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Tech News
A troubleshooting guide outlines the most frequent reasons an iPad fails to charge, including faulty or underpowered chargers, damaged cables, extreme temperatures, and batteries that have been fully drained after long periods of disuse. It recommends using official or high-wattage first-party chargers, testing multiple cables and outlets to isolate the problem, and avoiding charging in very hot or cold conditions.
Apple confirmed the iPhone 18 Pro Max packs a single-cell battery exceeding 20 watt-hours, triggering extra international shipping regulations for large batteries. To comply, Apple built firmware that caps the battery below 20 Wh during manufacturing and transit, only unlocking full capacity once a user activates the phone. A new 'Prepare to Ship' toggle in Settings lets owners discharge the battery back below that threshold before repairs, trade-ins, resale, or gifting.
Android Authority's Andrew Grush says he still installs the third-party app AccuBattery on his Android phones, even as most performance-boosting battery apps have proven ineffective over the years. He explains that AccuBattery doesn't try to magically extend battery life but instead helps identify software or hardware issues causing excess drain, using pattern-recognition data gathered over time rather than the factory-calibrated data used by built-in OS tools.
Apple increased the out-of-warranty battery replacement cost for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by $10, from $119 to $129, likely reflecting the larger battery capacities in the new models. Older iPhones, including the iPhone 6 and original SE, still qualify for the cheapest replacement at $69. Apple has not commented on the price change.
Cornell University scientists created a process called Direct Electrode-to-Electrode Regeneration (DEER) that revives worn EV battery electrodes by chemically stripping excess solid electrolyte interphase buildup rather than shredding cells into raw materials. Treated electrodes recovered up to 95% of original capacity and degraded more slowly than untreated batteries, and a second treatment round restored capacity to 90% even after prior regeneration.
Apple's updated service and repair page shows out-of-warranty battery replacement for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max now costs $129, a $10 increase over the $119 charged for the previous three Pro generations. Other repair costs, like screen and back glass damage, also vary between the two new models, with the larger Pro Max costing more across nearly every category.
Early reviews of the Apple Watch Series 12 point to roughly two-day battery life, a notable improvement over previous generations, alongside upgraded health monitoring capabilities. The source material provided limited detail beyond these headline points, but the general reception appears positive.
Amazon has discounted the BLUETTI Elite 10 Mini Portable Power Station from its $199 list price to $119, a 40% cut. The compact unit uses a 128Wh LiFePO4 battery with 200W AC output and includes 10ms UPS switching for light electronics like routers and laptops.
Tom's Hardware tested Acer's Swift Air 14, a $699 laptop built around an Intel Wildcat Lake chip that prioritizes connectivity and endurance over flashy design. The all-aluminum body houses Thunderbolt 4 ports and delivered over 16 hours of battery life in testing, though the lid and keyboard show some flex and the screen isn't especially bright.
Soundboks has released the Rider, a portable speaker built with a steel grille, rubber corners and a thick plastic body designed to survive drops and heavy use. It features a user-replaceable battery that charges over USB-C, but skips the multi-speaker wireless linking, stand mount and XLR inputs found on Soundboks' larger Mix and 4 models.
Reported battery capacity figures for Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro suggest only incremental improvements over the current lineup, according to leaks circulating ahead of launch. The numbers imply Apple still trails some rivals, including Samsung, on long-term battery durability and capacity growth.
Apple's iOS 27 rollout is causing some iPhone users to see faster-than-normal battery drain in the days following installation. The company attributes this to background processes like search-index rebuilding, app refreshes, and data prep for Siri and AI features, which typically resolve within one to three days. Users with large photo libraries or heavy AI usage may see the effect last longer.