CNN Money Makes Much Ado About MacBook Air Batteries
by , 9:05 AM EST, February 22nd, 2008
Sales of Apple's new MacBook Air ultra-thin laptop could be limited because of the lack of a user-replaceable battery, according to an article at CNN Money. Citing analysts and company execs at third party battery companies, the article said that many consumers like to be able to replace their own batteries, especially the road warriors at whom the MacBook Air is aimed.
"A business user would find that completely unacceptable," longtime Apple analyst Roger Kay told the media outlet. "Most of the people I know who travel a lot carry multiple batteries." He also acknowledged, though, that the Air, "is a great design statement. It's very elegant."
Apple has stressed from the beginning that it was design issues that led to the Air's battery choice, and the article cited an Apple spokesperson who said that few people have actually bought extra batteries for their laptops from Apple. It's all about the design, with the implication that having the battery enclosed allows the Air to be thinner.
Mark Fleig, director of marketing for third party battery replacement company Batteries.com, sees right through Apple's nefarious plans, however. He told CNN Money that Apple's intent with the MacBook Air battery might have been to make it proprietary so that it can keep all the revenue generated by selling replacement batteries.
This, despite the fact that Apple will replace the battery without charging labor. The article has some equally insightful comments from another third party battery company employee.
Perhaps most interesting is a comparison to Lenovo's ThinkPad X300, a thin computer that Lenovo has been marketing as also-thin-enough-to-fit-in-an-envelope. CNN Money points out that that the ThinkPad X300 has a user-replaceable battery, a DVD drive, and an Ethernet port, but does not point out that it's thicker than the Air (.73-.92" thick compared to the Air's .16-.76"), something that backs up Apple's claim of form-over-function. The article does, however, point out that the X300 costs more than the Air, in part because it has only a solid-state hard drive option.
Article wrote: Mark Fleig, director of marketing for third party battery replacement company Batteries.com, sees right through Apple's nefarious plans, however. He told CNN Money that Apple's intent with the MacBook Air battery might have been to make it proprietary so that it can keep all the revenue generated by selling replacement batteries.
I'm assuming that someone at a site named batteries.com knows that there are tons of 3rd party replacements for iPod batteries which are also "proprietary." (Edit: They should know since they sell them.)
So, since he knows that I'm guessing he has some amazing reason why the Macbook Air is going to be different from the iPod.
It's a pity he didn't share that reason with us.
Last edited by Small White Car on Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:04 am; edited 1 time in total Reply | Quote
CloseViewName:geoduckPosts: 1662Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:57 amSubject:
OK, how many times do people actually replace the battery? I've had a series of Powerbooks and iBooks going back to a PowerBook 190. Over that time I've replaced exactly two batteries, both under warrantee. (BTW they hadn't failed, they were recalled.) I've had several iPods, none of which have had battery issues. Yes some people carry a spare for use on the road but from what I've been reading this becoming less necessary. IMO user replaceable batteries may be going the way of the floppy as battery technology improves.
CloseViewName:Guest Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:23 amSubject:
much ado about nothing? I guess you don't travel much with an ultraportable. I have a ThinkPad x40, and usually carry an extra 8-cells with me in my luggage to swap out (after 6 hours) as needed
""A business user would find that completely unacceptable," longtime Apple analyst Roger Kay told the media outlet." Too bad for Apple that their entire model is based on selling to business users... Guess they should take a closer look at that fun loving software make up north, Microsoft knows exactly how much fun their customers are and makes appropriate products like Excel for them. Maybe next time Apple?
CloseViewName:Guest Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:25 amSubject:
No.. Its not about replacing battries due to any issues/wear and tear.. but bcos if the users are on the road and are working they need power.. and having multiple battries helps them to do the work without any issues!!!
Its not replacement but having additional batteries. If your actually working on a laptop someplace you can't plug in then you really have to have at least one extra!
CloseViewName:Guest Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:27 amSubject:
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geoduck wrote: OK, how many times do people actually replace the battery? I've had a series of Powerbooks and iBooks going back to a PowerBook 190. Over that time I've replaced exactly two batteries, both under warrantee. (BTW they hadn't failed, they were recalled.) I've had several iPods, none of which have had battery issues. Yes some people carry a spare for use on the road but from what I've been reading this becoming less necessary. IMO user replaceable batteries may be going the way of the floppy as battery technology improves.
...a Road warrior (like myself) carries about 1 extra battery to swap out of their notebook while traveling long distances where a power outlet is not available. All other slim and ultra portables fit around this feature... the Apple Air does not, and thus far, while it's very... sleek, I see no reason to buy it, even AS a road warrior myself. Apple does not aim for business... apple simply aims, with little to no foresight, and a marketing team that could sell blood to a blood bank.
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Small White Car wrote:
So, since he knows that I'm guessing he has some amazing reason why the Macbook Air is going to be different from the iPod.
It's a pity he didn't share that reason with us.
I'll share the reason: The ipod does ONE THING - play music, and it does so for an average of about 5 to 7 hours at a time, per charge. Even when the battery needs replacment, it is not the end of the world because it's an ipod, not a Laptop.
When the Air dies, what is a road warrior supposed to do? Ship it off to califonia to have the battery replaced?
And where, pray tell, will Apple ship the laptop back when they are done? If one is constantly on the road, this is a MASSIVE inconviance.
As a note: I too have complained about the non-user replacable batteries on the iPod, it is the one flaw in an otherwise flawless mp3 player. but I tolerate it because, it's an MP3, I refuse to tolerate this practice in a notebook.
Guest wrote: I'm sure Apple likes the design statement, but perhaps the key objective was ruggedness.
A case 'welded' tight w/ many screws will be way more rugged and 'drop' proof then one with the standard access door.
What's more important to a road warrior, a scheduled battery replacement or having a machine that won't shatter?
JMHO
honestly, I'd pick replacable batter life over the threat of "shattering" my laptop. I never have broken my IBM Thinkpad X41, this thing has a black shell around it that completely protects it when I stop hard and the laptop is sent flailing from my passanger seat to the floor... OH! and it has a user replacable BATTERY!
Too bad the engineers over at apple didn't think or (care) about roadwarriors when they made this, they just thought of the zelots who would litterally buy a small black box, with pictures of digitalized tress, a USB cord, and a large pile of fecail matter inside... They'd call it...
"iCrap"
and you KNOW you'd shell out 300 bucks for some iCrap.
The importance of a user replaceable battery is that I can replace an old battery (or upgrade it) without shipping my laptop off to Apple. Yeah, the Apple stores might offer the replacement via walk-in service, but where are Apple stores? Major cities only.
A poll conducted of laptop owners about extra batteries showed that:
78% do not have an extra battery,
Over 10% own a spare battery but rarely use it,
About 8% own a spare and use it.
I have had 5 laptops (Mac & PC) over the past 10+ years and never bought a spare. I am not a heavy battery user though and most of the time I am in a location where I have access to a power outlet if I need it.
Also the battery tests that I have seen are using the machine to multi-task (music playing, surfing the web etc at the same time). Most 'road warriors' would not be doing much more than working in MS Office and could therefore get more time out of a typical laptop battery.
First of all, most business users (99%)uses windows base laptops for the sake of compatibility with their company's
softwares. That's why from apple's stand point their users never need to swap a battery.
Most apple laptop users use it at home or at school or
just for leasure at a coffee house.....they don't log in that long or is easier to find a plug to plug it in...
Is it really a design that makes it can't open a damn cover to switch a battery, I don't think so.
Just think of the battery design of a RAZA cell phone.
Apple could have done the same thing. A thin battery with
a metal battery cover. The join area is so small, it's easy
to make it to work. if a thinner raza cell phone can do a replacable battery, so can a ipod or iphone or Mac book air.
it's just apple is greedy and want to make money off selling you battery and do replacement. Just like they try to make money off cell phone carriers from your iphone contract...Just think, the contract could be hundreds of dollar cheaper if apple didn't get their cut.
I'll share the reason: The ipod does ONE THING - play music, and it does so for an average of about 5 to 7 hours at a time, per charge. Even when the battery needs replacment, it is not the end of the world because it's an ipod, not a Laptop.
When the Air dies, what is a road warrior supposed to do? Ship it off to califonia to have the battery replaced?
And where, pray tell, will Apple ship the laptop back when they are done? If one is constantly on the road, this is a MASSIVE inconviance.
As a note: I too have complained about the non-user replacable batteries on the iPod, it is the one flaw in an otherwise flawless mp3 player. but I tolerate it because, it's an MP3, I refuse to tolerate this practice in a notebook.
Thanks for the lengthy explination, but I know the difference between an integrated and an easily replaceable battery. (Sure was nice to have everyone explain it to me, though!)
I'm specifically referring to the quote where he claims Apple did it to make money selling replacement batteries for the Air.
My point is that anyone can sell replacement batteries for the Air, so what's the guy talking about?
Last edited by Small White Car on Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:55 am; edited 1 time in total Reply | Quote
I assume that CNN is concerned that once the batteries are drained that the only user options will be plug it in somewhere or stop using it. Same issue with my iPod except that some clever companies came out with re-chargeable external batteries that plug into the iPod via a short connector cord. Seems to me that this may be a viable option for those individuals who would need more run time and are not able to plug into an outlet.
I have been carrying a spare battery for several years now, and don't plan to stop. On a cross-country flight, I can drain a battery that isn't brand-new, even on a well-done system (a Lenovo X61 with the high-cap battery.) Also, if I have more than one meeting during the day, and don't feel like toting both a laptop and a charger with me - I don't have to. It helps extend the battery life to avoid running off a charger except when needed. I know Apple says their batteries are magical and can be run off chargers w/o shortening their usable lives, but I don't actually believe them.
MacOS can be installed on the Lenovo, by the way, so you don't actually have to give up user-replaceable batteries to run the swank gui as long as you're prepared to do your homework.
Guest wrote: It helps extend the battery life to avoid running off a charger except when needed. I know Apple says their batteries are magical and can be run off chargers w/o shortening their usable lives, but I don't actually believe them.
What are you talking about?
How in the world can that make any difference to the battery? Yes, if it kept charging, it might do something, but once it's charged it stops charging the battery. As far as the battery's concerned, the computer's off.
The poster stating that anyone can create and sell replacement batteries is wrong because the machine must be sent back to Apple when the battery needs to be replaced. That chops out 3rd parties.
The real issue isn't replacing dead batteries, it's replacing run-down batteries with fresh ones while still computing away from an electrical outlet. I carry two with my laptop--a 6-cell and a 9-cell. Even with my very long-lasting Sony T-Series, I carried two. But you can't swap batteries with the Air, so you're limited to whatever charge one battery can deliver.
Finally, no optical drive? I guess the quest for ultra-thinness drove this, but I can't imagine computing without one--and I dont' want to eat up the one (ONE!) USB port with a portable one.
Nice try, Apple. Looks great. Can't use it, though.
Guest wrote: The poster stating that anyone can create and sell replacement batteries is wrong because the machine must be sent back to Apple when the battery needs to be replaced. That chops out 3rd parties.
Define "must be."
Apple says the iPod has to be sent back to them as well, yet I've replaced my iPod's battery myself.
Do you think all the companies that figured out how to do it on the iPod are just going to give up?
I owned a spare battery for my 12" PB and never used it. All the talk about computing where there is no power is a red herring. The number of people IMO who are constantly draining and swapping their batteries is very small. I have been on trans continental flights w/ my PB and not had the need to swap batteries while I kept on working. I wished I had brought my spare on an overseas flight once, but it was not the end of the world when the PB went dark on me. I do not have a spare for my Blackbook and have not needed one. All the posters who seem to be the most upset about the MBA not having a readily replaceable battery are logged on as "Guest" so they probably are trolls anyway. It is really a non issue for the vast majority of users and Apple will sell a ton of them.
CloseViewName:Guest Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:32 pmSubject:
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Apple says the iPod has to be sent back to them as well, yet I've replaced my iPod's battery myself.
Didn't you just say you never had battery problems? Then why are you contradicting yourself.
You can replace the battery in 3 minutes with a screwdriver. That's nice.....NOT, you have to open the macbook air up to get to it.
Try 3 seconds for swapping a battery. I shouldn't have to do work to replace a battery, eject the old one, put the new one in.
The "must be" part........ 99% of the users won't want to replace their battery, so they will be "forced" to return them to apple to replace them. Yeah they won't charge labor, but they will charge double for the battery, making the same extra profits in the end.
CloseViewName:Guest Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:45 pmSubject:
I am new to mac and have a HP and a Macbook laptop. The HP after a few months the battery life was severly limited. Th macbook still gives me 3 hours with simmilar usage and over same time period. I don't see the need for a spare on the macbook.
Didn't you just say you never had battery problems? Then why are you contradicting yourself.
I never said that or anything like that.
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Guest wrote:
Try 3 seconds for swapping a battery. I shouldn't have to do work to replace a battery, eject the old one, put the new one in.
That's nice. I never said anything about it being easy, or good, or something customers should have to do or something Apple was right to do. I don't know who you're arguing with, but it's not me.
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Guest wrote:
99% of the users won't want to replace their battery, so they will be "forced" to return them to apple to replace them. Yeah they won't charge labor, but they will charge double for the battery, making the same extra profits in the end.
Now THIS is what I was talking about. My point is that there are tons of companies that replace iPod batteries cheaper than Apple does. I see no reason why they won't service the Air as well.
So, we have companies that do the same thing as Apple but for cheaper. Why would someone be "forced" to go to Apple and spend more money there when they have other options?
That's the only point I've made and yet everyone keeps telling me how they need to change their battery on the plane. GREAT, but that has NOTHING to do with what I'm saying.
Last edited by Small White Car on Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:49 pm; edited 1 time in total Reply | Quote
I've bought replacement batteries for all the Powerbooks I've owned. My pb100 would still be a useful portable if there were still a battery available for it! It runs off an external dry cell now. I've got my eye on some of the new small lead cells that would actually fit three in the slot and give me the machine back as a portable.
Anyone recall how incredibly _fast_ it was? I can boot up the 100 and have a note typed while a modern computer is still loading its operating system. Of course I put in a fast SCSI drive too, back when those were available.
The Apple and 3rd party batteries for Apple's laptops have generally used low capacity cells, no-name, not matched. Tearing the case open (after the 100) it's been possible to replace those with brand name high capacity balanced cells and get vastly better performance.
It's always been the weakest side of the product.
I hate throwing electronics in the landfill. I just absolutely despise the way this stuff is made to become crap and thrown away and bought over and over again.
CloseViewName:Guest Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:53 pmSubject:
"Apple says the iPod has to be sent back to them as well, yet I've replaced my iPod's battery myself."
That is all fine and good for your $250 MP3 player. But do you really want to void your warranty by cracking open the case on your $2000 laptop? I have replaced a hard drive from an old iBook and yes, it is "user replaceable", but you must remove no less than 30 screws (all Torx, had to buy 2 new tools to do the job, thanks Apple!) to get to it. And without some nice detailed instructions with pics, I doubt I would have been able to do it in under 3 hours. To replace the hard drive in any of the other laptops I work on regularly (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) removing the hard drive is a matter of 1 screw and about 30 seconds of my time. Apple deliberately makes things difficult to discourage users from replacing or upgrading parts themselves. Mac users are often amazed that to get a bigger hard drive, or more memory, that they don't have to buy from Apple and ship their laptop off somewhere to be serviced. It is because that is the way that Apple has trained them to think.
Guest wrote: Apple deliberately makes things difficult to discourage users from replacing or upgrading parts themselves.
I'm not going to defend the Air, I don't fully understand it either.
But I have to say that the regular Macbook has user-replaceable RAM and a user-replaceable hard drive. It's amazingly simple.
How many other consumer laptops offer that? I think you're confusing old infomation with the present. Or, perhaps, confusing Apple's smallest products with its entire line. They make more than iPods and iPhones, you know. (The Mac Pro has the best drive and RAM replacement system of any tower I've ever seen.)
Quote:
"A poll conducted of laptop owners about extra batteries showed that:
78% do not have an extra battery,
Over 10% own a spare battery but rarely use it,
About 8% own a spare and use it."
That means about 88% of users don't really need or use a 2nd battery. 12% are power users that need them.
For that 12% there is 2 other models in Apples portable line that do have removable batteries.
To all you whiners about the air, move on, nothing for you to see here. You act like Steve Jobs himself has put a gun to your head to make you buy it. That's because you secretly want to.
A LOT of discussion about what I think we can all agree is a pretty sexy laptop.
Some call it useless, some call it unworthy of a true road warrior, some call it eye-candy.
But hey, love it, hate it or don't understand it, every one of you KNOWS about it. You've looked it over, you've compared it to several other models, and while your passion for it might be negative, you are passionate about it.
Apple creates buzz for their products. They don't have a million of them, so you won't get confused. They do things differently, maybe even to just keep people talking.
"Hey Jonathan, how are we going to get people to talk about the new thin laptop."
"Lets seal it up like the iPod and iPhone, the pundits hated that! That'll keep it in discussion for a good long time."
I never heard of those products the Air is compared to. So Levono and the like should give it up to Apple. The world may never have heard of those products were they not compared to the MBA.
Guest wrote: Quote:
"A poll conducted of laptop owners about extra batteries showed that:
78% do not have an extra battery,
Over 10% own a spare battery but rarely use it,
About 8% own a spare and use it."
That means about 88% of users don't really need or use a 2nd battery. 12% are power users that need them.
For that 12% there is 2 other models in Apples portable line that do have removable batteries.
Case closed.
Not quite...
For the 12% who do carry and use extra batteries, the poll needed to ask how many total battery hours they carry with them. I carry a spare battery and use it on the road, but my total combined battery time is still less than that of the Air. In other words, with the Air, I go from being in the 12% that needs an extra battery to being in the percentage that doesn't need the extra battery. Furthermore, the weight and size becomes that much less with the Air as compared to the notebook with the extra battery to match the Air's extended battery life.
From the article:
"Apple's decision to give its ultra-thin MacBook Air notebook computer a battery that users can't replace themselves bucks a growing trend, and some say could hurt its sales."
Do they have any evidence that MBA sales are weak? Most of what I have seen suggests it is doing pretty well (e.g., #1 at the online Apple store and #11 of 25 on Amazon's best-selling notebooks when I checked). It seems many people have concluded that the lack of a user-replaceable battery is not a major issue which is consistent with the above-mentioned polls.
I wonder what all the battery-toting people will do if the TSA adds further restrictions for carrying extra batteries. I suspect that this is more an issue of "when" than "if".
From the article:
"Apple's decision to give its ultra-thin MacBook Air notebook computer a battery that users can't replace themselves bucks a growing trend, and some say could hurt its sales."
Do they have any evidence that MBA sales are weak? Most of what I have seen suggests it is doing pretty well (e.g., #1 at the online Apple store and #11 of 25 on Amazon's best-selling notebooks when I checked). It seems many people have concluded that the lack of a user-replaceable battery is not a major issue which is consistent with the above-mentioned polls.
I wonder what all the battery-toting people will do if the TSA adds further restrictions for carrying extra batteries. I suspect that this is more an issue of "when" than "if".
From the article:
"Apple's decision to give its ultra-thin MacBook Air notebook computer a battery that users can't replace themselves bucks a growing trend, and some say could hurt its sales."
Do they have any evidence that MBA sales are weak? Most of what I have seen suggests it is doing pretty well (e.g., #1 at the online Apple store and #11 of 25 on Amazon's best-selling notebooks when I checked). It seems many people have concluded that the lack of a user-replaceable battery is not a major issue which is consistent with the above-mentioned polls.
I wonder what all the battery-toting people will do if the TSA adds further restrictions for carrying extra batteries. I suspect that this is more an issue of "when" than "if".
