It’s been two days since Apple shocked the world by adding the battery indicator back to the iPhone status bar in the latest iOS beta, and people are only just starting to find their minds again. In iOS 16 this fall, most recent iPhones will be able to put the battery percentage back into the status bar, just the way it was before the iPhone X’s notch ruined our fun and forced everyone to swipe down to see the Control Center like an animal.
But for all the praise for Apple’s long-overdue decision, some people aren’t happy with the way Apple has implemented its new feature. Instead of an icon that changes as your phone drains, the monochrome battery icon is full until it drops below 21 percent, with the number inside it changing to show how much juice you have left. The Verge called it “hideous,” 9to5Mac called it “poor,” and dozens of Twitter comments just plain hated on it.
So, a Mac and iOS developer set out to create his own and it’s pretty great. We didn’t dislike the indicator before, but after seeing Brian Michel’s version of it, it’s pretty clear how much better it can be. It’s a simple tweak, but it definitely makes it easier to quickly see how much battery you have left.
Michel’s icon combines the best of both worlds: the percentage and the visual indicator. His method changes color and shows the battery draining when in use and filling when charged. It’s very slick and would make a great change in the next beta.
But for now, if you don’t like Apple’s method you can turn it off in Settings by heading to Battery and flipping the Battery Percentage toggle.
