indicator only served to highlight just how fast the % was falling (since it's far more difficult for a user to gauge the remaining time left based solely on a plummeting number), which is why they got rid of it. Apple wanted snazzy specs in a thin package, and this is the end result.

If they'd built the laptop properly with sufficient battery capacity, we'd be seeing a laptop that lasts 20-30 hours (!) under light use, and 7-8 hours under heavy use. Then I don't think anyone would be complaining. ~4 hours, however, isn't much, and is pretty inexcusable for what is being sold as a premium device.

No matter how much damage control they engage in, and no matter what they say about these devices or the users, it doesn't change the fact that the design is fundamentally flawed and Apple cannot change the laws of physics.

-SC

I would trust users feedback of poor battery performance in real world tests and consumer reports over Apple's biased tests.

Phil and Tim, get your act together. Give the Mac some love.

I hope there is a software issue Apple can fix.

However, the Bloomberg piece from a few days ago says that Apple was planning on using a sculpted battery with a higher capacity as seen in the 12" MacBook, but had to revert to a traditional design due to some fault. I stand by my belief that this was a misatake, and Apple should have delayed the product rather than implementing a smaller than designed-for battery.

Even though the Mac is only 10 percent of Apples business, it is clear it is no longer getting the same amount of attention from Apple it has historically. Which is disappointing. Apple can hire the talent to dedicate to Mac if they want to.

Really sick of the growing substandard quality control and crap support from Apple. (God forbid you ever need to call AppleCare in Europe (Germany precisely). Bunches of non-native speakers who have zero idea about anything take your call and monkey around for an hour). I distinctly remember it started from the iOS 7 days. I have been a fanboy for 8 years but it's just ridiculous nowadays to try and defend the company under Tim Cook's pathetic leadership. This madness of thinner and lighter at the cost of performance charging exorbitant prices really needs to stop. I don't demand ground breaking innovation every 3 years. Just make quality products and fix the damn bugs FFS it's not that hard!

apple to CR - please remove the timer for the battery testing.