Investigating the Relationship Between Battery Life and User Acceptance of Dynamic, Energy-Aware Interfaces on Handhelds

In a 24 x 7 mobile world experiencing a proliferation of handheld devices, battery life can be a limiting factor. In particular, handheld displays consume substantial battery power. One strategy to potentially reduce display battery consumption and support a positive user experience is to adopt emerging display technologies (e.g., OLEDs) that support energy-aware interfaces. The research reported here, the second investigation in a series, assessed user expectations regarding handheld battery life and explored the relationship between battery life and user acceptance of energy-aware, handheld interfaces. Twelve experienced handheld users engaged dynamic, prototype energy-aware interfaces to complete a scenario comprised of 5 representative tasks. Users identified battery life as an important handheld issue, were positive regarding a display-based approach to reducing battery consumption and varied consistently in their enthusiasm for specific interfaces. The findings highlight themes for the research and design of future energyaware interfaces.