With the notorious rate at which the iPhones consume batteries, Apple users can be restricted in their ability to access e-mails, engage in social networking websites, conduct calls, and download music. For those with an iPhone, conserving power is something that has become undoubtedly understood in order to extend usage. Having a device that is quick to drain power is not only stressful, but also raises the risk of inconvenience with missed meetings, phone calls, connection, and gives an overall sense frustration. While this issue remains large even after many generations of iPhones, this list presents various methods to preserving the life of the battery to mitigate quick drainage.
Charge Cycles and Environment
One of the key factors in a healthy battery life is maintaining an appropriate charge cycle which helps extend the life. While an iPhone battery can discharge 80% of its full power approximately 400 times, the battery itself can only be charged a finite number of times, implying that it is crucial to ensure that every charge counts. For instance, if possible, it is important to avoid charging the device for brief periods of time for incremental battery percentages as it is more preferred to charge less frequently but for an extended period of time. This can be done through charging during sleeping periods or long drives as a means to prevent short-duration charge cycles. Additionally, monitoring the effectiveness of regular phone usage can give insights to the relative lifespan of the battery. While a new, fully-charged iPhone 3G offers 12 hours of talk time, 30 hours of audio playback, 10 hours of video, and 300 hours of standby time, periodically verifying the actual performance of the battery can serve to help users predict how long the battery itself will remain effective before a required replacement.
An often overlooked condition that significantly affects battery duration is the temperature of the device as well as the surrounding environment. While charging the phone can raise the temperature of the device, it is highly recommended that users remove any case or covering before charging. Cases unnecessarily trap heat which causes the battery to wear down quicker than it would otherwise. Temperatures ranging from 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit are perfect for the iPhone battery to optimize performance and keeping the temperature within this range will serve to optimize performance. This situation also applies to warm environments such as leaving the phone in direct sunlight or in a closed vehicle which can lead to degradation of battery capacity.
For many, a common way to charge their device is to use a USB adapter to charge with a computer that is in sleep mode. This process can be made more effective if the computer is activated and in use as opposed to on sleep mode as charging with a device that is at half-mast could potential disrupt the charging cycle. Like all short charges, this cuts into the number of times that the battery can be charged. Beyond these simple techniques designed to increase the life of the iPhone battery, additionally tools and methods can be applied to save money keep their devices running for an extended period of time without charging.
Portable Chargers
One of the ways to ensure a charge is available for emergency situations is by carrying a battery case that is well suited to charge the iPhone in any situation. Using a portable battery bank or charging case such as a Mорhіе Juice Pack+ can help in charging a device even without a cord or power outlet available. Additionally, these devices are designed to be highly portable and lightweight which offers anywhere between half of a charge to multiple charges for larger power banks.
An inexpensive approach to always having a charge available, portable power sources are ideal for emergency situations that require immediate phone usage. This notion of portable charging is further developed with chargers that harness the power of solar energy, making irrelevant the need for a charging outlet altogether. A solar case from a company such as Sol is one that offers charging cases that provide solar panels coupled with a case in a convenient package that enables users to charge their phone by simply leaving it in a source of light. The case is made to embody maximum convenience as a charge can be obtained from anywhere ranging from the sun, indoor lighting, and even a USB for more urgent charges.
Apps
Apart from hardware solutions, apps which are designed to maximize the battery life are available on the App Store to prolong usage. Functions of such apps include assistance in monitoring battery usage to providing notifications when the battery is running low. A notable app that is designed for optimizing battery consumption is Battery Doctor which is capable of putting the device into a unique hibernation mode that will save battery while users are away from their system. When the user returns to their device, all of the programs and applications will remain intact as it was left it without overconsumption of the battery, making it highly applicable for those who are often either away from their devices often or are prone to running many applications at once.
Settings
Internally, users can also do one of many things to save the battery life within the settings of the device. Examples of a few methods include:
- Turning off Wi-Fi/3G/Bluetooth when data is not required. This can be done through going to the settings tab, selecting the applicable network settings, and then selecting off.
- Turning off automatic notifications is also another option that can be utilized to extend battery life as apps do not need to be automatically updated as frequently. This can be done manually by selecting individual apps through settings tab. Under notifications, users can select which apps to mute and then clicking the off button.
- A large consumer of battery capacity is location services such as GPS or maps. While these services are often important while they are in use, leaving them on for extended periods of time can significantly drain the battery life. To disable location services, users can go to the settings tab, select Location Services, and then turning it off.
- Lastly, adjusting the brightness of the screen can serve to drastically extend usage of the mobile device. Easily done, this can be achieved by entering into the settings tab, then the Brightness & Wallpaper tab, and finally selecting the auto-brightness option so that the device can automatically calibrate brightness based on the surrounding environment.
While batteries on Apple devices are not recognized for extensive lives, the combination of the listed techniques can be utilized to help conserve power while on the go. With the growing emphasis on constant connectivity, losing access to mobile devices can leave users feeling lost and disorganized, putting an even greater strain on maximizing battery performance. The inability to quickly swap a new battery in the iPhone as made possible with other devices renders carrying a spare battery obsolete, highlighting the importance of the methods outlined in this list to prolonging battery life and usage without interruption.
