More iPad Battery Notes: 25-Hour Hotspot Life, 2-Amp Current Draw from Discharged State
Much has been made of the increase in battery capacity in the new iPad over the past week and a half, including its impact on charging and heat issues experienced by consumers. More recent discussions have focused on the device charging beyond the 100% indicator.
A few other tidbits related to the device's battery are gaining some exposure, information which may help users plan how they use their iPads. First, a report from AnandTech addressing battery life has been gaining renewed interest for its revelation that users running a Verizon iPad in personal hotspot mode can see as much as 25 hours of battery life to provide connectivity for their other devices. That number has also been confirmed by The Verge.
While Verizon is including personal hotspot functionality in its iPad data plans at no extra charge, AT&T has yet to announced whether it will even support the feature at all, noting only that it is "working with Apple" on the issue.
Meanwhile, VR-Zone notes that the new iPad can draw as much as 2 amps of current when charging the battery from a nearly-depleted state, pushing the capacity of charging connections such as computer USB ports. Apple's supplied iPad power adapter provides for up to 2.1 amps of current from a wall outlet, and the company has long noted that this method offers the fastest charging on any iPad. Users can, however, still charge the device using the smaller 1-amp adapter included with an iPhone or by connecting the dock connector cable directly to a computer's USB port. VR-Zone notes:
As you can see in the video below, the iPad in question only had seven percent battery life remaining and at this point it's sucking 1.98A. That's a lot of power and we were told by Gigabyte that they've seen it hitting just over 2A. That said, as you might've noticed from the picture above, this quickly drops once the iPad begins to charge, but considering a standard USB 2.0 port only delivers 500mA and even a USB 3.0 port will only deliver 900mA, you have to wonder how much Apple cares about PC owners.
The new iPad carries a 42.5 watt-hour battery, roughly 70% larger in capacity and size than the 25 watt-hour battery found in the iPad 2.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last.
Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski
The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports.
The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu.
This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...
