Credit: Pocket-lint

Like some other features we’ve covered, Apple didn’t mention this new battery optimization tool at WWDC ’19, but it is important. Here’s what you should know about Optimized Battery Charging.

What Does Optimized Battery Charging Do?

According to Apple’s iOS 13 webpage, the feature will prevent your iPhone from charging above 80 percent until you need it.

To do so, iOS will analyze your daily charging routine and will use that data to only charge your device when it is absolutely necessary.

If you charge your iPhone at night, for example, iOS will stop the charge until the morning. That way, you’ll battery will be at 100 percent battery life when you wake up.

The feature is optional and will need to be enabled by the user before it kicks in. Users shouldn’t see any problems with getting that additional 20 percent battery life if iOS has enough charging data to go on, however.

Optimized battery charging will help to reduce the rate of battery aging or decay. In other words, it’ll keep your battery “healthier” for a longer period of time.

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Basics of Lithium-Ion Batteries

All lithium-ion batteries will degrade over time. That’s just a fact. If you use your smart device, the battery will age and you’ll need to get it replaced eventually.

How quickly your battery degrades all comes down to how many charge cycles you put it through. Lithium-ion batteries can only go through so many cycles before they stop operating at peak performance.

Additionally, it’s generally best for lithium-ion batteries to be kept in a partial state of charge. Being fully charged or fully depleted for longer periods of time can impact the battery’s total lifespan – meaning you’ll get fewer charge cycles before it stops working at peak performance.

Apple’s system helps with this by reducing the amount of time an iPhone is at full charge, even if you leave it on the charger all night.

Why This Is Important

Apple previously caught some flack for its iOS performance throttling “feature”; but despite the Batterygate controversy, that feature was a good thing. By slowing down an iPhone, that feature prevents it from shutting down randomly if its battery is decayed.

When a battery is no longer at peak capacity, it can cause a slew of problems for a phone. If an aging battery is pushed past its limit by intensive apps or phone usage, the device will randomly shut down.

As we mentioned, there’s no getting around this. You’ll just need to get your battery replaced. But Apple’s quiet new iOS 13 feature will be able to help you avoid that for a least a little bit longer.