TECH BREAK: Tips to give your battery a longer lifespan

Smartphones have evolved over the years from simple tools for making phone calls and sending texts into all-in-one entertainment and productivity devices – from playing games to listening to music and watching videos, emailing and skyping.

Users are demanding more from smartphones, and leading to a higher consumption of battery power.

We expect batteries in our smartphones to last through the day with heavy usage but sadly, the older our devices get, the worse they get in storing the much needed juice.

DURABILITY

So how can you slow this annoyingly expected trait? There are many theories out there on what and what not to do to keep it durable for longer, but theories aside, this is what you should do.

Keeping your battery in a good condition starts with things as easy as following the manufacturer’s instructions. If you read your phone’s manual, somewhere in there you’ll find a note from the manufacturer urging you to always use the included power adaptor with the phone.

But we don't read them, we’ll plug in any charger we find as long as it fits, and that’s where we go wrong. See, different chargers have different milliampere ratings and plugging in any charger could reduce your battery life.

Another common mistake we make is letting our batteries drain completely before recharging it. Lithium ion batteries, the kind used in most, if not all, smartphones today don't like such ‘deep discharge cycles’ and experts recommend you instead keep your charge between 40 and 80 percent.

Our batteries also don't like high temperatures, in fact, manufacturers make sure they indicate the limits to which batteries are safe. Using your phone extensively while charging increases your phone temperature and thus should be avoided.

BATTERY JUICE

Removing your phones case while charging is also recommended, especially on devices with fast charge technology where the batteries’ internal temperatures tend to rise. This is important as it enhances the dissipation of that heat, keeping your battery at safe levels.

With that said, you should avoid installing every application out there. Just because your phone can handle a chunk of apps doesn’t mean it’s recommended as most of these apps will run in the background, draining the juice from your battery.

And for goodness sake, don't install task killers or any other Apps promising to increase your battery life; modern operating systems are smarter in power management and these apps just add bulk to your CPU, eating up more power.

Other little tips like keeping your phone’s brightness setting to automatic, turning off location services (GPS) and switching off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use go a long way in saving your battery drain.

And remember, there is no such thing as ‘overcharging your phone’. Modern smartphones stop charging your battery once its capacity is reached, and instead use the power from the socket to power the phone directly. So don't be afraid of leaving your phone charging overnight, there's no harm, plus you wake up with a full charge of battery.

Lastly, give your battery regular bursts of charge throughout the day as lithium-ion batteries live longer when charged regularly, keeping it healthier for longer according to experts and manufacturers.