Pokémon Go may be proving itself to be a killer app, but it's also killing players' smartphone batteries. So much so that in the two-week period after the game landed on App Stores in the US, there was a 101% spike in sales of portable power packs.
According to NPD Group's latest weekly US retail tracking service report, sales of powerpacks are already strong. But until Pokémon Go exploded into life, sales had been just 4% higher than they had been 12 months earlier. Yet between July 10 and 23, 1.2 million battery packs were snapped up by US consumers.
"Pokémon Go is the summer's hottest game partly because it utilizes features like location, motion sensors and augmented reality in your smartphone -- however, these features consume more of the phone's battery life," said Ben Arnold, executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at The NPD Group. "As a way to compensate for the extra battery usage, consumers are buying portable power packs so they can continue to play, uninterrupted."
And battery pack sales are expected to grow in other countries as the summer gaming sensation continues its global rollout. So if you're about to head off on the hunt, here's a selection of the best battery packs currently on sale in terms of affordability, performance, power and size.
AUKEY 5000mAh Portable Charger $12.99 (€17.99)
At just 9cm in length and 3cm wide, this pocket-friendly charger isn't much bigger than a lipstick and is available in almost as many colours as a typical make-up line. Yet it has enough juice to fully recharge an iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S handset.
Zendure A5 Portable Charger $82.95 (€119.99)
Designed to take a beating and to be able to charge the average smartphone up to six times before it needs its own batteries replenishing. One of its smartest tricks is that you can simultaneously recharge both the Zendure and your phone or tablet via one power socket. The other neat trick is that it can charge two devices at the same time -- great for when hunting Pokémon in teams.
Xiaomi Power Bank 10000mAh External Battery Charger $25.99 (€54.00)
It looks like something that might have been made by Apple several years ago, thanks to its CNC-milled exterior. It also just about slides into a pocket, yet has enough juice to recharge a smartphone between three to five times. And like the Zenduren, it can be recharged while also charging a smartphone using a single power socket.
According to NPD Group's latest weekly US retail tracking service report, sales of powerpacks are already strong. But until Pokémon Go exploded into life, sales had been just 4% higher than they had been 12 months earlier. Yet between July 10 and 23, 1.2 million battery packs were snapped up by US consumers.
"Pokémon Go is the summer's hottest game partly because it utilizes features like location, motion sensors and augmented reality in your smartphone -- however, these features consume more of the phone's battery life," said Ben Arnold, executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at The NPD Group. "As a way to compensate for the extra battery usage, consumers are buying portable power packs so they can continue to play, uninterrupted."
And battery pack sales are expected to grow in other countries as the summer gaming sensation continues its global rollout. So if you're about to head off on the hunt, here's a selection of the best battery packs currently on sale in terms of affordability, performance, power and size.
AUKEY 5000mAh Portable Charger $12.99 (€17.99)
At just 9cm in length and 3cm wide, this pocket-friendly charger isn't much bigger than a lipstick and is available in almost as many colours as a typical make-up line. Yet it has enough juice to fully recharge an iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S handset.
Zendure A5 Portable Charger $82.95 (€119.99)
Designed to take a beating and to be able to charge the average smartphone up to six times before it needs its own batteries replenishing. One of its smartest tricks is that you can simultaneously recharge both the Zendure and your phone or tablet via one power socket. The other neat trick is that it can charge two devices at the same time -- great for when hunting Pokémon in teams.
Xiaomi Power Bank 10000mAh External Battery Charger $25.99 (€54.00)
It looks like something that might have been made by Apple several years ago, thanks to its CNC-milled exterior. It also just about slides into a pocket, yet has enough juice to recharge a smartphone between three to five times. And like the Zenduren, it can be recharged while also charging a smartphone using a single power socket.
