iPad & iPhone User - USA (2020-02)

iOS 13

which led to class-action lawsuits, and ultimately a

rather good battery replacement program.

In iOS 13, Apple’s introducing a new feature called

Optimized Battery Charging that should help slow the

rate at which the battery in your phone wears out. It’s

not going to help your battery last longer on a single

charge, but it’s going to help your battery hold the

same amount of charge over the years you own it.

Batteries age over time

In the Tesla electric car, its default is set to stop

charging when the battery is    90   percent full. You

can use the app to change this (up or down), but the

default is there for a good reason.

As lithium-ion batteries are charged and

discharged, the chemical structure in them breaks

down. Over lots of charge-and-discharge cycles, they

become unable to hold as much charge or deliver as

much power all at once.

This phenomenon is accelerated when your battery

is charged to its maximum capacity. Tesla sets a default

charge limit in order to preserve the health of the

battery over time. If you think it’s annoying for your

iPhone to die after eight hours instead of 12, and

expensive to replace its battery, think about losing    80  

miles of driving range or replacing your car’s battery.

Slowing aging by limiting charging

The Optimized Battery Charging option in iOS    13  

is meant to do the same thing as Tesla’s default    90  

percent limit – reduce battery degradation over time

by not fully charging when you don’t have to.

iOS 13

whichledtoclass-actionlawsuits,andultimatelya

rathergoodbatteryreplacementprogram.

IniOS13,Apple’sintroducinganewfeaturecalled

OptimizedBatteryChargingthatshouldhelpslowthe

rateatwhichthebatteryinyourphonewearsout.It’s

notgoingtohelpyourbatterylastlongeronasingle

charge,butit’sgoingtohelpyourbatteryholdthe

same amountofchargeovertheyearsyouownit.

Batteriesageovertime

IntheTeslaelectriccar,itsdefaultissettostop

chargingwhenthebatteryis 90 percentfull.You

canusetheapptochangethis(upordown),butthe

defaultisthereforagoodreason.

Aslithium-ionbatteriesarechargedand

discharged,thechemicalstructureinthembreaks

down.Overlotsofcharge-and-dischargecycles,they

becomeunabletoholdasmuchchargeordeliveras

muchpowerallatonce.

Thisphenomenonisacceleratedwhenyourbattery

ischargedtoitsmaximumcapacity.Teslasetsadefault

chargelimitinordertopreservethehealthofthe

batteryovertime.Ifyouthinkit’sannoyingforyour

iPhonetodieaftereighthoursinsteadof12,and

expensivetoreplaceitsbattery,thinkaboutlosing 80

milesofdrivingrangeorreplacingyourcar’sbattery.

Slowingagingbylimitingcharging

TheOptimizedBatteryChargingoptioniniOS 13

ismeanttodothesamethingasTesla’sdefault 90

percentlimit–reducebatterydegradationovertime

by notfullychargingwhenyoudon’thaveto.