Tag: battery

Apple Skirts New EU Requirements on Replaceable Batteries

Apple recently sent out invitations for an event on September 9th, likely to announce the iPhone 16. This announcement has sparked discussions on social media about the battery longevity of current iPhones along with dashed hopes of user replaceable batteries. We take a deeper dive in my latest video.

After a year of use, my iPhone 15 Pro Max’s battery capacity has decreased by about 8%, with 278 charging cycles logged. While I’ve noticed a reduction in overall battery life from when I first purchased the phone, it is doing slightly better than where my iPhone 14 Pro was at a year ago. This might be due to the iPhone 14 Pro having a smaller battery and thus more charging cycles. Either way I’m well within the stated performance expectations for Apple’s iPhone batteries.

Apple claims that the iPhone 15 models are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity after 1,000 complete charge cycles, a step up from the 500 cycle claim for the iPhone 14 and earlier models.

This improvement seems to align with a new European Union regulation that mandates user-replaceable batteries, but with a significant loophole if batteries can maintain, you guessed it, 80% capacity after 1,000 charge cycles. If a device can maintain at least 80% capacity after 1,000 full charge cycles and is waterproof, it is exempt from the regulation, meaning Apple can continue producing phones with non-user-replaceable batteries. One might argue that Apple engineered to the spec, or perhaps Apple’s lobbyists helped engineer a law that meets their hardware performance levels.

Apple provides guidelines on maximizing battery lifespan, emphasizing the importance of keeping your phone cool, especially during charging. They recommend avoiding exposure to temperatures above 95°F (35°C), which can permanently damage battery capacity. Many of us, myself included, charge our phones wirelessly or use fast chargers, both of which generate heat and contribute to battery degradation. Apple also suggests that phone cases can trap heat, further accelerating battery wear.

For those considering battery replacement, Apple offers the service for $100, but there’s a catch. If your phone has any other damage, such as a cracked screen, Apple will require you to fix that first, potentially turning a $100 battery replacement into a much more expensive repair. While it’s possible to replace the battery yourself using a guide from iFixit, the process is complicated and requires specialized tools.

Anecdotally, based on comments I’ve seen, it seems people who avoid fully charging their phones every time and opt for slower wired chargers might experience better battery longevity than those of us who use faster, heat-generating charging options.

All About My iPhone 14 Pro’s Dying Battery..

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a significant change in my iPhone 14 Pro’s battery life. Despite purchasing it less than a year ago, the battery doesn’t last nearly as long as it initially did. This is the topic of my latest video.

Curious, I delved into the battery health section of my settings and found that my battery health had dropped to 89%. It seemed to be decreasing by about 1-2% every two weeks. In fact since shooting this video on Friday my battery health has dropped another percentage point.

I wasn’t the only one experiencing this. A fellow tech YouTuber, Tech Daily, shared a similar experience with his iPhone 14 Pro on Twitter. This got me thinking about the factors that could be causing this decline.

Apple defines a functional battery as one that retains 80% of its original capacity after 500 complete charge cycles. A charge cycle is counted every time the battery is completely drained and recharged. For instance, if you use up half the battery and then recharge it, that counts as half a charge cycle.

Finding the charge cycle number isn’t straightforward. However, after navigating through the settings, I discovered that my cycle count was 329. This meant that, according to Apple, my battery was still functioning within its expected performance range and would not be subject to a warranty replacement.

I began to wonder if my charging habits were affecting the battery’s longevity. Like many others, I primarily use wireless charging. I’ve noticed that my phone heats up considerably when placed on a wireless charger. Additionally, when I need a quick charge, I use high-powered USB-C PD chargers, which also generate a lot of heat. Could this heat be impacting the battery’s lifespan? TechDaily suspects that might be his problem too:

Interestingly, the European Union is considering a mandate for phones to have user-replaceable batteries. This could be a game-changer, allowing users to easily swap out batteries and extend the life of their phones.

I’m curious to hear from others about their experiences with their phone batteries. Is there a correlation between wireless and fast charging and reduced battery longevity? Let me know in the video comments or on Twitter. It’s all anecdotal for now, but gathering more data might provide some insights.