Smartphones are a miracle, and it’s sometimes easy to forget how far we’ve come in such a short space of time with regard to mobile technology. That said, the battery life of these smartphones is probably the number one gripe for many of us that live our lives on the go.
While it’s true that some phones fare better than others in this respect, far too often we find ourselves without battery at a critical time. From running out of juice before you can order an Uber to get home, to simply being lost and needing GPS to know where you should go, it’s a problem that we could do without. So here are just six ways for you to save your battery for when you need it most.
1: Turn your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and location off if you don’t need it
This is one of the main drains of battery, and if you aren’t within distance of a Wi-Fi network, you’re better off switching it off until you find a spot. Not to mention, Bluetooth often stays on by default, but how often do we actually use it? Probably not as often as the battery drained would suggest. The same can be said of location services. Your phone is doing extra work without you specifically asking it to – it’s little wonder your battery life is dropping fast.
2: Buy a battery charging case
You can avoid the issue of a low battery all together through the purchase of a good charger case. They’re often available for around £20 online and can last up to a year – perhaps longer. It’s a worthwhile investment for sure, especially for those constantly away from home.
3: Turn down the brightness
It’s always worth keeping an eye on the brightness, especially in the darker months of the year. Chances are, low brightness will be more than sufficient for your needs. Reducing this aspect will mean your battery will thank you later.
4: Optimise your apps
Much like when you have Wi-Fi switched on without any connections in range, your apps could be draining battery in a similar way by working in the background without your knowledge. You can change this in the settings of your phone, allowing you to decide which apps you want to continue in the background.
5: Switch Airplane Mode on when you’re not using your phone
If you’re not using your phone, switch it to Airplane Mode and save your battery. You can also go beyond using Do Not Disturb in this regard, which could be especially important if you want to be focused on a particular task. Of course it’s possible that you may have one work phone, like a Gamma Mobile, and another phone for everything else. Try to focus on one phone at a time, switching the other to Airplane mode until necessary.
6: Reduce push notifications – fetch your own emails for example
Much like with the optimization of your apps, you can also choose when you want push notifications – be it from your apps or internet browser. Prioritise the most important and relegate those that don’t carry as much importance. Even fetching your own emails manually can save a lot of battery.
