Looks like nobody wants a chunky phone in their life.The Power Max P18K Pop, Energizer’s 18,000mAh battery smartphone that made a huge splash at MWC 2019, is dead. Looks like nobody wants a chunky phone in their life. The Verge reports that the Energizer phone, which was made in partnership with Avenir Telecom, received only $15,005 in backing from 11 backers on crowdfunding site Indiegogo.
The project aimed to raise roughly $1.2 million in funding. However, the project only managed to raise $15,005 of its $1.2 million goal. Energizer and Avenir Telecom launched the project an Indiegogo campaign with early bird pricing set at $549 (or approx Rs 38,187).
Originally showcased at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Power Max P18K Pop featured an 18,000mAah battery. This brick-like smartphone could last up to 96 hours of music playback, up to 48 hours of playback, or up to 50 days of standby. By comparison, the Galaxy S10+ has a 4,000mAh battery.
Other than a massive 18,000mAh battery cell, the phone also featured a 6.2-inch FHD+ display. The monster phone was powered by a MediaTek Helio P70 processor coupled with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage. On the back, it had a triple camera setup. On the front, it came with dual pop-up cameras.
Right now, we don’t know the status of the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop. It is unlikely the company will go ahead and manufacture the device given the low interest of users in owing the phone that reminds them of a power bank.
The failure of Energizer’s 18,000mAh battery smartphone does remind us of another high-profile phone that met with a similar fate. Meizu Zero, the world’s first hole-less phone, failed to reach crowdfunding goals on Indiegogo. When asked about the Zero and the failed crowdfunding, Jack Wong, Meizu’s CEO gave a vague reply. Wong said that the project was a failed marketing stunt and the company never wanted to manufacture the port-less phone.
