You do realize that Apple doesn't manufacture
its own batteries, right? Apple, like most consumer electronics companies, doesn't actually make anything. So where do Apple's new AA rechargeable NiMH batteries comes from then? We had a suspicion early on that Apple's "new" AAs were actually
Eneloops, long one of our favorite brands of modern rechargeables due to their ability to maintain a 75% charge even after three years inside the kitchen utility drawer. Now our Czech friends over at
Superapple seem to have confirmed this after an exhaustive teardown and analysis of Apple's little power cells. Specifically, Apple's AA batteries appear to be none other than the 1.2V
Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG rated at 1,900mAh (minimum). While
Superapple couldn't find any physical evidence linking the two, the measured performance characteristics of Apple's AA batteries matched the Eneloops perfectly. Knowing this, are you really going to spend $29 for the Apple charger and 6x AA batteries when you get 8x AA Eneloops and charger for the same price? Now mosey on past the break if you want to see a AA unrolled. Fascinating stuff.
[Thanks, Roman K.]
posted August 12th 2010 5:35AM
@Pies
"Does Apple charger suck"
Fixed.
@HKCally "Does Apple charger suck less power?"
Fixed.
When we started down the path of making energy mobile, we looked at what was out there, and we were not impressed.
So we asked our engineers and designers if they could image batteries that could be great. So they wrapped up some Sanyo batteries in foils and, well gosh. These are just gorgeous. People say these batteries are pretty fantastic, and I think you're going to love them.
That is precisely why I went to Amazon.co.uk and bought the Eneloop USB Charger + 6 Batteries for £20 instead of the £30.29 from the Apple Store Online.
that is some serious fail XD
must be common for apple to take from others and reuse with their name all over it
and they call it innovation and magical XD
looks like sanyo is the magical ones this time
@deepspacebar Please learn to English.
Apple are not the only company who rebrand things - hint: almost every other consumer electronics companies.
FYI - the likes of HTC, Google, Microsoft, Motorola, Dell, HP, and most other consumer electronics companies don't actually make everything they put in their devices.
Apple is not doing anything wrong. I know, SHOCK!!!!
@deepspacebar The innovation is the charger. It minimizes "vampire" draw so that the charger isn't wasting power once the batteries are charged.
Excellent choicie!
I changed all my rechargeable batteries for Eneloop 6 months ago, and the difference is just amazing.
The Magic Mouse used to have 1 month autonomy : now, it's more than 4 months.
However, a full charge may need up to 16 hours.
Anyway, rush for them, either in Sanyo or Apple flavours.
@reivilo
SANYO MADE THOSE BATTERIES XD not apple
Why all the hate?
Eneloops are great batteries. The Apple charger is a great charger with the bonus of being able to elegantly change the plug for traveling.
The price is pretty reasonable.
Win, win.
@Mike V
Hate is a way of life.
@Mike V
Why the hate? Because Eneloop batteries are fine and Apple batteries are an overpriced version of the same thing marketed to the clueless.
People who choose the Apple brand over the Eneloop are the same folks who buy Bose.
@arkweld Why does everybody think that Apple are the first company to rebrand batteries? And the Apple batteries are the same price as regular Sanyos with two less batteries but a better designed, more efficient, more adaptable charger.
Sorry, you said something about being clueless?
I have tried different chargers now, and most of them were cheaply made and flimsy to use. Often they also take extremely long to charge. Even the charger from Sanyo got several bad reviews.
Judging from the iPod chargers, I expect the Apple battery charger to be very solid and well built. Take in the low standby power draw and the nice design, and I'm sold. The batteries are worth about 10€, which leaves the charger at 19€. That seems to be absolutely reasonable to me, although the comments suggest most Engadget readers to be the biggest cheapskates since Scrooge McDuck. I don't know about you, but I'm not buying a new battery charger very often.
As far as I know, all batteries that use newer long lasting nimh tech are pretty much the same.
Buy the cheapest.
Get an 8 way charger with individual microprocessors controlled channels for each battery.
Keep it plugged in and on the side. Shove in charger as necessary.
If you are in the uk, 7dayshop are the best bet imo. £12 for the 8 way charger, £8 for 8 AAs.
If you are buying batteries because they are pretty, then I would be worried.
@Wolfticket apparently the difference between eneloops and other similar NiMHs is the high quality control. Check out the reviews on amazon and other places for eneloops vs other NiMHs- there's a stark difference.
I already have some Sanyo batteries. The weird thing is why not just leave them white???? They still have a Apple look to them.
"Apple, like most consumer electronics companies, doesn't actually make anything." They said it not me!
@rstoplabe14 Key words: "like most consumer electronics companies"
who cares about who physically makes things? that's like only caring about who uses the keyboard and mouse when coding new software. it only matters when that affects support or service. like microsoft, sony, google, htc and motorola, apple doesn't sit there and put together every device they sell. they do design and build prototypes and sell the final product. and they might mark up the price to just under the point that people are not willing to pay.
they will sell millions of these batteries because their branding power is greater than sanyo's. that's why sanyo went into an agreement to not use their name on these batteries sold in apple stores.
by the way, sanyo doesn't make these batteries themselves either.
I'll pay it just to have that cool Apple charger and Apple font on the batteries!
I would choose Apple's charger, simply because of the interchangeable power plug.
I love my eneloops. It's the only battery I buy these days. Besides, what's wrong with Apple re-branding products? Other companies do it. Actualy, for the sake of the fanboys, it's a good thing because they're re-branding a high quality product and not some cheap knock-offs like other companies do.
But the equivalent Eneloops -- 1500 cycles, hold 75% of charge after 3 years -- are only available at Costco in the US. All other stores in the US (including Amazon) only sell the older Eneloops, which are rated for 1000 cycles and retain 80% charge after *one* year.
So unless you have a Costco membership, Apple is your only other means of procuring these particular batteries.
@processfive I have a Costco membership....in Canada :(
I am shocked.
Shocked, I tell you.
The Eneloop fanboys try to claim someone else is validating their decision? Nothing new.
As mentioned, no physical evidence. All he has is a discharge curve and discharge curves don't vary much between LSD NiMH batteries.
So they're LSD NiMHs, that's great, they're the right choice for most applications. But there's no point in even trying to prove they're Eneloops.
idontknow
Eneloops are by far the BEST, i have no hesitation in saying this, THE BEST rechargeable batteries i have used, and i go through alot of batteries, i used to like the green energizers, and my 3000mah nicads, but they simply last the longest both in and out of my equipment, hands down. nothing has lasted as long with my abuse of so many charges/uses. the only batteries i found that last longer inside my cameras has been the energizer ultimate lithiums.
BUT 30 bucks for apple brand, no thanks. theyre like 10-12 bucks for a 4 pack, or they use to have them at costco for 20
I'll second or third the fact that Costco sells the newer Eneloops too. I just picked up the pack last week for 25 & change.
8 AA
4 AAA
4 battery charger
1500x recharges
So why buy them from Apple when you can get them from Costco with a better warranty (should you live in an area that has Costco).
item # 523519
"You do realize that Apple doesn't manufacture its own batteries, right? Apple, like most consumer electronics companies, doesn't actually make anything."
Maybe the battery building plant doesn't belongs to Apple, but Apple knows how to design batteries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6lLdFxiZPc
But..... they're *Apple* batteries. They *have* to be worth it.
The times in which Apple made anything of any value have long passed.
Nowadays, they nick it (from other companies which did most of the hard work), stick it (up with a hefty price tag), then dick it with faulty antenna designs, exploding batteries and such...
@miki4242
Have you seen the 27" iMac?
Killer value.
Perharps Apple fanboys will now begin to assimilate the idea that Apple's products are not so fascinating just because they have a bitten apple placed on them.