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Posted 1/14/2025 by Kason Yoo
Have you ever noticed how your phone battery doesn’t last as long as it used to when you first got it? As time goes on, your phone dies more quickly.
The first thing to consider is what type of battery a phone has. Most phones use a lithium-ion battery, which are used because they can store more energy in less space. These batteries consist of a positive electrode and a negative electrode called a cathode and an anode, an electrolyte, a separator, and current collectors. The electrolyte is a conductor placed in between the anode and cathode, which allows for particles called lithium-ions to move in between them from the anode to the cathode. The separator is simply an insulator that keeps the anode and cathode apart so that the battery doesn’t short circuit. Finally, there are two current collectors, one placed on either end of the battery, which transfer the electrons between the battery’s internal components to the external circuit.
So why do these batteries lose their battery life over time? This occurrence is called battery degradation, and there are three main causes for it: operational causes, environmental factors, and time.
Operational Causes: Charging habits are a major contributor to battery degradation. Regularly charging your phone to 100% or depleting it completely can cause stress on the internal components, accelerating degradation. Instead, keep your phone at a range of 20% to 80% to reduce any stress on the battery. Having your brightness too high, running multiple apps, and using your phone while charging can cause the phone to overheat, damaging the battery components.
Environmental Factors: Exposing your phone to extreme high or low temperatures can be very harmful to the battery. Extreme lows may cause the phone to seize to function due to the electrons moving more slowly. In extreme highs, the electrons move much faster, leading to possible malfunction. If it’s very hot out, avoid keeping your phone laying out for too long, and if it’s very cold out, keep your phone in a warm place like your pocket.
Time: No matter what, battery degradation is inevitable. Over time, the internal materials gradually break down due to aging, leading to a loss of electrical capacity. Most phone batteries typically last 1 to 3 years without significant degradation, but after that, the battery begins to hold less charge. However, this is a significant improvement from the first phone batteries, which could only last around a year.
Overall, there are many factors that contribute to the degradation of your phone battery. While it is impossible to stop the battery life from decreasing over time, by practicing the suggested habits, you can slow this process down and make your phone last longer.
Sources:
https://www.exro.com/industry-insights/battery-degradation-explained
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