People are just realising easy phone trick to ‘maximise battery life’ – you must avoid a common mistake you’re making
IT is easy to maximise your phone's battery lifespan, but you must first quit a common mistake you're making, according to an expert.
The mistake? Charging your handset overnight.
According to Ritesh Chugh, associate professor of Information and Communications Technology at CQUniversity in Australia, charging your phone overnight is "unnecessary" and risks depleting your battery health in the long term.
"A number of factors determine a phone battery’s lifespan, including its manufacturing age and its chemical age," he wrote in earlier this month.
"The latter refers to the battery’s gradual degradation due to variables such as fluctuations in temperature, charging and discharging patterns and overall usage.
"Over time, the chemical ageing of lithium-ion batteries reduces charge capacity, battery lifespan and performance."
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According to Apple, the average iPhone battery is designed to retain up to 80 per cent of its original capacity after 500 full charges.
Of course, this can end up being less than 80 per cent if the device has endured less-than-optimum conditions, such as severe heat or cold.
Keeping iPhones at full charge for extended periods may also compromise their battery health.
While Samsung says charging your battery up to 100 per cent too frequently may negatively impact the overall lifespan of the battery.
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When you charge your phone overnight, the intention is to wake up to a full battery.
But rather than a full top-up, it’s recommended to charge your battery up to 80 per cent and not allow it to dip under 20 per cent, according to Chugh.
"Most new-generation smartphones will take somewhere between 30 minutes and two hours to charge fully," he continued.
"Charging times vary depending on your device’s battery capacity – larger capacities require more time – as well as how much power your charger supplies.
"Charging your phone overnight is not only unnecessary, it also accelerates battery ageing.
"Full charging cycles (going from 0 per cent–100 per cent) should be avoided to maximise your battery’s lifespan."
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