Update: This post has been updated since it published on August 22, 2022.
There’s no point in owning an iPhone if you aren’t going to download apps that you love — that’s a given. But if you’ve noticed lately that your battery seems compromised, it may be time to reconsider which apps you allow to stay and which you’re willing part with. You shouldn’t have to charge your device 12 times a day, nor should you notice its battery power diminishing by what seems like the moment any time you use your phone. If these things are happening to you, there’s one app that many tech experts agree could be to blame. Apple experts agree: you should delete this iPhone app ASAP for longer battery life.
Some things in tech change super fast, but there has been one constant now for several years: tech experts are in agreement that the Facebook app is not doing your phone’s battery any favors.
“There are a number of iPhone apps that can compromise battery life, but one that stands out is the Facebook app,” says Fiona Lewis, co-founder at Notta. “Although the app has been updated to be more efficient, it still drains a lot of battery power. One of the main reasons for this is that the app constantly checks for new updates and notifications, even when you’re not using it. This can be a major drain on your battery, especially if you have a lot of friends on Facebook. Another reason is that the app uses a lot of data, which can also lead to battery drainage.”
Another issue with the Facebook app is that it constantly runs in the background, even when you’re not using it, and this can really drain your battery, says Tech Expert Mark Greene at Cloom Tech. “Additionally, the Facebook app is often full of adverts and videos which can also use up a lot of battery life,” Greene says.
Buggy code
Jie Min, CTO at Airgram, also points out that Facebook constantly runs in the background, refreshing your news feed and checking for new notifications — which uses up a lot of battery power, even when the app is not actively being used. But there’s yet another reason to proceed with caution: “the Facebook app is notorious for having buggy code that can cause the iPhone to slow down and use more battery power than necessary,” Min says.
Don’t Forget To Delete Facebook Messenger
Unfortunately, the Facebook app isn’t the only one that’s messing with your battery power. If you’re considering deleting the app for good and using Facebook via a browser, Kavin Patel, Founder and CEO of Convrrt, reminds us not to sleep on deleting Facebook Messenger, as well.
“Similar to its parent application, Facebook Messenger consumes battery life due to background activity,” Patel says. “This messaging software causes the most battery drain by syncing contacts and push notifications. Yet you cannot send Facebook messages without installing it (or using the desktop version of Facebook). Fortunately, a handy app exists to mitigate this issue. Install the Messenger Lite software, which allows you to send Facebook messages while conserving battery life. It is an excellent substitute for Facebook Messenger.”
Fitbit
As you might already expect, the Fitbit app is intensely draining because it relies on a number of resources including location, camera, microphone, and a strong Wi-Fi connection. The fitness and health benefits of Fitbit may outweigh its battery-hogging cons, but keep in mind that your best bet may be keeping your phone charged while you use this app or remembering to charge it beforehand.
Travel Apps
If you’re planning a trip, using travel apps like the United Airlines app may prove convenient, but they also take up a ton of iPhone storage. (Uber and Lyft are also storage stealers). This, in turn, takes up battery power, as well. The obvious solution for airline apps is to delete them when you aren’t planning to travel. As for ground transportation apps, choosing just one and not keeping a number of them on your phone will lessen the burden on your device.
Chrome
Certain browsers aren’t off the hook when it comes to battery depletion. Chrome, for example, is notorious for being a battery hog, says Tech Expert Thomas Paddock, founder of Learn Retail Arbitrage. “The reason for this lies in its high demand for processing power due to its superior performance. To provide that seamless browsing experience, Chrome keeps running in the background even when you're not actively using it, and this persistent activity contributes significantly to the battery drain,” he says.
Google Assistant
Meanwhile, Google Assistant, with its always-on listening feature, is continually on the lookout for the 'Hey Google' prompt — and this constant vigilance requires power and thus takes a considerable toll on your phone's battery life, Paddock notes.
Realizing this, Paddock says he sought alternatives. “I switched to Microsoft Edge for browsing and Amazon Alexa as my digital assistant,” Paddock says. “It was like a breath of fresh air. Microsoft Edge has comparable functionality to Chrome but is less taxing on the battery, and Amazon Alexa, with its power-efficient algorithms, had a noticeably smaller impact on my battery life.”
Within a few weeks of making these changes, Paddock notes that his iPhone's battery life improved substantially, giving him those extra hours he needed to keep his venture moving forward.
“Of course, I must underline that everyone's app usage and preferences differ, and what works for one person may not work for another,” Paddock cautions. “It's all about finding that perfect balance between functionality and battery optimization.”
It may be difficult to live without apps like Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Chrome, and Google Assistant — but deleting these apps could be your first step toward regaining a stronger battery and a phone that works more efficiently.
