If you’re struggling with the battery life of your iPhone 5, there are a few things you should know that could help improve it. A common misconception is that you should let your iPhone battery completely drain before recharging it. In fact, some lithium-ion battery experts suggest doing this only about once a month. This is not really for the sake of the battery, but rather for the software on the device that the battery is in.
“Unlike NiCad batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not have a charge memory,” TechRepublic’s Michael Kassner explained. “That means deep-discharge cycles are not required. In fact, it’s better for the battery to use partial-discharge cycles.”
The only reason that you should let the battery fully discharge is to recalibrate the device’s power gauge, which then allows it to report a more accurate reading of the power levels.
Keith Melendez, Webmaster at iResQ, explained that it is imperative that you keep your iPhone 5 battery as close to room temperature as possible, as extreme temperatures will adversely affect your battery’s life. Another helpful tip is to avoid removing your phone from the charger until the battery is fully charged. When your phone consistently receives partial charges, the battery life can degrade over time.
Managing your iPhone’s software
The most important way to maximize your battery’s life is by keeping a close eye on the software you are running on the device. Anything that uses GPS will take a big toll on your battery’s life. To conserve your battery, completely close out of the apps that use the GPS when they are not in use. Additionally, there are some apps that ask to know your current location when they have no business doing this. For example, your dictionary app or Fruit Ninja doesn’t need this information.
To resolve this issue, go to your phone’s “Settings” app and then select “Location Services.” You will see a list of apps that use your GPS. Disable all of the unwanted offenders. In that same menu, you might as well also go down to “System Services” and disable “Diagnostics & Usage.” This will make it so that you are not sending Apple information about your phone and where you are.
One final tip for conserving your iPhone’s battery is to use Wi-Fi as much as possible. Both 4G and LTE networks can drain your battery faster than a cheetah chases down a gazelle, and a Wi-Fi connection is much kinder. While an iPhone battery does not last forever, how long it lasts is largely dependent on how you use your phone. If these tips and tricks don’t appear to be working, iResQ’s iPhone repair services can do a diagnostic to determine if the battery needs to be replaced.