Apple head of design Jony Ive has defended the modest battery life offered by the iPhone. Ive said that the phone’s life away from the plug socket is justified by the design on offer. Speaking to the Financial Times in Britain, Ive said that the size of battery was central to its lightness and thinness. He said that a larger battery would make the phone less “compelling”, whilst making the device heavier and compromising its unique identity.
Ive spent most of the interview talking about the newly-launched Apple Watch. Speaking about the wearable tech, he said: “I’m much more concerned about how we can make [the Apple Watch] as good as possible than how many we’ll sell. We’re brutally self-critical and go through countless iterations of each product.”
Ive said whilst the iPhone was driven by the “disdain” Apple felt for the existing mobile phone market, the Apple Watch was inspired by the elegant wristwear made by Swiss watch manufacturers, saying: “We’re a group of people who love our watches. So we’re working on something, yet have a high regard for what currently exists.” Ive said that Apple were still working on perfecting the Apple Watch during the weeks leading up the launch. The Englishman recently criticized the approach of companies including Motorola.
