At the turn of the decade, mobile device users went from replaceable batteries with removable battery cases to locked-in power sources that required a complete device overhaul. But in either scenario, the only commonality is people endlessly hunt for tips to help keep batteries healthy and long-lasting.
It’s hard to pick out scientifically-backed tips from all the absolute nonsense. It’s a good thing there are some confirmed battery myths that you should pay attention to:
Turning Off Bluetooth and Location Services Saves Battery
It was rumoured that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are energy vampires on your phone’s battery life. Fortunately, it’s not, and you can prove this with a simple test you can do yourself.
Enable Bluetooth and Location Services and leave your phone alone for a few minutes. You’ll notice only a 4 per cent drain, which is not that big of a deal.
It’s Not Beneficial to Use a Phone While It’s Charging
It’s an outright lie that you cannot use your phone while it’s charging. You definitely can, but there are still concerns worth noting:
- Very high temperatures aren’t great for your battery, so extensive use of a fast charger or prolonged gaming isn’t a good idea when charging your phone.
- Even though it might take decades for it to be an issue, you can shorten battery life if you keep charging a fully-charged battery without letting it drain entirely first.
That said, don’t sweat it if you get caught checking your phone while it’s occasionally charging; it won’t hurt, especially if it’s something important.
You Are Only Allowed to Use Same-Brand Chargers
It is actually a marketing trick to stick to same-brand chargers. Every time you buy a new phone from a given manufacturer, the odds are pretty good that the manual or spec sheet will recommend that you buy chargers from the company that made your phone.
The manual or sheet always includes their charging accessories, so of course, they want you to buy their accessories. If they can make money off you from a branded battery case, why not, right?
It’s Not Okay to Finish a Battery’s Charge Fully
The don’t-drain-your lithium-ion-battery-to-zero myth is a bit of a misnomer. Lithium-ion batteries remember and can keep their charge even if you don’t charge them thoroughly before using them again. This should alleviate some concerns that discharging your battery to 0 per cent hurts it if you have to discharge it completely.
While it’s true that lithium-ion batteries do wear out over time, the effect is relatively small. Even if not wholly draining your smartphone battery can have some advantages, they aren’t likely to be significant unless you keep the phone for many years. Most smartphone batteries retain around 80 per cent charge capacity even after years of heavy use, meaning you often don’t have to replace battery cases.
Overnight Charging Overcharges Batteries
It is not true that charging your phone overnight reduces battery life and even causes it to catch fire.
The culprit is not overcharging—it’s a lithium-ion battery’s reaction to old, damaged, or cheap charging cables and chargers. The problem is that lithium-ion batteries can explode if they charge too quickly or get too hot while charging.
The solution is to use a high-quality cable and charger with an external power source. Keep the temperature around room temperature, and recharge your phone for a shorter time to avoid replacing battery cases or, worse, the entire device.
To Conclude
Don’t believe everything you hear about so-called battery myths. Most likely, they’re only tapping into your fears as a consumer to get you to buy a new accessory or replace your phone more often, even when you don’t need to do that. Do research by reading articles like this to help maximise your phone (and wallet) in the long run.
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Arthur is a senior member of the communications team who has worked at several well-known companies over the past 10 years. As a writer with many years of experience in the technology sector, focusing on reviewing mobile phones and accessories, he has written about many products or has been hands-on with them at some point
