Inside an Aftermarket iPhone Battery Factory - in China
A battery is a hardware component that provides electrical power to a computer or device, so that it can operate independently, or at least maintain time and some settings, while disconnected from a power source.[1]
History[]
Early battery technologies at Apple[]
The Macintosh Portable, introduced in September 1989, was the first battery-operated Macintosh from Apple Computer that could run without a power supply. It featured a heavy lead–acid battery (typically used in automobiles) that contributed to its considerable weight of 15.8 pounds (7.2 kg). The Portable was also the first Mac to introduce sleep mode.[2][3] The first PowerBook 100 series, released in October 1991, adopted the use of nickel–cadmium (NiCad) batteries, which reduced size and weight.[4] The PowerBook Duo series, introduced in October 1992, adopted the used of nickel–metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, which reduced the "memory effect" incurred during repeated battery charge cycles. The NiMH batteries went through 3 revisions of improvements and it is not recommended to leave the battery dormant in the computer for more than a week without charging.[5]
Apple built-in lithium-polymer battery technology
Lithium technology[]
The PowerBook 5300 series, introduced in August 1995, was the first to adopt lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology. However, as a few early production models overheated and caught fire, Apple immediately reverted to nickel–metal hydride (NiMH), which provided only 70% of Li-ion capacity.[6] Later iPod and MacBook models were introduced by Apple with batteries that contained pressed spools of lithium polymer sheets instead of traditional cylindrical cells, to further compact power density.[7]
Disposal[]
Batteries contain chemicals that may be hazardous to the environment. Apple will accept and recycle used batteries from its products that are returned to any of its Apple retail stores or authorized service providers.[8]
References[]
- ↑ Battery, Computer Hope. 2020-07-07.
- ↑ Apple Introduced Its First 'Laptop' 25 Years Ago and It Was Totally Awful by Alex Fitzpatrick, Time. 2014-09-20.
- ↑ A Replacement Battery for the Mac Portable by Daniel Knight, Low End Mac. 1999-01-02.
- ↑ DIY PowerBook 100 Battery: The Carpenter’s Trade in the Computer Age by Manuel Meija, Low End Mac. 2000-03-31.
- ↑ Battery Handling, Mac Repair Central. 2020-12-18.
- ↑ Apple Recalls PowerBook 5300 Series by Cary Lu, Macworld. 1995-12.
- ↑ A closer look at Apple's advanced notebook battery tech by Prince McLean, AppleInsider. 2009-01-07.
- ↑ Battery Service and Recycling, Apple Inc. Accessed 2021-12-23.
See also[]
- Low Power Mode, an option on mobile Apple devices to conserve battery life.
External links[]
- Apple Lithium-ion Batteries at Apple
- Electric battery at Wikipedia
Articles[]
- How an iPhone battery works and how to manage battery health by Wesley Hillard at AppleInsider (2022-11-30)
- How to avoid damaging your iPhone's battery health by Andrew O'Hara at AppleInsider (2021-12-21)