If you've owned your iPhone for a few years, you may have noticed that it doesn't last as long on a single charge as it once did or that it has significantly slowed down. Does this ring a bell? Well, it could be time to update your iPhone battery.
Apple has recently stated that its lithium-ion batteries lose their capacity to keep a full charge over time. The battery capacity might decline to 80 per cent or even lower after 500 charge cycles. And to keep your iPhone's battery from dying entirely, it may purposely slow itself down.
Is it better to replace an iPhone battery or get a new phone? Read on to find out.
Should You Replace Your iPhone Battery?
Settings > Battery > Battery Health is the best way to see if your iPhone battery needs to be replaced. You may get a fast summary of your battery's health on this page by looking at its Maximum Capacity and Peak Performance Capability.
Maximum Capacity refers to the battery's capacity when it was brand new. The number should reflect 100 per cent when your phone is brand new and will decrease eventually; the lower the percentage, the quicker your battery will degrade on a single charge.
The Peak Performance Capability indicator is more of a "good," "not-so-good," or "bad" situation. If your phone says, "Your battery is currently supporting normal peak performance," you're good to go—your battery is still fine, and you don't need to change anything.
On the other hand, if it reads, "This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown... Performance management has been applied..." It's a warning that your battery is starting to fail. This indicates that Apple’s software has begun to slow down or throttle the processing speed of your phone to decrease battery drain. You can turn off the throttling function, but you won't be able to turn it back on until the device breaks down abruptly, so act with caution.
Finally, "Your battery's health is significantly degraded..." indicates that your battery is highly drained and that you should seriously consider replacing it.
You won't see battery health in Settings if your iPhone is older than 2014 or is running iOS 11.2 or earlier.
There are a few additional signs that your iPhone battery needs to be replaced, such as:
- If you need to charge your battery every few hours, even if you're not using it much
- If your phone dies abruptly while the battery is 10 per cent or higher
- If your iPhone only works when it's plugged in
Alternatively, if you want a more scientific approach, you may download an app like Battery Health, which displays battery capacity, power use, and other information.
Should You Get a New Phone Altogether?
In many situations, it is best and more cost-effective to replace the battery. The hefty price of a new device compared to the affordable cost for iPhone battery replacement is something you should consider. There's no reason to spend $1200 on a whole new iPhone simply because the charge on your old one doesn't last as long as it did when it was new.
If you're still using a 5th-generation iPhone or older, you should probably upgrade. Changing the battery in those devices may boost performance a little bit, but at some point, it doesn't matter how new the battery is; an old iPhone will operate much more slowly anyway.
Conclusion
Make sure to check your battery's performance before you opt to buy a new iPhone altogether. If you need DIY iPhone repair, such as iPhone battery replacement, for a cost-effective price, reach out to an iPhone quality parts supplier in your area.
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