iPad 3 Charge Meter Lies to Protect the Battery, Report Suggests

Following reports that the new iPad lies about reaching a 100% charge, ZDnet’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes upholds that the iPad 3 battery meter is not acting up. He says it is a general misconception that the iPad 3 charge mechanism is flawed.

The indicator is actually doing you a favor, by not telling you when the battery is, indeed, at 100% charge, according to the man. He claims Apple displays the 100 percent charge indicator at a lower capacity, to keep the battery “safe and healthy.”

This is not the first time Apple has done this, he says, but it’s the first time people notice because the new iPad has a considerably larger battery, which takes more time to recharge.

“The battery on the new iPad is huge, with a total charge capacity of a massive 42Wh or measured another way a monstrous 11,666 mAh. A 3 percent safety margin for the iPad 2 battery would be equal to around 210 mAh, while the same safety margin for the new iPad would be equal to 350 mAh.”

The publication’s Jason D. O'Grady (who is convinced Apple will soon fix this via software update) cites Jon Fortt of CNBC as saying that ”Apple is saying… if you charge it more than [when the battery indicator reads 100%], you could actually harm the longevity of the battery.”

On its website, Apple has an entire section dedicated to Li-ion batteries, how you’re supposed to charge them, recycle them, etc.

For iPads in particular, Apple says the following: “For proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge, be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down).”

The company says nothing about damage to the battery, should the customer leave it plugged in for longer than necessary. However, it is a known fact that charging batteries for longer than necessary may result in damage, albeit minor.

Posted in: News, Software, Tablet