The iPhone 15 series has introduced a groundbreaking feature that promises to extend the lifespan of your device’s battery. This isn’t about how long your phone lasts on a single charge, but rather how the battery’s health is maintained over its entire lifecycle.
Battery Health vs. Daily Longevity
Apple’s latest innovation focuses on battery health. For those who’ve clung to their iPhone X for six years, you might’ve noticed that the battery doesn’t last as long as when it was new. The iPhone 15 series addresses this with a new setting in the battery menu: the 80% limit. While the “Optimized Battery Charging” feature was designed to keep your iPhone’s battery at 80% overnight and charge it fully just before you wake up, the new 80% limit acts as a hard cap for charging. This means your iPhone will never charge beyond 80%. While this might seem like a sacrifice in daily battery longevity, it ensures the battery remains healthy for a longer period.
Activating the 80% Limit
To benefit from this feature, follow these steps:
- Open Settings: Locate the settings app on your home screen, represented by a gear icon.
- Tap on ‘Battery’: Find the ‘Battery’ option in the settings menu.
- Access ‘Battery Health Charging’: Within the battery settings, you’ll find this option.
- Choose ‘Charging Optimization’: By default, this is set to ‘Optimized’. Tap on it to proceed.
- Activate the 80% Limit: You’ll see three options: ‘Optimized Battery Charging’, ‘80% Limit’, and ‘None’. Select the 80% limit.
From now on, your iPhone will never charge beyond 80%.
Why 80%?
The choice of 80% is rooted in the characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, which power most modern devices. It’s not ideal to keep your battery at 100% or let it drop to 0%. This is due to the movement of lithium ions within the battery, which release energy to power your device. Keeping the battery closer to 50% ensures a balanced distribution of ions, prolonging battery health. The new feature aims to maintain the battery charge between 20% and 80%.
Is This Feature for Everyone?
Currently, this feature seems exclusive to the iPhone 15 series. Even if you have a recent iPhone with the latest iOS 17, you might not find this option. Apple has yet to clarify if it will be available for older models.
Key Takeaways
- The iPhone 15 series introduces an 80% charging limit to enhance battery health.
- This feature ensures the battery remains in optimal condition over its lifespan.
- To activate, navigate through Settings > Battery > Battery Health Charging > Charging Optimization > 80% Limit.
- The 80% threshold is based on the properties of lithium-ion batteries, aiming to balance ion distribution.
- The feature is currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 series.
By understanding and utilizing this feature, iPhone users can ensure their device’s battery remains healthy for years to come.
