The original issue impacted Surface Pro 3 devices with batteries built by Simplo. Microsoft dual-sourced batteries from Simplo and LG. The latter manufacturer’s cells did not experience the issues that Simplo’s units ran into.
A flaw in their drivers caused the Simplo batteries to report a lower maximum capacity than usual. After running fine for months, affected Surfaces would suddenly experience catastrophic battery life declines over a period of just a few months. In many cases, owners were left with less than 100mWh of reported capacity. The Surface has a design capacity of 40,000mWh, so the cells could hold less than 1 percent charge.
Microsoft eventually patched the issue, although it took several months to do so from the first reports. The fix rolled out to all Surface Pro 3 devices but should only have affected Simplo batteries. It looks as though that wasn’t the case though. Some customers are now claiming they are being affected by the same issues that the patch purported to fix. The difference is that this time it’s LG batteries that are facing the problems.
It’s thought that something in the patch for the Simplo units has caused the LG cells to stop working correctly. They end up with similarly miniscule capacities, don’t charge when plugged into the wall and immediately turn off when disconnected from the power supply. The effects leave the Surface unusable as a portable device.
The Surface Pro 3 is out of warranty so Microsoft isn’t obliged to do anything. However, if the Simplo software update is to blame for the LG issues, the company could face legal claims from customers who feel their device has been degraded by the problems. As before, Microsoft is currently saying nothing in public, leaving owners increasingly exacerbated on its forums.
Microsoft MVP Barb Bowman has been collating user reports and sending them to Microsoft engineering teams. Bowman wrote in a personal blog post that Microsoft has confirmed the issue is separate to the original Simplo problem. The respected community member acknowledged the Simplo firmware update appears to have had a “bad impact” on devices with LG batteries.
With Microsoft silent, Surface Pro 3 owners are again reminding it of its battery announcements at the launch of the device. In a Reddit ask me anything, Surface creator Panos Panay, now Microsoft’s head of hardware, promised “the battery can get charged daily (5 days a week) for over 4.5 years and still maintain 80 percent capacity.” Microsoft isn’t being allowed to forget that claim now.
The LG battery problem is said to have existed for several months, possibly for as long as the Simplo issues. However, it appears to have become significantly more widespread in the past few weeks, indicating that something has changed. With still no official comment from Microsoft, owners will be forced to stay attached to a power outlet until the company responds.
