HOT temperatures look set to finally bring some joy this summer with bursts of 30C next week.
While it’ll be a sigh of relief for Brits, the good weather may not last for long.
Still, during warmer times one thing that does feel it is your gadgets.
Modern smartphones have kit to deal with overheating and will go into a standby mode if things get too hot, so your device has a chance to cool down.
It’s important your handset isn’t exposed to extremely high temperatures too often as this can damage the battery overtime, ultimately costing you money on expensive upgrades.
Here are four essential tips to keep your iPhone or Android device cool during hotter weather.
Avoid direct sunlight
It may sound obvious but the first thing you need to do is keep your phone out of direct sunlight.
This is easily forgotten when you’re doing things like driving and it’s in a cradle – especially if you’re using it for maps which will make it heat up faster.
The same goes if you’re going to the beach, keep your phone in the shade under a towel or in a bag.
Switch of background app refresh
Background app refreshing keeps your apps up-to-date in the background when you’re not using them, for example, loading the latest WhatsApp messages you’ve received.
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But if your phone is already starting to heat up you’ll want to keep processes to a minimum, so you might want to switch background app refresh off.
On iPhone, head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
Android doesn’t call its version background app refresh but the same process can be done.
It varies from model to model, but for most stock Android phones you can find the option in Settings > Apps > All apps.
Remove the case
Your case may be acting like a bit of a coat for your phone.
So naturally, it might be a good idea to take it off – if you’re sure you won’t damage the device by dropping it, of course.
Turn off your phone
The best way to ultimately keep your phone cool is by switching it off entirely.
That way all of the processes and battery shut down.
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This obviously leaves you without any connectivity for a bit, so it may not be the best permanent solution but certainly worthwhile if your phone is seriously hot to the touch already.
Alternatively, you can just stop using your phone for five minutes to give it a chance to cool down.
Why do batteries get worse over time?
Here’s what you need to know…
- Most gadgets run on lithium-ion batteries
- Over time, the amount of charge this type of battery can hold gets smaller
- That means you need to charge your device more often because they hold less charge
- Batteries have two electrode points – the cathode and the anode
- To charge a battery, the ions inside the battery are forced from the cathode to the anode
- When you use a battery, it moves in the reverse direction
- This process wears away at the structure of the anode, reducing its ability to function correctly
- But the process also builds up a kind of salt on the cathode when charging
- As this build-up grows, the battery will accept less charge over time
- It’s estimated that between 500 and 1,000 full charge-cycles will reduce a battery’s maximum capacity by roughly 20%
