Tips on prolonging battery life of Apple iPhone and Android smartphones

Smartphone users, no matter which brand it is, have constantly faced the challenge of prolonging battery life. This has been an unsolved issue for mobile device companies, which has spurred the development of portable charging cord and power banks. However, despite tech advancements, it seems that easily drained battery charge is still a persistent concern.

Buying a new battery isn’t the solution. It is not only costly, but it may be uncalled for as well if battery still has not reached that one-year mark yet. For Apple iPhone users, closing off all multitasking apps does nothing for the battery. This is because apps that are in the multitasking view are either frozen in RAM or not running at all. Therefore, it will not save an iPhone user battery life if he closes off the apps. It may be a different story for Android smartphone users, though.

Hongkiat Technology Design Corporation gives a few heads-up on easy and quick techniques that can help extend battery life. First, using ringtones rather than vibrations actually pull in more power from the battery. If silent mode isn’t an option, set it to vibrate only when needed and, if possible, lessen the magnitude of the vibration.

Second, it’s advisable to switch off the phone rather than reduce it to sleep or inactive mode. Switching the phone off actually saves the battery a lot of power.

Third, don’t let the smartphone heat up. Placing it directly under sunlight or near a warm object like an active stove can heat up the battery, too. One of the worst mistakes is leaving the phone inside a car that is exposed to sunrays. Better leave it in a space with a cooler temperature like a bag, the glove compartment or any other hard surface that is not exposed to any kind of heat and warmth.

Brian Chen, New York Times tech columnist, also adds a few more tips. This brings up to tip number 4: shut off the wireless if the WiFi coverage in the area is poor. Do not attempt to get more power because it is useless; instead, what happens is the phone battery expends even more energy in trying to get greater signal from the WiFi hub that is not strong enough to give it.

Battery charge is also drained when the phone struggles with difficulty of cell network coverage. It makes the devices work extra hard to connect, decreasing battery life rapidly. One portable device that is doing wonders for smartphone users is 5BARz’s network extender. It is easy to carry, very light and activated in an instant. The plug-and-play device strengthens the phone’s weak signals to a full level of five bars, without depending on the Wi-Fi coverage in the area. Providing high quality signal and high quality connectivity, the network extender benefits users with efficient mobile use, resulting up to 80 percent more battery life.

Next is to turn off all unnecessary push notifications. One push notification from one app in itself will not take a significant amount of power from the battery. However, dozens of them triggering the phone to light up several times a day can.

Finally, bring an accessory that will defy the remoteness of the area or the weakness of the Wi-Fi available. Some of these devices are in-built into the phone, like the iOS9’s power mode which, according to Fox News, can track down the elements in a phone that are draining the battery and shut them down. Then, of course, there are the portable accessories. A power pack booster may be as necessary today as wallets in such a way that owners can never leave home without it.