It's hard to understand the words "streaming HD video" without also being well acquainted with low battery warnings and regular recharge breaks.
Today's smart phones feature high-definition screens, running updates in real time replete with location services and the capacity to run countless apps simultaneously. It's no surprise that all this takes a toll on our device's battery, but do you know how to make the most of the power you have left?
Group Vertical stocks batteries for most modern smart phones, all found in our online store. Short of graphene batteries or other innovative new materials, however, the march toward 0% carries on. With professional help from one of our trusted clients, you can certainly have a new battery installed in your smart phone, but if you want to keep your current power cell running properly with little to no expense, you'll have to try a few new angles. There are measures to follow with any device, no matter the OS, that can make a big difference when you need to preserve power. Here are ten of the most helpful:
10. Watch Your Apps
The more applications you're running, the greater the power draw on your device's battery. There's no skirting the laws of physics even with an iPhone 7. Closing those apps individually is an option, but it could actually deplete your battery. It's surprisingly more efficient to perform a full restart and close everything.
On an Android device, tap Settings > Device > Battery or Settings > Power > Battery Use to find out which apps are using the most battery power, and consider uninstalling them if they aren't necessary. On iOS, go to Settings and select Battery.
9. Kill Your Widgets
However convenient it is to get weather, email, and NASA home screen updates without entering an app, home page widgets and live updating backgrounds are notorious battery drainers. If you don't rely on the convenience every day, it's probably better to ditch the widgets and embrace a more minimalistic style.
For Android and iOS, simply touch and hold the widget for a second before moving it to the trashcan to uninstall.
8. Airplane Mode
Airplane Mode isn't just a polite precaution for transcontinental flight. It's one of the most important features for those looking to conserve power or make the most of a charging session.
In low-signal areas, smart phones can waste power searching for a reliable signal. Airplane mode will keep your phone from straining to stay connected. And when plugged in, switch your phone to airplane mode to reach 100 percent faster.
7. Disable Notifications
Many applications and system functions have notification options that can be tailored to your own use. Leaving full notifications on with every application is a good way to drain your battery fast, but from the settings menu, app notifications can be set to pop up less frequently or not at all, relieving your battery of the burden.
6. Turn Off Location Services
Searching for GPS data is a huge drain in battery life. Ironically, it's a service we likely need when lost, and battery health matters most. Disabling GPS and location services from your devices settings menu will help extend your battery and hasten other processes. The same settings can be changed at the application level, as well. You may be surprised how many apps use GPS to pull in usage and advertising data.
Some devices feature a battery saving mode for GPS, relying on available Wi-Fi than the standard 4G to triangulate location. Use this mode whenever possible if it's available on your device.
5. Push Mail
A former Apple Employee shared his knowledge of what most drains smart phone batteries in a 2015 blog post, detailing the dangers of Push Mail.
"When your mail is set to push, it means that your iPhone maintains a constant connection to your email server so that the server can instantly push the mail to your iPhone as soon as it arrives. Sounds good, right? Wrong," David Payette wrote. "An Apple lead genius explained it to me like this: When your iPhone is set to push, it’s constantly asking the server, 'Is there mail? Is there mail? Is there mail?,' and this flow of data causes your battery to drain very quickly. Exchange servers are the absolute worst offenders, but everyone can benefit from changing this setting."
You can turn off Push Mail from the Mail Accounts page. Setting your Fetch to every 15 minutes is much more efficient, and easier on your battery.
4. Ditch The Diagnostics
On iOS, especially, diagnostic data can either be flowing from your phone to the Cupertino mothership, or not. If it is, it could be draining your battery, but it's an easy fix. From your settings menu, tap Privacy, and then Diagnostics & Usage. Select "Don't Send" to turn this feature off.
3. Don't Ignore Updates
Android's latest update to Marshmallow is saving millions of users battery bars with its Doze function that puts devices to sleep after 30 minutes, and a new system of optimizing application demands. Updates to Apple's iOS have also addressed battery usage.
If you're a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 user, you may have a harder time rationalizing the latest update than others. For the most part, however, smart phone software updates carry with them important data and more efficient processes.
2. Screen Time
If you're an Android user you can set your screen to automatic brightness from the pull-down settings, or manually adjust it to a dimmer level so you can conserve power. For iPhone users, the process is a little more involved, but thanks to Tech Republic's handy rundown, can be accomplished by changing some accessibility settings around.
You can also keep your battery from cycling into the red too quickly by shortening the idle time before the screen darkens. Batteries with little power left may not benefit greatly from simply dimming the screen, but when you're out of all other options, it's worth a shot.
1. Let's Get Real
When it comes down to it, there are only so many apps and notifications you can disable before your device loses essential functionality. It may not be the way your phone operates, more the operator that's to fault for low battery.
When you know you need to save power, don't use streaming apps or play videos, don't leave your phone out in the cold, and don't leave your flashlight on. Basically, common sense is your best app in dire situations. It could be possible you have a hardware issue, and if that's the case, Group Vertical stocks replacement parts for most modern smart phones, tablet, and computers.
Group Vertical currently carries Vertii brand batteries, providing exceptional charges time after time with a durable design. If you're looking to stay connected with the devices of the future, look no further.