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I work in the cell phone industry and I get these questions very often. After so many times I decided to research these myself. These are the answers I have come up with. If anyone knows otherwise please correct me and I will add it here.
Q: What is the average life of my cell phone battery?
A: 12~36 months, average of 18 (probably specifically aimed to get you to buy a new phone when your contract wears out).
Q: Will my cell phone battery degrade faster in hotter temperatures/humidity?
A: Yes, Like all batteries they last longer in normal to low temperatures and you may get a longer life out of a battery by storing it inside a refrigerator inside a sealed plastic bag. And moisture should always be avoided with all electronic devices as it is usually catastrophic.
Q: Is it possible to overcharge your cell phone battery?
A: No, Most charges have a built in cut-off at 95%. Since temperature can effect battery life and chargers can create heat it is safe to assume that you should probably not leave it on the charger for prolonged periods of time.
Q: Is it bad to charge your phone when it's not low? (75% or more full)
A:Yes, Because most chargers use a trickle effect. Most chargers start with a full output and reduce power as time goes which can be detrimental after repeated chargings.
Q: I turned my phone off to save power when it was half battery, now I turned it back on and its almost dead, wtf?
A: A battery is still somewhat in use even when the phone is off. It is best to take the battery out of the phone completely when in a pinch to save charge.
Q: I've heard that letting my cell phone battery die every couple of months is good for my battery, is that true?
A:No, While this may be true with some lap top batteries it is not with the smaller Li-Ion batteries that cell phones use. You should always avoid letting your phone battery completely die by turning it off and taking it out of the phone when it is crucially low.
Q: Does using a car charger reduce the life of my cell phone battery?
A: Generally No, however most car chargers do charge at a much faster rate than your typical wall charger. You really should only use a car charger as a temporary boost when a normal wall outlet/charger are not around. I wouldn't leave a phone plugged into a car charger for longer than 30-45 minutes ever.
Also, another point is that if you leave your cell phone charging in your car it does get pretty hot in there with the windows up and the sun beating down which will degrade a battery drastically during cycles.
Q: How long should I charge my cell phone usually?
A: Anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and a half should suffice.
Q: Will using Bluetooth, 3G, or other phone features/devices drain my battery faster?
A: Yes, of course any other functions besides the basic calling/texting will drain your battery faster. This is because your phone is communicating with the device or server as well as the normal network.
*Note some phones may actually be charged from a USB connected to a computer though.
Q: Does dropping your phone effect battery life?
A: Yes, of course any wear and tear on a device will be detrimental. I have actually dropped my phone on the plug on two different occasions while it was charging and killed batteries like this. T_T
Q: Should I turn my phone off on a plane or long trips?
A: Yes, every time your phone gets into a new 'zone' of cell towers it reconnects and uses lots of power. This is especially bad in an airplane and you should turn off your phone and remove the battery until you leave the plane.
It has been proven by the FAA that RF signals MAY cause very lethal interference with airline controls/transmissions, albeit slim.
Q: Is it bad to charge my phone while it is on as opposed to off?
A: No, its not bad at all. However, It does charge a bit faster when the device is off.
Q: What is the average talk/stand-by times of cell phone batteries?
A: The industry standard here in the USA is around 4 hours talk/1 week standby. All phones and batteries are different though so it can vary dramatically. Its best to look in your manual and compare it with your current state of battery life to decide if you need a new phone or battery. Batteries cost around 30$.
PS- There are usually extended batteries for most phones that are physically bigger (but make your phone uglier/heavier). Most require a replacement cover to fit them.
Thanks to the guys over at CellPhoneForums.net for their tips and advice.
Any other questions feel free to ask and I'll append them here if worthy.
PS- Here is some additional information about batteries; http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
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Good stuff! Useful seeing as I recently stopped pissing off my friends and got a phone about a week ago. No more over night charges for my cheap phone.
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I actually charge my phone overnight quite frequently over the last year plus. My battery life has taken a minor blow from this so its not that big of a deal. I have lost quite a bit of standby and talk time from the combo of time/overnight but not too much maybe like 0.5-1.0 hours talk and 24 hours standby. But avoid it whenever you can.
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How long does a battery usually last?
In my old phone I have never had to replace the battery. It is just under 4 years old and it holds charge for about 2 and a half days. It used to hold it longer, but 2 and a half days is acceptable.
In my new phone that is like 2 months old, my first battery stopped holding charge for more than 8 hours. My new battery that I got only a week and a half ago holds charge for maybe a day and a half. When I first got it, it held charge for less than 3 days. I obeyed all the instructions given to me by the "specialist" with Verizon, including avoiding overnight charging and letting it drain as far as possible before recharging.
They don't make electronics parts like they used to.
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On August 28 2008 10:35 Mortality wrote:
How long does a battery usually last?
In my old phone I have never had to replace the battery. It is just under 4 years old and it holds charge for about 2 and a half days. It used to hold it longer, but 2 and a half days is acceptable.
In my new phone that is like 2 months old, my first battery stopped holding charge for more than 8 hours. My new battery that I got only a week and a half ago holds charge for maybe a day and a half. When I first got it, it held charge for less than 3 days. I obeyed all the instructions given to me by the "specialist" with Verizon, including avoiding overnight charging and letting it drain as far as possible before recharging.
They don't make electronics parts like they used to.
See the first and last questions.
The letting it drain to low battery before recharge is somewhat true. It doesn't really matter though. Same as the overnight charging, it doesn't matter too much.
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Very nice, Good tips for me
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Can you answer questions like if X phone is better than Y phone :B?
Thanks, i always leave my cell charging all night long, now i know.
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On August 28 2008 10:10 CharlieMurphy wrote:
Q: Will my cell phone battery degrade faster in hotter temperatures/humidity?
A: Yes, Like all batteries they last longer in normal to low temperatures and you may get a longer life out of a battery by storing it inside a refrigerator inside a sealed plastic bag. And moisture should always be avoided with all electronic devices as it is usually catastrophic.
Is this true for ipod and laptop batteries as well?
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When you say "cell phone industry" do you mean that guy who yells at me from a booth as I walk to Panda Express?
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I'd better stop my overnight charges. I thought there wasn't an effect at all. Good thing my phone's still pretty new so I haven't killed the battery too much. Thanks for the info.
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On August 28 2008 10:10 CharlieMurphy wrote:
Q: I turned my phone off to save power when it was half battery, now I turned it back on and its almost dead, wtf?
A: A battery is still somewhat in use even when the phone is off. It is best to take the battery out of the phone completely when in a pinch to save charge.
I shall use thie piece of information.
You sir, are a hero.
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thanks very much for this info. it was very informative. i used to let my battery die all the time, too
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Thanks a lot, also do cell phones really cause cancer ? :D
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10319 Posts
My phone and charger defy most of these odds.
I have had this phone since September 2004. When fully charged, and I use it normally for texting and calling, the battery lasts about 36-48 hours. The charger I have at first charges the phone, then after a few hours it actually starts making the cell phone lose battery life rapidly and overheat.
Yea, I need a new phone.
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On August 28 2008 11:43 EpiK wrote:Show nested quote +On August 28 2008 10:10 CharlieMurphy wrote:
Q: Will my cell phone battery degrade faster in hotter temperatures/humidity?
A: Yes, Like all batteries they last longer in normal to low temperatures and you may get a longer life out of a battery by storing it inside a refrigerator inside a sealed plastic bag. And moisture should always be avoided with all electronic devices as it is usually catastrophic.
Is this true for ipod and laptop batteries as well?
Yea, if you read that link I posted at the bottom of the OP all batteries in any form are subject to heat damage (and water damage afaik). My ipod has never really gotten hot though, I leave it plugged in to computers for long amounts all the time. I think the batteries used in these devices are much better than a cell phone battery.
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On August 28 2008 11:56 Mikilatov wrote:Show nested quote +On August 28 2008 10:10 CharlieMurphy wrote:
Q: I turned my phone off to save power when it was half battery, now I turned it back on and its almost dead, wtf?
A: A battery is still somewhat in use even when the phone is off. It is best to take the battery out of the phone completely when in a pinch to save charge.
I shall use thie piece of information. You sir, are a hero.
A report as well that has to do with this is that the FBI was found to have the ability to send a program to certain phones (specifically Moto RAZRs as mentioned in the article) and use the phone as a microphone whether it was on or off as long as the battery was in the phone. They used this technique and others to spy one Mafia somewhere on the east coast.
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Phonescoop.com is my favorite site. Youtube usually has lots of videos for every phone as well.
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On August 28 2008 10:38 CharlieMurphy wrote:Show nested quote +On August 28 2008 10:35 Mortality wrote:
How long does a battery usually last?
In my old phone I have never had to replace the battery. It is just under 4 years old and it holds charge for about 2 and a half days. It used to hold it longer, but 2 and a half days is acceptable.
In my new phone that is like 2 months old, my first battery stopped holding charge for more than 8 hours. My new battery that I got only a week and a half ago holds charge for maybe a day and a half. When I first got it, it held charge for less than 3 days. I obeyed all the instructions given to me by the "specialist" with Verizon, including avoiding overnight charging and letting it drain as far as possible before recharging.
They don't make electronics parts like they used to. See the first and last questions. The letting it drain to low battery before recharge is somewhat true. It doesn't really matter though. Same as the overnight charging, it doesn't matter too much.
A battery should last more than 8 hours on stand-by. Don't even bother trying to make a call.
But I do have a real question: can I have 2 cell phones on the same number? The first time I went to the Verizon store they said, "Sure, just bring your other phone and we'll add it to the number." The next time I went they said, "No, you can replace your new phone with your old one, but you can't ahve them both ring."
I love my old phone to death, but the thing is kind of fat. It's awkward as fuck to go to a party and have this huge fat thing in your pants pocket. Questions like, "Is that a cell phone in your pocket or are you just glad to see me" are things I'd really like to avoid. Unless it's a hot chick and I really am that glad to see her, in which case the cell phone could become my alibi...
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Yea, you can only have 1 phone per number at a time. However you can switch them back and forth over the phone I think for free (not sure about this). Otherwise it can be done in store for a small fee.
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EPT
