New phone idea – Droid Turbo

Image source: Droid-life
Image source: Droid-life

I previously blogged about my frustration with phone battery life and later wrote about the Experia Z3 Compact which is a smaller phone with a large battery.  My current contract expires next month and so I wanted to continue the blog series about phones with long battery life.

The Droid Turbo is an unannounced Android phone that according to the Verizon countdown timer, will be launching on October 28.  However, like most things mobile, the device is a poorly kept secret and the phone specifications and manual have been leaked, and Android Central has a very good summary of the smartphone.  Some key elements that got my attention include:

Screen size:

The Turbo includes a 5.2″ screen which puts it squarely in competition with phones like the Galaxy S5 (5.1″), LG G3 (5.5″) and HTC One M8 (5″). In comparison to Apple products, the iPhone 6 has a 4.7″ screen while the iPhone 6+ has a 5.5″ one.  In my opinion, the large screen size is a negative attribute because it reduces pocketability and mandates two-handed operation.

Battery size: 

Battery terminology is arcane, but trust me when I tell you that the Turbo’s 3900 mAh battery is extremely large.  In comparison, a Galaxy S5 has 2800 mAh, an LG G3 has 3000 mAh and an HTC One M8 has 2600 mAh. In practice the Turbo should last significantly longer than these three competitors and I would expect battery life well beyond two days.

Fast charging:

The phone also includes a unique turbocharger that accelerates battery charging.  The article suggests that a 15 minute charge on a discharged device will give 8 hours of additional talk time.  Wow, so not only does the phone last for days, but it can be recharged extremely rapidly!

The Turbo looks like an impressive phone.  It combines the large form factor that is currently in vogue with a massive battery and high-speed charging.  It also offers many of the advanced application features offered in the Motorola Moto X.  The only downsides I see are the large screen, the fact that it is a Verizon exclusive and the omission of expandable storage.  In my view, this device offers a compelling feature set and should be on the must review list of any user interested in battery life.

Update: The fast charging feature in the Droid Turbo is not unique and according to this article is available on the HTC One M8, Motorola Moto X and Sony Experia Z3 and Z3 Compact.

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