What is the relevance of "typical values" in datasheets?
When estimating battery life in a device, I tend to use the typical values. If you use maximum values, you'd end up with a much shorter battery lifetime than would "typically" be achieved. Usually it is the typical battery life that one would be interested in, and not some extremely short time that will never result anyway.

Sure, when you're designing power supplies..etc, I would take max current consumption values for all the devices that it's going to power as a safeguard.