iOS 16 was announced in June with multiple new features, including a new lock screen with widgets, revamped notifications, improved Focus mode, options to edit and unsend messages in iMessage, and more. This week the company released iOS 16 beta 5 to developers, and it came with a surprise: the battery percentage for modern iPhones. However, the once beloved feature now seems quite controversial.
The battery percentage is back
iPhone 3GS was the first iPhone to show the exact battery percentage in the status bar for users. Since then, every iPhone had the option to show the battery percentage, until 2017. Due to the new design of the iPhone X, which was the first to feature an edge-to-edge display with a notch at the top, some interface elements had to be removed from the status bar.
The battery percentage was one of these elements. Starting with the iPhone X, users had to open the Control Center to see the full battery indicator. Apple has never commented on this decision, but many users argue that seeing the battery percentage all the time made them anxious.
In the meantime, developers have created multiple solutions to bring the battery percentage back to modern iPhones using jailbreak tools. Apple never seemed to care about this, until now. The latest beta version of iOS 16 brings battery percentage back to modern iPhones. But there are a few catches.
Not everyone seems to like it
The thing is, not everyone seems to like the new implementation of the battery percentage in iOS 16. That’s because it is indeed a bit confusing. As detailed by 9to5Mac’s José Adorno, the battery icon doesn’t match the battery percentage as it drains. This can easily make users believe that the battery is still full while it’s not.
The icon only changes when the battery level drops to 20%, then it becomes red and empty. For now, Apple is making the feature optional, so you can disable it if you don’t like it. However, turning on Low Power Mode will make the system show the battery percentage. Another thing to keep in mind is that battery percentage is not available for iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone 13 mini.
Personally, the new implementation seems lazy to me. Apple could have done much better than this, especially for a feature that took five years to be introduced. Of course, we’re talking about beta software, so things might change until the official release of iOS 16 next month.
What are your thoughts on the battery percentage in iOS 16?
Now we would like to know your thoughts on this. Do you think that Apple’s implementation of battery percentage in modern iPhones is good enough? Or do you think the company could have done better? Let us know in the poll and comments section below.
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