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The beauty of apps like Netflix and Hulu is that you can watch TV or movies from literally anywhere. You can keep up with your shows while commuting, at the airport, while “studying” at the library–wherever. If you have your iPhone or iPad on you, you have endless hours of entertainment at your fingertips. It’s a beautiful thing!
And if you’re watching on a mobile device, you’re probably streaming. Streaming refers to watching video in real time, rather than downloading it to your device and watching later (which is always a good idea when you travel). Streaming doesn’t require the foresight of knowing what you’ll want to watch ahead of time–but it does require a good internet connection.
How do you know if you’re doing it right? We consulted with tech experts to discover the mistakes you’re likely making when you stream on your iPhone or iPad. Here they are:
Use Cellular
"Something you shouldn't do while streaming Netflix on your phone is use data," Victoria Merinda, technology expert with HighSpeedInternet.com tells us.
"Depending on your cell plan, you could quickly run out of data since streaming videos use so much," she continues.
"Remember to try and always use a secure, strong Wi-Fi connection with enough internet speed. Easy internet speed test tools can be found online to check that your Wi-Fi connection is strong and fast enough to stream Netflix on your phone."
But data usage isn't the only reason for streaming on Wi-Fi over cellular. It also wreaks havoc on your battery. too. "The battery life will decrease noticeably vs streaming over a Wi-Fi connection," Shuaib Shakoor of Nerd Rangers says.
Screen On Full Brightness
One more thing you should never do when streaming on your iPhone or iPad is to have the brightness turned all the way up, because it's another battery killer.
"You should never keep your screen on full brightness as it will dramatically reduce battery life and overheat your phone," Shuaib advises.
So, there you have it--what experts say you should NEVER do while streaming Netflix and other similar apps on your iPhone. Now you can go back to life's more important questions, like what to watch. Happy bingeing!
READ MORE: The One Thing You Should Never Do When Cellular Data Is Enabled On Your iPhone
