Four Ways to Make Your Battery Last Longer
David Pogue MAY 23, 2011
A good friend of mine had been complaining that her iPhone 3GS battery was holding less and less of a charge. When we got together at 5 p.m. one recent day, it was at 5 percent full - and it had been fully charged that morning. She had barely used it all day. The phone was apparently running itself dry simply by being turned on.
The single biggest battery consumer is the screen brightness. But it wasn't especially bright on this phone.
So I suggested that she take the phone to an Apple store to get the $60 battery replacement service. In fact, there was an Apple store only two blocks away, so I accompanied her - and found out, upon arrival, that there is no $60 battery replacement service! There's one for iPods, but apparently not for the iPhone.
There are plenty of do-it-yourself and third-party battery-replacement services that advertise online, but the Apple store Genius, named Nicole, said none of that would be necessary. She tested the battery and found that it was perfectly fine!
Instead, Nicole pointed out a few things that were contributing to my friend's rapid battery depletion. I took notes and thought I'd pass them along.
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