It is clear that our smartphones are getting bigger and bigger. This also means that we have increasingly bigger power consumption. In this case, we should be smart about controlling power usages. There are things we could do to save battery life. The most common way to reduce power usage is by reducing the screen brightness. Our smartphone will require less power if the screen is dimmer. Even so, we shouldn’t make the display too dim that it strains our eye. We should reduce the standby time of our display, such as ten seconds, instead of one minute. This could add 30 minutes to our battery life. Connectivity should also be disabled if we want to extend battery life. Smartphones are equipped with cellular data connection, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth.
Turning off unnecessary connections will not only save battery life, but also prevent hackers from gaining access to our data. If these connections are disabled, our phones will stop sending data or searching for other devices/hotspots. We should enable data connection to the network if it is necessary. Many people could survive by checking their social media updates every 1 or 2 hours, instead of every 5 minutes. If we do this, we would be lucky if our phone could survive the day. If there is a big software update, it is important to do this only when our smartphone is connected to the power outlet. Downloading a large update over the WiFi network and proceeding with the installation process will tear through battery life.
By disabling features and connections that we don’t need, we should be able to make sure that our smartphone will operate efficiently. Chargers that we use should be included in the packaging box. Although it is possible to use generic charging device or those made for other phones, there are some potential problems. If the power output is too low, it would take forever to fully charge a device with large battery capacity. In addition, smartphones could be damaged if they use chargers with high power output. Low-end, knock-off chargers could reduce the overall life expectancy of our battery. It means that our battery could die much faster than expected.
It is preferable to charge from wall socket, because it will be faster to complete the charging faster. USB charging with our laptop and desktop would take much longer to complete, but it is useful if we enable the WiFi hotspot, so the battery charge won’t be exhausted.
In general, keeping our smartphone running longer is about having common sense. If we enable all the connections and open 3D games continuously, we will need to recharge the phone before lunch. In many cases, it isn’t possible to charge the phone during the day. However, it is possible to purchase a power bank that could allow us to charge the phone in our pocket or bag. If we choose a power bank, it is better to purchase a few smaller units, because high capacity model can be heavy and large in size.