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Apple Changing iPod Battery Technology?

A ComputerWorld.dk article (Danish) reports that Apple has dropped one of their iPod battery suppliers -- a Danish company called Danionics.



Danionics supplied polymer lithium-ion batteries for the current Apple iPod, but according to Niels Kryger Anderson, Danionics' managing director, Apple has now chosen a prismatic (fluid based) lithium-ion battery for upcoming iPods.



Implications/advantages of changing from polymer to fluid based Lithium ion based batteries is unclear.



Danionics was not the only supplier of iPod batteries, and in light of the recent iPod battery controversy, they note that Danionics iPod batteries should still perform at 80% of full capacity even after three years of extensive use.


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107 months ago
I'm sorry I can't really offer any insight into the advantages of prismatic (fluid) lithium ion batteries.

Based on my brief research, it seems these are actually considered less flexible and less desirable then the polymer lithium ion batteries.

Also, it's not completely clear if the new batteries will reside in completely new ipods or retrofitted in current ipods.

And if anyone else speaks Danish and might be able to provide any other insight from the original article, it would be appreciated.

Thanks to Rasmus Bruun for providing the initial translation.

arn
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107 months ago
Well I really hope that Apple made a good decision.
We really need thos 'pod battery last longer. 6-8 hours is a complete joke.
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107 months ago
i just did a google and well it gets complex to say the least what i see is either apples trying to make the ipod cheaper or there just trying to find new products that work for a shorter period of time so people have to use there battry replacement service i might be way of there by the way
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107 months ago
Apple should have a disclaimer on their iPodrocks.com site:

BATTERY LASTS FOR 6 HOURS FIRST YEAR, AND 4.8 HOURS THE NEXT YEAR.
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107 months ago
Well hopefully with new batteries the relative size of the iPod wil be unchanged.
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107 months ago
I think the advantage of Primatic Cells is that they don't have to be cylindrical. Many of today's Minidisc players use "gum-stick style" rechargeable batteries. The size and shape seems unervingly similar to the latest alkaline batteries.



That image is from this Wired Magazine blurb about Duracell's new Prismatic alkaline cells.

Last sentence of the byte: "Look for a flood of MP3 players that slip easily into the back pocket of a pair of hip-huggers."

Now take recent rumors of 2GB MiniPods, or iPod updates in general and put two and two together.

Adopting this new battery technology may allow Apple to fit more battery into the current iPod casing, or they may get more use for the existing space of the old Lithium-Polymer battery (if only we had an electrical engineer or someone who knew more about the two technologies here).

I agree battery life is the #1 problem with the iPod. Video playback and such are just stupid gadgety add-ons, the battery problem effects the player in its current form and is usually the #3 issue competitors (DELL and iRiver) attack with their products (the first two being price and WMA compatability).
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107 months ago
maybe this battery will be used in the replacement plan? (cheaper battery)??
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107 months ago
products range from long established technologies like Lead Acid Batteries through to the more recent Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer cells providing high energy density in low profile packages.

sound d*mm good to me:D
:o well good night :o
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107 months ago
Or what if this new battery is for replaceable batteries instead on the current non-replaceable (I mean, I can take out the batteries and buy new ones to replace).

And if true, I'm sure this is also to cut the cost.


James
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107 months ago
I could've told you 3 months ago Apple would change the current battery for a longer lasting one and this mostly because of all the people that complain about the low battery life.
I still get 8hrs and 10mins on my 3 month old 40GB iPod which I use almost every day.
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