Your most precious possession today is likely your mobile device. It keeps you connected to friends, family, the Internet, games, applications, and even emergency services, should you ever need them. That’s why you need to ensure that your phone always works, regardless of cold weather conditions.
There are optimum temperature ranges for every smartphone. For instance, the iPhone X best works at a temperature of 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C) when it’s switched on. When the device is turned off, the range increases to -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C). Every device has different specs, so some may be able to withstand lower temperatures than others.
How Harsh Cold Weather Affects Your Phone Battery
Cold weather makes lithium-ion batteries less effective. This is because batteries drain faster. Another issue that may occur is seeing a full battery bar and then watching your device switch off. You likely still have power, but the device needs to be brought back to a warmer temperature in order to function.
Changing conditions also need to be factored into the equation: Meteorologists are predicting that the 2017-2018 winter season will be extremely cold, with above-average snowfalls in many locations. Increasingly colder temperatures that we experience will act as a catalyst to drain phone batteries even more quickly.
Which Battery Does Your Phone Have?
Lithium-ion batteries, which have been in production since 1991, are used in virtually all phones sold today. Prior to this, nickel cadmium batteries were utilized. This sort is worth remembering because the batteries themselves had a memory and behaved differently depending on the capacity they were charged and discharged to.
Batteries only have a specific number of charges in their lifecycle; after this has been reached, you’ll notice deterioration in performance. Usually after 300 to 500 charges, a battery is only at 70 percent of its original charge.
The advantages of lithium-ion batteries come down to the speed at which they can be charged. Furthermore, unlike nickel cadmium batteries, you don’t have to wait until they are completely depleted before charging them again. However, on the downside, lithium-ion batteries tend not to handle cold weather so well.
At -18 degrees Celsius, a lithium-ion battery can lose half its capacity. The rate at which a phone discharges power also increases many times over when exposed to cold weather. Furthermore, the battery meter is only reliable based on normal operating temperatures.
What Can Be Done?
All is not lost in the event of cold weather. There are tips, techniques, and solutions to keeping your smartphone operating longer. If you take the right precautions, you will also avoid costly damage to your smartphone’s battery, as well as your smartphone itself.
Keep the Phone Covered
An important option is to keep your phone inside your pockets—preferably, as close to your body as possible in order to keep it warm. Your body heat will help the battery last longer, and it will also help mitigate potential damage from the cold weather.
Do Not Restart if It Shuts Down
If your phone shuts down, do not attempt to turn it back on until you’ve stepped back inside and given it time to warm up or else you risk damaging the battery. This will just end up shortening the battery life.
Get a Phone Case
Having a phone case, especially a heavy-duty one designed for cold weather will provide superior insulation for your phone. Not only that, but it will also protect the sensitive electronics from the elements like rain or snow, which can damage your phone.
Charge the Battery to the Fullest before Going out
Since you already know that a battery will lose its charge at an accelerated rate, ensure you have as much power as possible by charging your device to 100 percent before leaving. This will help to prolong the time you can spend using your smartphone.
Use a Less Sophisticated Device
A slew of tests by PCWorld.com demonstrated that feature phones held up much better to cold weather temperatures than smartphones due to having fewer complicated parts. In particular, the Samsung Galaxy S II ran smoothly until the temperature reached -22 degree Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius).
Switch off the Phone
The more complex technology is, the more delicate some parts of it tend to be. Cold temperatures can damage your device, therefore, be judicious in setting a limit. Shutting your phone off also increases the range of cold temperature that your device can tolerate.
Carry a Multiport USB Charger
The way we continuously use our smartphones today, it’s more likely than not that you’ll wind up running out of juice. No matter how effectively you conserve your battery, the ideal solution is to keep a portable charger on hand that can be used whenever your battery life is threatened.
Ohming Technology’s Charge M.E. is a premium multiport USB charger that can charge most Android and Apple smartphones, as well as other devices like tablets, laptops, and older legacy phones. The Charge M.E.’s ability to simultaneously charge multiple devices, as well as it being able to fully support USB-C connectors, make it extremely useful during this holiday season.
Made from high-quality aluminum, it has a very high-tech feel, as well as a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing look. The Charge M.E. comes with a one-year warranty, which gives you peace of mind. It also has the ability to charge anything, without using a computer, and without requiring any time-consuming downloading of software in order for your device to start charging.
Ohming Technology’s Charge M.E. is designed to be versatile, compatible, and durable. Our USB multi-device charger will be able to keep you supplied with power for all your devices regardless of how cold it gets outside. Contact us today for more information, or shop online.
Paul Romanenko
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