Every year, mobile manufacturers attempt to improve on the features and functionality of their lines of smartphones. And every year, improved battery life is one of their top concerns. Because while smartphones may come with features like sleek touch screens and virtual assistants, the battery life on many models often leaves something to be desired.
Indeed, many people rarely get through one full day without having to recharge their handheld. It’s true that this is usually the result of the average person’s near total dependence on his or her smartphone. That said, there are ways even the most avid talker and texter can boost the battery life of their favorite mobile device.
Reduce brightness
This makes the top of the list because excess display brightness is one of the most common causes of a quick-draining smartphone battery. Mobile manufacturers have begun to address this problem by implementing automatic screen brightness settings. And while this is certainly an improvement, it doesn’t fix the problem entirely. Users who want to get the most out of their batteries should manually turn the brightness down to the lowest setting – while still being able to see the screen of course.
Turn off unused apps
One of the prime reasons people own smartphones is because of the abundance of mobile applications. And how often do people fire up an app or three only to leave it languishing in the background? The answer is quite often, and this bad habit can be a serious drain on the smartphone’s battery. The irony is that one of the best ways to curb this problem comes in app form. There are a number of mobile applications on the market, like Advanced Task Killer, that will shut down idle apps for the user.
Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use
This is crucial, as these two features can cause serious battery drainage if left on constantly. Bluetooth, for example, will constantly search for a signal whenever it is turned on, and this takes up a lot of juice. And while using the Internet while on the go is one of the main reasons people own smartphones, there’s no need to leave Wi-Fi turned on 24/7.
Turn off updates
Not all of them of course. In fact, it’s crucial to ensure that a smartphone is able to update the most vital apps on the device. However, if all apps are allowed to update, then inevitably they search the whole of the Internet for useless factoids such as video game scores and sports stats. The best thing to do is for the user to turn off updates for all except those most vital of applications.
Curb GPS usage
Another huge power drainer is the GPS feature on a smartphone. But this goes beyond navigation programs and into the realm of social networking as well. Sites like Foursquare, for example, use the smartphone’s GPS to pinpoint users exact locations. The key is to deny most of these apps GPS access before downloading the site or app.
These are just a few things professionals recommend in order to increase smartphone battery life. In fact, they suggest that following these guidelines can result in an hour or more of increased talk time per day.
Aaron Mills is a tech writer and blogger. He writes on behalf of leading brands such as protectyourbubble.com, a cell phone insurance provider.
Battery Boosting Tips for Smartphones
