Mapping issues in 7 of 8 power bank rental platforms tested by Hong Kong watchdog
Consumer Council also finds significant variance in rental fees across different stations within the same platform
Map applications used by seven of eight power bank rental platforms display inaccurate navigation or location data, which may cause delays and extra charges for users, Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has found.
The Consumer Council on Thursday also found a significant variance in rental fees across different stations within the same platforms, with charges for a 30-minute rental differing by nearly 1.3 times and the daily cap on charges differing by more than 2.3 times.
“When in urgent need of a power bank, consumers’ phone battery is often critically low. Inaccurate navigation not only wastes time, but may also deplete the phone’s battery, preventing the user from logging in to use the service,” said the watchdog’s chief executive Alaina Shum Jiu-fai.
“Incorrect station data during return could lead to fruitless trips and extra charges due to delays.”
Shum said that as smartphones were an important part of daily life, running out of battery while out and about had become a common problem for city residents, with shared power bank rental platforms offering a “flexible solution” to the issue.
Staff from the Consumer Council conducted 48 rent and return trials across the eight platforms in Hong Kong between November and December in 2025, with the tests covering different days, time slots and districts.