Next iPod to get a big boost in battery life?

We're going to have to officially recommend that you don't buy an iPod right now. And not because we've been drinking that haterade some of you have been hitting a little too hard lately. Nah, it's mainly that there's a good chance the next version of the iPod which is expected out this fall is going to get a big boost in battery life, so if you can wait a few months, you probably should. PortalPlayer, the company that makes the chipset used in the iPod, iPod mini, and iPod photo (another company, SigmaTel, makes the chips used in the iPod shuffle) has just announced a new version of their chipset called the PP5022 that is more energy efficient than their current PP5020 chipset (the one that's currently used in all those iPods). How much more efficient? Supposedly the PPC5022 would make it possible to make a hard drive-based digital audio player with triple the battery life of a player using the PP5020, which could conceivably mean an iPod photo that could last as long as 45 hours before it needed recharging (and a battery life of as long as 54 hours for the new 2G iPod mini).  Obviously there are other factors that dictate battery life—Apple could put in a brighter, crisper, more power-hungry LCD screen, or add wireless connectivity, or decide to use a smaller battery to make the next generation of iPods even slimmer—but improving the battery life of the iPod has been one of their top priorities for a long time now, so it's hard not to see them switching to this new chipset sooner or later. Apple, not surprisngly, is keeping quiet about their plans.

[Thanks, dune]

UPDATE: Look, if you're looking to buy an iPod, don't let us stop you, all we're saying is that there is a good chance that Apple will put this new PortalPlayer chipset in the next version of the iPod, and we're perfectly cool with waiting to find out.

[Connor @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Well, not I'll just have to invest my tax return and not blow it all on an iPod right away, dammit.

[n8 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Power efficiency improvement in chipsets is great and all, but would it really affect overall battery life that much? Isn't it the hard drive spinning that sucks up the most juice?

[Andrew @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

I think you meant to say 6 GB iPod mini, right?

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Nope, I meant 2nd generation iPod mini, which is what we're on.

[leon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

You know i'd be very happy with them if they left the iPod as it is and just gave us gap less playback...

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

"Power efficiency improvement in chipsets is great and all, but would it really affect overall battery life that much? Isn't it the hard drive spinning that sucks up the most juice?"

Correctamundo. Although no doubt the next iPod will get a boost in battery life - but it won't be anywhere near 45 hours. 20 hours wouldn't surprise me much, though.

I wouldn't say "don't buy an iPod" now, though. I mean Apple is constantly upgrading these things - you could wait forever. It's like saying "don't buy a graphics card" or "don't buy a digital camera" because there's going to be a better one out at some point in the next 6 months.

So in 5 months (it's gonna happen this FALL, remember) there will be a new iPod, then 6 months after that there will be another "refresh", and on and on and on.

Buy now if you want one, then just ebay it when the new ones come out if you really have to upgrade. Or give it to your little sister or something. You'll be doing that quite a lot, though, if you really always have to have the latest and greatest model.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

"Power efficiency improvement in chipsets is great and all, but would it really affect overall battery life that much? Isn't it the hard drive spinning that sucks up the most juice?"

Yes, but the hard drive hardly ever runs. It spins up every 20-25 minutes to refill the RAM buffer and then shuts down.

[Slaven @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

"And not because we�ve been drinking that haterade some of you have been hitting a little too hard lately."

:D

[Justin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

wah... slimmer ipods!!!
Well, a slimmer ipod photo would definitely sell me!

[Carmi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Sounds like a lot of hype to me. How often do we hear similar news about soon-to-be-realized order-of-magnitude improvements, only to have the vendor completely miss these expectations at the end of the appointed time?

Technology planning is only as effective as the real products and services that can be delivered on a realistic timeline. My innate cynicism - honed by years of seeing similar announcements fall flat - says we'll be waiting a lot longer than six months to see battery life this long.

In the interim, if you were going to buy an iPod, there's no sense depriving yourself of music for the next six months.

Carmi
http://writteninc.blogspot.com

[cmoney @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Yeah but can it do gapless playback and cross fading?

[tf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Sounds like engadget is being pretty irresponsible here. The hype is not in Portal Player's Press Release. They are jsut describing their chip. On the other hand, we do know that last time they had a new chip it was many, many months before it was put in an iPod and that despite the feature set of that chip, the iPod did not have all of the corresponding functionality of that chip. In other words, engadget is simply making up what it thinks may or may not happen without any sense of any product schedule. I'm disappointed.

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

We're not "making stuff up", we're making an educated guess as to what course of action Apple is going to take. You can take my advice or not, but don't accuse me of being irresponsible.

[tf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Peter, I didn't know you were so sensitive. Whatever. Telling everyone to not buy a product when we clearly know that new iPods will not be released for at least 5-6 months and maybe longer, because of the mere possibility of increased battery life, IS irresponsible. If you had kept out that recommendation and simply said: PP has a new chip, the next revision of iPods, not due for many months, may have better battery life... I'd be perfectly happy with your reporting.

[tf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

By the way, Peter, I think it's more substantial news that PP now has a chip suitable for Flash players. I think the news that Apple could drop Sigmatel and return to PortalPlayer is much more substantial news.

Maybe you should recommend people sell their Sigmatel stock...

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

I feel perfectly comfortable making that recommendation, which you (and everyone else) is free to listen to or not. I'm not ordering someone not to buy an iPod, just like I never order anyone to buy one. All I'm saying is that there is a very good chance that a new iPod will be out later this year with improved battery life. If battery life is a big issue to you (and it is with basically every iPod owner I've ever met), then I suggest you wait. What's the big deal?

[n8 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

There's a difference between reporting and blogging tf, namely the "editorial" tone that gives Engadget it's "flava." I for one like it, even if I don't always agree.

[alex @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

I actually appreciate the info, not sure if I can wait that long, but always good to know!

[Christopher @ Dec 19th 2005 12:11AM]

Do we know these contollers are not in the latest release of ipods? This seems it would explain the big battery increase they introduced in this latest round. Its common practice for apple vendors to announce a new product shortly after its been released in an apple product for secrecy.