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Don’t fall for these smartphone battery myths

Published Oct 9th, 2015 7:00PM EDT
Smartphone Battery Power Myths Explained

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You probably think you know several tips and tricks for improving your phone’s battery life… but some of them may be straight-up myths. LifeHacker has written a lengthy article that aims to debunk several key myths about smartphone batteries and it includes some vital information every smartphone user should know.

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One important myth that LifeHacker busts is the idea that having your phone plugged in for a long period of time after its battery has been fully charged will harm its long-term health. In fact, the article cites iFixit’s Andrew Goldberg, who explains that “all modern Li-Ion rechargeable devices have some sort of power management IC, designed to prevent overcharging the battery” that will “keep your phone battery topped off and ready to go throughout the night with a trickle charge at most.” So you shouldn’t fear keeping your phone plugged in at night — your battery will be just fine.

Another interesting myth is the notion that closing open apps on your device will improve your battery life. While it may seem counter-intuitive, it seems that it takes a lot more power to constantly close apps and then restart them than it does to just keep them open.

“When you open that same app again the next time you need it, your device has to load it back into memory all over again,” explains a former Genius Bar technician cited by LifeHacker. “All of that loading and unloading puts more stress on your device than just leaving it alone. Plus, iOS closes apps automatically as it needs more memory, so you’re doing something your device is already doing for you. You are meant to be the user of your device, not the janitor.”

To get the scoop on the rest of the smartphone battery myths you should stop believing, check out the full post here.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.