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An iPhone isn’t just a device that you rely on for work, connection, and communication. It’s also a costly device — though it can be difficult to remember it’s an investment after the fifth (or fiftieth) time if drops on the floor. If you are interested in protecting your phone and increasing its lifespan so that you don’t have to shell out several hundred dollars every year, one of the most important things you can do it take good care of its battery.
“There are two things which affect how long your battery will last based on current battery technology, whether that is in a vehicle or a laptop or in your phone,” says Tech Expert Murray Schofield, who leads the development of batteries at Arrival. Here, Schofield shares with SHEFinds.com the one mistake you’re making that’s killing your iPhone lifespan.
The number one worst mistake people make with their iPhones, according to Schofield, is that they charge their phones quickly, even when the device doesn’t require it.
“If you are going to bed, and your phone is going to sit there next to you for 6 hours or more anyway, buy a low powered charger (1 amp) and use this to charge your phone when charging overnight,” Schofield says.
This small and simple change will hugely improve how well your battery is working after your phone is a year or two old, according to Schofield. “The phone manufacturers sell you the dream of charging in less than an hour, but it is damaging for your battery,” Schofield says. “It's worth remembering that the manufacturer won't mind if your battery is dead after two years, because they'll happily sell you another one.”
Although a second mistake you could be making has much less of an effect on your iPhone than the first, Schofield says it’s also a good idea not to keep your phone battery in a low charge state all the time. “It is better to charge your phone every night and use it from 100% charge down to 60% charge every day, rather than 100% charge then using it for two days,” Schofield says. “And you definitely shouldn't only half charge it, then use it for one day, this is really bad. Just remember, every time you completely flatten your battery, it cries a bit inside.”
When in doubt, provide your iPhone with short, periodic charges throughout the day. Doing so ensures that the battery doesn’t fall below 10 percent or have to be charged overnight. And these changes in charging habits should have a positive effect on the lifespan of your phone.
