What happens when iPhone battery can no longer hold a charge?

[goodguy55q]

will i have to get another iPhone when the battery inside it cant keep its charge any longer.

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

This is an interesting question. First of all, you shouldn't worry too much about it. As far as I can tell, it will be a relatively good battery and as long as you take care of it, the battery should last a good long while. Secondly, by the time it does happen (it it does), there will likely be consumer- based things where you get a new battery or send it in and they repair it.


So, basically, it shouldn't happen and when it does, there will likely be better options than getting a whole new iPhone. Also, some insurance on it might serve you well.

 

[wjp09]

Apple will charge you for the new battery. They may (not Apple they as in general) release a kit to allow you to change the battery by yourself.

 

[ColsTiger]

Apple will charge you for the new battery. They may (not Apple they as in general) release a kit to allow you to change the battery by yourself.

That would blow to have to send your cool phone off every two years to have the battery replaced. I hope they have a better plan than that.

 

[wjp09]

Hmm 2 year contract 2 year battery life

 

[wot_fan]

That would blow to have to send your cool phone off every two years to have the battery replaced. I hope they have a better plan than that.

If Apple doesn't, someone else will. By the time iPhone batteries need to be replaced I would be surprised if there aren't do it yourself kits (like the ones for iPods) available. They will probably even have batteries with higher capacities than the one(s) that were originally installed.

 

[ColsTiger]

Hmm 2 year contract 2 year battery life

Now that it has come out that At&t will be offering the iPhone with pre-paid plans, I'm thinking there may not even be a contract requirement. I'm starting to think more and more than the $499 and $599 is an unsubsidized price to any Cingular user current or new. If all that's true, then I don't think it will matter whether or not you're up for renewal or upgrade.

 

[ebrunn]

Hmm 2 year contract 2 year battery life

Your not gonna have this version of it by this time next year. Their will be a better, cheaper version out.

 

[ColsTiger]

Your not gonna have this version of it by this time next year. Their will be a better, cheaper version out.

I wouldn't count on that. Macs don't seem to get cheaper; they just keep getting better.

 

[ebrunn]

I wouldn't count on that. Macs don't seem to get cheaper; they just keep getting better.

I was thinking more along the lines of the iPod.

 

[ColsTiger]

I was thinking more along the lines of the iPod.

That's true, but they've been out for six years haven't they? How long did it take before they started dropping in price? And wasn't some of that reduced pricing due to flash memory?

 

[joe]

That's true, but they've been out for six years haven't they? How long did it take before they started dropping in price? And wasn't some of that reduced pricing due to flash memory?

Check out Wikipedia's iPod Models.

Obviously, comparing iPhone pricing with iPod, not Macs.

 

[Bootlessjam]

The battery life of the iPhone seems to be similar to the early 5th gen iPod, if it is simialr, then it should stay over 80% of the full capacity after 400 charge cycles, that over a year of you somehow go through a complete cyle a day

 

[wjp09]

I heard that if you wait until the charge completely dies or close to it the battery lasts longer.

 

[wot_fan]

I heard that if you wait until the charge completely dies or close to it the battery lasts longer.

That is not true of current iPod batteries. With older technologies, batteries had "memory" and it was best to completely discharge them regularly. With current batteries if you let the battery completely discharge you can damage the battery.

Wikipedia has good info if you want to know more.

* Unlike Ni-Cd batteries, lithium-ion batteries should be charged early and often. However, if they are not used for a longer time, they should be brought to a charge level of around 40%. Lithium-ion batteries should never be "deep-cycled" like Ni-Cd batteries.[6]
* Lithium-ion batteries should never be depleted to empty (0%).
* Li-ion batteries should be kept cool. Ideally they are stored in a refrigerator. Aging will take its toll much faster at high temperatures. The high temperatures found in cars cause lithium-ion batteries to degrade rapidly.
* According to one book,[10] lithium ion batteries should not be frozen (should not be stored under -40 °C), because most lithium-ion battery electrolytes freeze at approximately −40 °C (this is much colder than the lowest temperature reached by household freezers, however).
* Li-ion batteries should be bought only when needed, because the aging process begins as soon as the battery is manufactured.[6]
* When using a notebook computer running from fixed line power over extended periods, the battery can be removed and stored in a cool place so that it is not affected by the heat produced by the computer.[6]

 

[BoxKrait]

That is not true of current iPod batteries. With older technologies, batteries had "memory" and it was best to completely discharge them regularly. With current batteries if you let the battery completely discharge you can damage the battery.

Wikipedia has good info if you want to know more.

Oh, very nice.
Never knew the newer batteries were like that. I would have messed mine up for sure.

Thx.

 

[wjp09]

Oh thats what I was always told. Never did it though.

 

[wubagel]

The Apple site lists the battery life at 5 hours for video/talk/browsing and 16 hours for audio playback.

Does anyone know how long it will last just sitting in my pocket or not in use?

 

[Spin This!]

On the laptops at least, Apple recommends if you're having problems with power management, you actually run the battery down until it turns off by itself, which resets the "threshold."

This article was linked from Wikipedia's battery article:

Although lithium-ion is memory-free in terms of performance deterioration, batteries with fuel gauges exhibit what engineers refer to as "digital memory". Here is the reason: Short discharges with subsequent recharges do not provide the periodic calibration needed to synchronize the fuel gauge with the battery's state-of-charge. A deliberate full discharge and recharge every 30 charges corrects this problem. Letting the battery run down to the cut-off point in the equipment will do this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate. (Read more in 'Choosing the right battery for portable computing', Part Two.)

 

[wjp09]

Rumor has it that the battery surpasses what was originally thought