As I am sure you Brits have been aware, the winter of 2018 has been one of the coldest winters for years, plummeting to -15C at points. The so-called Beast from the East is still continuing to remain on the British Isles, with more snow, wind and punishingly cold temperatures on the horizon. How has this affected the average iPhone user? iPhone users have reported battery life problems due to the cold. Here are some reasons why your iPhone could be struggling with the cold, and what you can try to fix it.
It seems that the latest models the X and the 8 haven’t been so affected by the cold, but earlier versions such as the 7, 6s and iPhone 6 have been affected by the harsh British winter. People have reported their batteries draining from 50% to nothing within seconds as well as permanent damage to their iPhone batteries.
Why is the cold a problem?
We should not really be to surprised by this. Lithium-ion battery cells are filled with a liquid and so cold weather freezes this liquid which is the ‘energy’ within the battery. Thus, people’s batteries are suddenly becoming depleted out of nowhere. This is worrying for the majority who are relying on their iPhone’s in their daily life.
We had a look at the Apple support pages – what they suggested is you get your phone up to room temp as soon as possible. This does not mean putting your iPhone in the oven I may hasten to add! If your iPhone is out in the cold too long it can have a permanent detrimental affect on the battery and may need to be replaced.
Let’s get into more detail about what you can do.
Turn Off Your iPhone
You could simply turn off your iPhone. Once turned off, the iPhone can withstand a much greater temperature range. Ensure you turn it off, and not just put it to sleep. Hold the sleep button and then swipe the “slide to power off” switch to switch your device off.
When the temperature gets warmer, don’t turn on your iPhone right away. The quick change in temperature can make components expand too quickly, causing damage and also risking condensation. Any moisture inside the device can cause electronic elements to fail. Simply wait for your device to come up to room temperature. Your phone should not feel cold when being touched.
Keep Your iPhone Warm
Put your iPhone in your coat. Between your body heat and the jacket’s insulation, your phone should remain at room temperature. If you can’t do that, you can try to put the device as near to your body as possible.
Use a High-Tech Thermal Protection Case
Optimal is an active, electronic thermal protection case that’s currently being developed. It looks to be the high-end solution to using an iPhone in extreme temperatures. This high-tech case will maintain the temperature of your iPhone regardless of hot or cold temperatures
Our Verdict
If you are worried about your battery suddenly becoming depleted or unusable, the quickest and safest solution would be to buy one of Fixxoo’s DIY battery kits which can be purchased on Amazon. This kit can be bought now and used as a backup at any time your battery becomes drained. The alternative is waiting for your battery to potentially go down and then having to call the Apple store and wait up to a week to get your battery replaced. If you can afford to be without your phone for a week then that could also be an option. If not, the only way to prepare beforehand is to buy one of the DIY kits which are available for all iPhone models.
