Your MacBook's battery life could improve significantly with the next version of macOS. According to Macrumors, when users tap on a new Display Brightness setting under the battery menu at the top of the screen, they'll be able to reduce the screen luminosity down to 75 percent.
In addition, Macrumors says that when it updated a MacBook Pro to the new beta, the device's brightness level was automatically lowered to 75 percent, which happens to be the same setting Apple uses when it analyzes its computer's battery life.
Soon after the MacBook Pro's release last year, the laptop was criticized by some who said that it couldn't quite deliver the 10 hours of battery life the company had promised. The endurance problem reached a tipping point when Consumer Reports declined to recommend the computer, saying battery life could swing wildly from less than five hours to nearly 20 hours on a single charge.
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Apple has since worked with Consumer Reports to address the problem and says it was caused by a glitch. Consumer Reports re-ran its battery test and now lists the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar as a recommended computer after overcoming the battery problems.
Still, Apple has heard complaints from users who have also questioned the MacBook Pro's battery life. In a move that caught the ire of some, Apple removed the "time remaining" option in December that would show approximately how much time the battery would last before it would need to be recharged. Apple has also included more details in the battery pane on which apps are most likely to be causing a drain on the device's charge. While those battery-draining apps are still listed in the battery pane, Apple still hasn't brought back the "time remaining" feature, according to Macrumors.
The display is one of the biggest power drains on any laptop. By reducing brightness, the new version of macOS should help the MacBook Pro reach its battery-life goals.
For now, Apple's new battery feature is available in the 10.12.3 beta. It's expected to be pushed to computers in the coming days.
