# iPhone- Battery vs AC Power

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-battery-vs-ac-power/536249>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 15, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-battery-vs-ac-power/536249 "2010-04-15T20:15:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-battery-vs-ac-power/536249/21 "2010-04-16T14:12:57Z")

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Nobody seems to have provided a definitive answer as to whether the battery is being discharged at all if you use the phone while it is plugged in. I’ve wondered this myself. Is there some kind of switch that sources power directly from AC, bypassing the battery, when the phone is charging (or an iPod is in a dock, say), or is it just constantly “topping up” the battery as it is used?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-battery-vs-ac-power/536249/22 "2010-04-16T14:30:40Z")

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> [@IAmNotSpartacus](#):
>
> And boy howdy does Google return a plethora of negative views when queried for battery life of the 3GS Iphone.
> 
> [IPhone 3GS owners bemoan its battery life](http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/03/business/fi-iphone3)  
> [CNET: Product reviews, advice, how-tos and the latest news](http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10357371-37.html)  
> [How To Maximize Your iPhone 3G's Questionably Adequate Battery Life](http://gizmodo.com/5025150/how-to-maximize-your-iphone-3gs-questionably-adequate-battery-life)  
> [http://www.geardiary.com/2008/07/12/apple-lists-ways-to-extend-iphone-battery-life-dont-use-any-of-the-new-3g-features/](http://www.geardiary.com/2008/07/12/apple-lists-ways-to-extend-iphone-battery-life-dont-use-any-of-the-new-3g-features/)
> 
> Not surprisingly, one cannot find a positive review of its battery life on the front page of Google. Take that as you will.

[iPhone superior battery life.](http://www.pcworld.com/article/148348/update_3g_iphones_battery_life_beats_atandt_rivalsbut_evdo_blackberrys_run_longer.html)

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**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-battery-vs-ac-power/536249/23 "2010-04-16T16:53:43Z")

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> [@beowulff](#):
>
> [iPhone superior battery life.](http://www.pcworld.com/article/148348/update_3g_iphones_battery_life_beats_atandt_rivalsbut_evdo_blackberrys_run_longer.html)

Not sure if you realize this, but that article is almost 2 years old and is comparing an obsolete model with other obsolete models. Feel free to provide some comparisons with the Iphone 3GS, should be pretty interesting to see what you come up with.

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**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-battery-vs-ac-power/536249/24 "2010-04-16T17:34:38Z")

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This [Wired](http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/how-apple-designed-the-ipad-out-in-the-open/) article supports the premise that non-removable batteries can be larger than removable ones.

Doesn’t the Zune also use a non-removable battery?

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