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Study Reveals How Battery Anxiety and Device Performance Impact Australians' Daily Lives

Qualcomm Technologies

Sydney, December 3, 2025 - Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today released findings from a new study of more than 1,000 Australian laptop users, highlighting how common device challenges, such as battery concerns and performance issues, affect productivity, mood, and everyday routines.

The survey shows that device reliability matters more than ever: 77% of respondents say laptop issues influence their mood, and battery anxiety ranks as the leading stressor. A sudden low-battery alert, especially when no power outlet is available, triggers panic in 3 of 5 users, with 21% reporting high or extreme distress.

• Four in five Gen Z (81%) and nearly six in seven Gen Y (87%) admit that device issues can derail their day, compared with three in four Baby Boomers (72%).
• 58% of respondents wish for longer battery life for their devices.
• 57% resort to charging in unconventional places such as airports, fast food restaurants, shopping centres, public restrooms even petrol stations.

Nathan Wilson, Director of Business Development at QUALCOMM International, Inc. Australia Branch Office said, “As AI becomes the new UI, Australians are switching between tasks like captioned video calls, AI assisted documents, and photo edits all on device. PCs therefore need to be equipped to handle advanced on-device AI processing and real time decisions, but many aren’t, putting sustained pressure on performance and battery life.”

He explains, “This ongoing challenge directly contributes to a significant user concern. When the low battery warning hits, it triggers panic, breaks flow, and derails meetings, study, and downtime, which has a significant impact on productivity and peace of mind.

Laptops powered by Snapdragon® processors offers multiday battery life, instant responsiveness, and unrivalled performance even off the charger, giving you the confidence your laptop won’t quit when you need it most.”

The study also uncovered a significant knowledge gap around device care. Nearly one in four Australians (23%) fail to recognise practices that harm laptops or batteries, such as overheating, skipping software updates, or consistently charging to 100%. Misconceptions persist, with many incorrectly believing that leaving a browser open (35%) or allowing a laptop to enter sleep mode (15%) negatively impacts performance.

At their worst, device malfunctions go beyond frustration, causing productivity setbacks. The most common incidents include critical battery failures (24%) and loss of significant files due to crashes or insufficient backup (22%).

The research was conducted in November 2025 by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in collaboration with MyMavins Research.

Battery life varies significantly based on device, settings, usage, and other factors. Learn more about Snapdragon processors at snapdragon.com/claims.

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Additional highlights from the Laptop Habits report also include:

• Purchase Drivers: Nearly two in five (38%) Australians consider extended battery life "extremely important" when purchasing a new laptop. Beyond battery life, 1 in 2 (50%) wish for better processing power, speed, or overall performance from their current laptop, with hardware failure (47%) and reduced battery life (43%) serving as key motivators for replacement.
• Generational Demand for AI: Younger users are driving demand for advanced features, with 43% of Gen Z and 36% of Gen X valuing on-device AI capabilities in a new laptop, significantly higher than older generations.
• Laptop downtime is frequent: Around 1 in 7 (15%) users report their laptop often or very frequently lets them down (e.g., freezing or crashing), with another 32% experiencing this at least sometimes. The impact of tech issues extends beyond emotional distress: 37% have run out of battery at inconvenient moments, 35% have lost unsaved work, and 28% have incurred repair or replacement costs. These malfunctions directly impact productivity and critical engagements, with 17% missing online meetings/classes and 12% missing deadlines.
• Knowledge gap surrounding PC features and user habits: Awareness of new technologies remains low, with over 7 in 10 (71%) laptop users unaware that on-device AI can improve performance and privacy, and more than 3 in 5 (61%) failing to recognise that efficient chipsets can extend battery life without sacrificing speed. This confusion extends to basic maintenance, with nearly 4 in 5 (78%) believing that a laptop running slow means it needs replacing, and over 4 in 5 (85%) think “PC cleaner” software is required to keep it running well.

 

ENDS

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About Qualcomm
Qualcomm relentlessly innovates to deliver intelligent computing everywhere, helping the world tackle some of its most important challenges. Building on our 40 years of technology leadership in creating era-defining breakthroughs, we deliver a broad portfolio of solutions built with our leading-edge AI, high-performance, low-power computing, and unrivaled connectivity. Our Snapdragon^® platforms power extraordinary consumer experiences, and our Qualcomm Dragonwing™ products empower businesses and industries to scale to new heights. Together with our ecosystem partners, we enable next-generation digital transformation to enrich lives, improve businesses, and advance societies. At Qualcomm, we are engineering human progress. 

Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering and research and development functions and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patents are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated. 

 

Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.

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For media enquiries, please contact James Heath at [email protected]