Battery Life: Understanding What's Changed Over Time and How to Maximize Your iPhone's Battery Health

When it comes to smartphone batteries, many of us have heard the phrase "you can't have your cake and eat it too." However, with advancements in technology, it seems that we've reached a point where our devices are getting smarter, but our battery life is still struggling. Apple has a long guide posted online to help you maximize your phone's battery life and understand what age is a battery, but there's one particular issue that's been plaguing iPhone users for years: Battery Gate.

Battery Gate was a real controversy that emerged in 2017, where it was alleged that Apple deliberately slowed down its older iPhones to encourage users to upgrade to the latest model. The company apologized, stating that the slowdown was designed to protect older iPhones from shutting down during certain tasks when their batteries were low. Apple also offered replacement batteries as a solution, but the settlement for those affected closed in 2020. Despite this, there are still around 3 million claims being processed, with an estimated payout of $65 per person.

So, what factors could be different now from the iPhones of years past? As our environments and work habits change over time, so do the ways in which our batteries behave. Extreme temperatures, for example, can damage battery life, making it essential to avoid leaving your phone in a hot car or exposing it to direct sunlight. Apple advises users not to leave their devices in temperatures hotter than 95 degrees Celsius, but even with precautions, heat can still have an impact on battery health.

Another factor that's often cited as a contributor to poor battery life is Wi-Fi usage. According to Apple, wireless networks can drain your battery faster, which may be a surprising revelation for those who use their iPhones frequently in public spaces. On the other hand, using Wi-Fi can also provide a range of benefits, including faster data transfer and better connectivity.

As our habits change over time, so do the ways in which we use our phones. For example, when I first got my iPhone 12 Pro, it was primarily used at home, where battery life wasn't as much of an issue. Fast forward to now, and with a commute that involves using my phone extensively, I can attest to the fact that my battery life is significantly shorter than before. In addition, the lack of a strong 5G signal in many areas can also drain my battery faster.

In recent years, there have been reports suggesting that 5G networks could be a significant contributor to poor battery life on newer iPhone models. While it's unclear whether this will become an issue for all users, adjusting cellular settings may help mitigate the problem. Another factor that affects battery health is how we charge our devices. There are many conflicting theories online about how to properly charge your phone, from not plugging it in overnight to avoiding charging past 80% capacity.

Fortunately, Apple has implemented features like Optimized Battery Charging, which helps extend battery life by waiting to finish charging past 80% until you need to use the device. Additionally, newer iPhone models offer faster charging capabilities, including fast wireless charging and MagSafe technology. However, these advancements also come with a trade-off: hotter devices that may be more susceptible to damage.

Despite these challenges, many smartphone owners are choosing to hold onto their devices for longer periods than ever before. With improved camera capabilities, seamless software updates, and a range of other features, it's no wonder why people are sticking with their phones for longer. However, if your battery is not holding up as well as you'd like, it may be time to consider upgrading.

Fortunately, there are still affordable ways to repair or replace a worn-out battery without having to upgrade the entire device. For users who have purchased Apple Care Plus, replacing a damaged battery will cost $0, provided that its capacity falls below 80% of its original value. This service is available for free at authorized Apple Service Providers. For those who don't have Apple Care Plus, replacing a battery can be more expensive, with prices starting at $89.

As we wait for the release of new iPhone models in September, rumors suggest that these devices may come with significant upgrades to their battery life. Some reports indicate that the iPhone 15 lineup could feature batteries that are up to 18% larger than those found in previous models. Whether or not this will ultimately improve battery life remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: understanding how to maintain your device's battery health and make informed choices about charging and usage habits can go a long way towards extending the life of your phone.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enif you're feeling like your iPhone battery health is crud that it just doesn't hold a charge the way it used to well you're not alone even if you have last year's iPhone model you may notice your battery capacity took a noticeable hit but it's not happening to everyone batteries have been all the buzz at my office for the past few weeks we are collecting data on each other's battery health and two weeks ago I asked my social media followers to tell me their iPhone battery stats and the comments were interesting and it's leading everyone to poke at theories on why some batteries are degrading faster than others and we're talking about it now because a new iPhone is about to be revealed just as you expect from Apple every September that means folks are looking at their battery health and weighing their options do you make the leap and spend money on a new iPhone is it worth holding on to it longer and maybe just getting a replacement battery I'll be frank with you you don't need one more thing to Tinker with on your phone just to make sure it works well and that applies to charging and batteries especially especially when you drop so much money for it I'm not here to tell you that you're doing something wrong because you're not there are just more factors now that could be messing with your battery and hopefully Apple can address it at the next iPhone event let's go over what factors could be changing your battery experience and just wait until you hear what Apple says is a normal decrease in iPhone battery health it may surprise you I'm Bridget Carey and this is one more thing iPhones use lithium ion batteries and rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries have a limited lifespan they degrade over time they will hold less of a charge and it can also affect your phone's performance now if you want to check your iPhone Health go into settings and go to battery there you're going to see a little chart of your battery usage it breaks down which apps are using the most juice but to see how much of a charge your battery can still hold you want to go click on battery health and charging and then you can see the maximum capacity of your battery mine is at 85 and my iPhone is almost three years old it is an iPhone 12 Pro I noticed the battery doesn't last as long as it used to I carry battery packs for my commute I personally felt like I had a garbage battery situation but it turns out I'm actually doing great Apple says your battery is designed to retain up to 80 percent of its original capacity after 500 complete charge cycles that's not exactly the same as saying you charged it 500 times a Charged cycle is when you've discharged an amount that equals 100 of your battery's capacity but not necessarily all from one charge here's an example Apple says you might use 75 percent of your battery's capacity one day then you recharge it fully overnight and then you use 25 the next day that is getting to 100 that's discharging it 100 percent it's a little messy to calculate but just figure that it could take a little over a day to complete a charge cycle if you don't deplete it to zero all the time but still 500 charge cycles is not a lot for heavy iPhone users if you use 100 of the battery almost every day well that means your battery health is expected to be at 80 capacity and roughly what a year and a half off is the bar kind of low there I really meant it when I said that batteries are on the brain this week because a few Tech reporters and pundits also drummed up Buzz about how their iPhones from last year were at a lower battery capacity than they expected the Wall Street journalist Joanna Stern said her iPhone 14 pro is down to 88 percent why is her battery almost at my level and my iPhone is three years old but still if you go by Apple's range of battery health it must be in the normal zone right so let's turn to the CNet Ace reporter who has been leading the coverage of this battery drama for us Eli Blumenthal his iPhone 14 pro Max is at 88 battery health same thing not even a year old almost at my level but it's not the same for everyone seen at iPhone reviewer Patrick Holland has 100 Health on his iPhone 14 pro Max and that's almost a year old and the comments I am seeing are also mixed we got people saying their iPhone 14 models are in perfect battery health and others said their capacity dropped to around 90 percent okay so ninety percent after a year it may not be what you expect but it does seem on track with what apple is saying is a normal range yet it doesn't stop people from getting annoyed on Tick Tock Sam Cole of Apple track was so worked up about having 90 Health on his iPhone 14 that he was calling it battery gate he was saying he couldn't recommend this phone is this a real battery gate or is it that people have a higher expectation of battery performance from Apple when you spend over a grand on a phone and what factors could be different now from the iPhones of years past apple has a long guide posted online to help you maximize your phone's battery life and understand what age is a battery however Apple went through an actual battery controversy it was named battery gate and it was back in 2017. it's it just so happens that the old battery gate story is back in the news this week iPhone users who are part of a 500 million dollar class action lawsuit against Apple are now getting paid out the suit alleged that Apple deliberately slowed down its older iPhones to get people to upgrade to the latest model Apple apologized said the Slowdown was designed to protect older iPhones from shutting down during some tasks if the battery was low and apple also offered replacement batteries the settlement isn't something you can jump into now that window closed in 2020 but it's reported that there are around 3 million claims and those people are all waiting for a check which is estimated to be around 65 a person it is very hard to pin down factors of why one person has a battery in great health and why someone else doesn't especially when our environments and work habits can shift throughout the years extremes in temperature are said to damage battery life don't leave your phone in a hot car be careful if you're leaving your phone out in the sun when you're lounging at the pool it ruins the battery chemistry heat is a little hard to escape these days Apple says your phone should not be in temperatures hotter than 95 degrees but it's not just heat Apple gives users the advice to use Wi-Fi when you can because wireless networks can drain your battery faster that's funny when I got my iPhone 12 Pro it was 20 20. when I was at home all the time fast forward to now when I'm using it a lot more on a long commute a commute where I'm eating up a lot more battery and going through more charge cycles and not to mention my phone is absolutely struggling to find a 5G signal as soon as I step foot into any building with walls my habits are totally different now than when I got my iPhone there are several articles that you can find that talk about how 5G is a battery drain you may want to mess with your cellular settings if you suspect that that could help your situation and what about how we charge the phone there is so much advice about how you should charge a phone folks like to say don't plug it in overnight don't always charge it until it gets to 50 but don't charge it past eighty percent and wait until Mercury is in retrograde no it's not practical and you shouldn't have to worry about all that it's why the iPhone has this nice feature called optimized battery charging so if you kept it plugged in overnight it will wait to finish charging past 80 percent until you need to use it it keeps the battery a little stronger a little longer but putting that aside the latest iPhone models do have different ways to charge including fast charging the faster it charges the hotter it could get and are you using magsafe wireless charging or plugging in a cord these are other variables you can drive yourself batty with battery theories but it's still good to know what variables you could switch up if you're having problems smartphone owners are holding on to their devices longer than before and with good reason these phones work perfectly fine they all take good photos they all let you doom scroll the same it's why I kept my phone for three years but if your battery is not holding a charge like it used to you may be feeling like you need to upgrade that said there are cheaper ways to fix the problem if you pay for Apple Care Plus and your battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity you can go to Apple and they should just replace your battery for you at no extra charge now if that's not your situation you'll have to pay 89 for Apple to replace the battery but that's still cheaper than a new iPhone that said maybe you want to see what happens in September before you replace a battery I'm curious if we're going to hear about battery life improvements in the iPhone 15 models because that's the rumor that's been out for a while how a New Generation ship could deliver better power consumption there's also a report that the iPhone 15 lineup could just have significantly larger batteries depending on the model maybe 12 to 18 percent larger batteries we'll have to see if that's true but it could mean that the battery is going to be a big factor in upgrades share your comments and how your phone battery is doing when did you get your phone what model is it what's the capacity at and do you plan on hanging on for another year thanks for watching be sure to charge those phones in time for next week's episode it hits every Friday catch you next timeif you're feeling like your iPhone battery health is crud that it just doesn't hold a charge the way it used to well you're not alone even if you have last year's iPhone model you may notice your battery capacity took a noticeable hit but it's not happening to everyone batteries have been all the buzz at my office for the past few weeks we are collecting data on each other's battery health and two weeks ago I asked my social media followers to tell me their iPhone battery stats and the comments were interesting and it's leading everyone to poke at theories on why some batteries are degrading faster than others and we're talking about it now because a new iPhone is about to be revealed just as you expect from Apple every September that means folks are looking at their battery health and weighing their options do you make the leap and spend money on a new iPhone is it worth holding on to it longer and maybe just getting a replacement battery I'll be frank with you you don't need one more thing to Tinker with on your phone just to make sure it works well and that applies to charging and batteries especially especially when you drop so much money for it I'm not here to tell you that you're doing something wrong because you're not there are just more factors now that could be messing with your battery and hopefully Apple can address it at the next iPhone event let's go over what factors could be changing your battery experience and just wait until you hear what Apple says is a normal decrease in iPhone battery health it may surprise you I'm Bridget Carey and this is one more thing iPhones use lithium ion batteries and rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries have a limited lifespan they degrade over time they will hold less of a charge and it can also affect your phone's performance now if you want to check your iPhone Health go into settings and go to battery there you're going to see a little chart of your battery usage it breaks down which apps are using the most juice but to see how much of a charge your battery can still hold you want to go click on battery health and charging and then you can see the maximum capacity of your battery mine is at 85 and my iPhone is almost three years old it is an iPhone 12 Pro I noticed the battery doesn't last as long as it used to I carry battery packs for my commute I personally felt like I had a garbage battery situation but it turns out I'm actually doing great Apple says your battery is designed to retain up to 80 percent of its original capacity after 500 complete charge cycles that's not exactly the same as saying you charged it 500 times a Charged cycle is when you've discharged an amount that equals 100 of your battery's capacity but not necessarily all from one charge here's an example Apple says you might use 75 percent of your battery's capacity one day then you recharge it fully overnight and then you use 25 the next day that is getting to 100 that's discharging it 100 percent it's a little messy to calculate but just figure that it could take a little over a day to complete a charge cycle if you don't deplete it to zero all the time but still 500 charge cycles is not a lot for heavy iPhone users if you use 100 of the battery almost every day well that means your battery health is expected to be at 80 capacity and roughly what a year and a half off is the bar kind of low there I really meant it when I said that batteries are on the brain this week because a few Tech reporters and pundits also drummed up Buzz about how their iPhones from last year were at a lower battery capacity than they expected the Wall Street journalist Joanna Stern said her iPhone 14 pro is down to 88 percent why is her battery almost at my level and my iPhone is three years old but still if you go by Apple's range of battery health it must be in the normal zone right so let's turn to the CNet Ace reporter who has been leading the coverage of this battery drama for us Eli Blumenthal his iPhone 14 pro Max is at 88 battery health same thing not even a year old almost at my level but it's not the same for everyone seen at iPhone reviewer Patrick Holland has 100 Health on his iPhone 14 pro Max and that's almost a year old and the comments I am seeing are also mixed we got people saying their iPhone 14 models are in perfect battery health and others said their capacity dropped to around 90 percent okay so ninety percent after a year it may not be what you expect but it does seem on track with what apple is saying is a normal range yet it doesn't stop people from getting annoyed on Tick Tock Sam Cole of Apple track was so worked up about having 90 Health on his iPhone 14 that he was calling it battery gate he was saying he couldn't recommend this phone is this a real battery gate or is it that people have a higher expectation of battery performance from Apple when you spend over a grand on a phone and what factors could be different now from the iPhones of years past apple has a long guide posted online to help you maximize your phone's battery life and understand what age is a battery however Apple went through an actual battery controversy it was named battery gate and it was back in 2017. it's it just so happens that the old battery gate story is back in the news this week iPhone users who are part of a 500 million dollar class action lawsuit against Apple are now getting paid out the suit alleged that Apple deliberately slowed down its older iPhones to get people to upgrade to the latest model Apple apologized said the Slowdown was designed to protect older iPhones from shutting down during some tasks if the battery was low and apple also offered replacement batteries the settlement isn't something you can jump into now that window closed in 2020 but it's reported that there are around 3 million claims and those people are all waiting for a check which is estimated to be around 65 a person it is very hard to pin down factors of why one person has a battery in great health and why someone else doesn't especially when our environments and work habits can shift throughout the years extremes in temperature are said to damage battery life don't leave your phone in a hot car be careful if you're leaving your phone out in the sun when you're lounging at the pool it ruins the battery chemistry heat is a little hard to escape these days Apple says your phone should not be in temperatures hotter than 95 degrees but it's not just heat Apple gives users the advice to use Wi-Fi when you can because wireless networks can drain your battery faster that's funny when I got my iPhone 12 Pro it was 20 20. when I was at home all the time fast forward to now when I'm using it a lot more on a long commute a commute where I'm eating up a lot more battery and going through more charge cycles and not to mention my phone is absolutely struggling to find a 5G signal as soon as I step foot into any building with walls my habits are totally different now than when I got my iPhone there are several articles that you can find that talk about how 5G is a battery drain you may want to mess with your cellular settings if you suspect that that could help your situation and what about how we charge the phone there is so much advice about how you should charge a phone folks like to say don't plug it in overnight don't always charge it until it gets to 50 but don't charge it past eighty percent and wait until Mercury is in retrograde no it's not practical and you shouldn't have to worry about all that it's why the iPhone has this nice feature called optimized battery charging so if you kept it plugged in overnight it will wait to finish charging past 80 percent until you need to use it it keeps the battery a little stronger a little longer but putting that aside the latest iPhone models do have different ways to charge including fast charging the faster it charges the hotter it could get and are you using magsafe wireless charging or plugging in a cord these are other variables you can drive yourself batty with battery theories but it's still good to know what variables you could switch up if you're having problems smartphone owners are holding on to their devices longer than before and with good reason these phones work perfectly fine they all take good photos they all let you doom scroll the same it's why I kept my phone for three years but if your battery is not holding a charge like it used to you may be feeling like you need to upgrade that said there are cheaper ways to fix the problem if you pay for Apple Care Plus and your battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity you can go to Apple and they should just replace your battery for you at no extra charge now if that's not your situation you'll have to pay 89 for Apple to replace the battery but that's still cheaper than a new iPhone that said maybe you want to see what happens in September before you replace a battery I'm curious if we're going to hear about battery life improvements in the iPhone 15 models because that's the rumor that's been out for a while how a New Generation ship could deliver better power consumption there's also a report that the iPhone 15 lineup could just have significantly larger batteries depending on the model maybe 12 to 18 percent larger batteries we'll have to see if that's true but it could mean that the battery is going to be a big factor in upgrades share your comments and how your phone battery is doing when did you get your phone what model is it what's the capacity at and do you plan on hanging on for another year thanks for watching be sure to charge those phones in time for next week's episode it hits every Friday catch you next time\n"