Tech

8 Wrong Ways to Charge a Smartphone That S’poreans Should Know

2017-07-03 , 7:14 am

Last Updated on 2022-10-02 , 10:58 am

There’s no doubt that smartphones play a big part in our lives now. Just look around you; almost everyone is clutching a smartphone nowadays.

But with the inception of smartphones comes another new issue: the longevity of your battery life.

We practically live in fear of having an empty battery especially when we are constantly on the go. Is there a way to ensure that our battery can last longer? Well, there are apparently eight ways.

You can watch this video if you’ve got more time to spare:

Charging your phone from 0% to 100%

The optimum percentage for the newer Li-ion batteries that smartphones are using now is to keep them at about 50% or more. Charging a little at intervals along the way from 40% to 80% is the recommended range.

While charging it until it reaches maximum at 100% won’t exactly kill your battery, it will gradually reduce the battery’s lifespan. It is also better if you do not let your battery percentage drop below 20%

Worrying about charging your phone overnight

There’s this vague, free-floating worry about leaving our phones on charge overnight. Stories of exploding batteries and chargers have been told and retold as a cautionary tale, or that overcharging might harm your battery. Actually, your smartphone today is so clever that it knows when to stop charging when it’s been filled up so you can continue your slumber with peace of mind.

However, it is better to remove its protective casing if you plan to do that as you don’t want the battery to overheat, as the casing might trap the heat within the phone.

Charging your phone in extreme temperatures

Your smartphone’s Li-ion battery really doesn’t like to be too hot or too cold. They prefer cosy temperatures, much like how you like your surroundings to be, I believe. So don’t charge or leave your phone in super hot places such as under direct sunlight or subzero temperatures such as the freezer. This will cause your battery to die faster.

But anyways, who the heck charges his or her phone in the freezer?

Using knockoff chargers and cables

It is always better to use the original charger that came with the device. We get it, when your original charger dies on you, replacing it can be rather pricey. Otherwise, use authorised third-party chargers which may come at a more affordable price.

Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish, as the knockoffs may cause you to replace your phone even faster. Remember those exploding phones? These are usually caused by knockoff chargers.

And when we talk about the charger, remember: we refer to the cable as well.

Charging new phones to 100% before using it

This is a throwback practice from when phones were using nickel-based batteries and had to be “trained” before they could be used. With the new lithium ion batteries used nowadays, you can use your device straight out of the box. It’s time to live in 2017 instead of 1997, my friend.

Using charging phone cases

Because we have a need for power banks thanks to smartphones’ insufficient battery life, a new kind of battery pack has also been in existence: a phone casing which doubles as an external battery.

This is all good and convenient, but did you know the heat emitted from the charging will damage your phone’s battery as well? Thus, it is better to use other backup charging methods, or get an external powerbank instead.

After all, it’ll also make your phone look bulky.

Turning off data, Bluetooth, GPS and gaming

You probably thought the biggest battery drainer on your phone is the data and all those connections so you switch those off but you continue to blissfully game when your phone is charging. Then you wonder why the battery is taking so long to charge.

News flash, graphic heavy apps such as games, watching and videos will drain your battery faster than surfing the net. If you absolutely have to feed your gaming addiction when it’s charging, dimming the screen helps a lot.

Using wireless phone chargers

It seems so convenient when you don’t have to plug a cable to your phone’s battery port to charge it anymore. But these wireless, inductive chargers might be doing more harm than good.

For now, wireless chargers emit quite a lot of heat and which you know very well that your smartphone absolutely does not like to be overheated. So try to minimise usage of wireless chargers as much as possible.

Featured Image: Framesira / Shutterstock.com