Did you know that you’re not the only one who gets cold in the winter? Your phone does too! According to Apple and other major phone carriers, your phone should be kept between 32 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
While you’re getting yourself all bundled up to go outside don’t forget to protect your phone too. If your phone gets too cold your battery might die faster, have issues with the touch screen, have trouble charging and in severe cases it may shut down all together. It might seem like your phone is just shutting down because it hates the cold as much as you do, but there is actually a scientific explanation. Most phones now use a lithium-ion battery which are far more sensitive than other kinds of batteries such as alkaline. When lithium batteries get cold the chemical reaction in the battery slows down or stops completely. When this happens, the phone thinks that because the battery is not putting out as much current as the device needs to operate that it is running out of battery and begins to slow down the performance of your device just like it would if your phone was actually dying.
Just like you warm up eventually your phone does too. Although the cold weather effects on your device are only temporary you still want to do what you can to stop it from getting cold. Some things that you can do are:
- Take your phone with you, don’t just leave it in the car.
- Don’t just toss your phone in your purse, keep it in a pocket close to your body.
- Keep a case on your phone for an extra layer of warmth.
- If you plan to be outside for an extended period of time turn your phone off.
Keeping your phone warm is almost as important as keeping yourself warm when your cold. Whether you’re depending on your phone to make a phone call, use the GPS, or to take a quick selfie make sure to follow the tips above so you’re not lost in the cold.