You recently scored a top-rated iPhone 11, and you’re understandably stoked about its durable updated construction, blazing-fast processing speed, ultra-wide dual-camera setup.
Congrats!
There’s just one problem- the device’s maximum battery capacity has already dwindled down to 98%, even though you’ve only had the phone for a few short months (or even weeks). What gives?
If you’ve noticed an unprecedented drop-off in your iPhone 11’s battery health, it could be that you’ve ended up with a dud or encountered some fundamental design flaw.
However, it’s much more likely that your battery is functioning exactly the way it’s supposed to, and that the negligible amount of deterioration you’re seeing is reflective of its natural lifespan.
The problem also might not be as real as it seems. Keep reading to find out why!
Why You Shouldn’t Panic Over A Couple of Percentage Points
First of all, it should be said that in terms of overall battery capacity, there’s not a whole heck of a lot of difference between 100% and 98%.
If you were out to eat and your server only refilled your glass 98% of the way, chances are you wouldn’t resolve to tip them less on principle.
Similarly, if your doctor told you that some treatment you needed was 98% effective, you’d probably be feeling quite confident about your odds of success.
So why fret about a measly 2% decrease in your phone’s charging capabilities?
At 98% battery health, an iPhone 11 can still stream around 4 hours of HD video at max brightness or blast 7-8 hours of music at max volume. That’s nothing to thumb your nose at.
Too many smartphone users obsess about their devices’ battery health, fearing the worst every time their charge level dips below triple digits.
The fact of the matter is, though, that as soon as a brand new iPhone leaves the factory, the battery inside begins degrading slowly but surely.
A gradual loss of one to two percent is therefore to be expected when you rely on your phone as much as most of us do, even if it seems sudden.
Another bittersweet but unavoidable fact is that nothing lasts forever. That goes for your smartphone’s battery, as well.
With enough dedicated use, your battery will eventually get to a point where it no longer holds a charge sufficient to get you through the day.
When this happens, it may be time to have it replaced or consider upgrading to a newer, longer-lasting model.
The Full-Power Paradox
Just because your iPhone 11’s battery isn’t staying topped off the way you’d like doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with it.
Quite the opposite-keeping your device juiced up to 100% at all times can actually be bad for its health and longevity!
According to tech experts, lithium-ion batteries like the kind used in most smartphones are not meant to remain fully charged for long periods.
Putting them in this state too often or for too long can significantly speed up the rate at which they deteriorate, especially if you leave them charging long enough to generate excess heat.
Instead, these experts assert that it’s best to maintain a charge somewhere between 20% and 80%– which should be a piece of cake if your phone is less than about three years old.
You can plug your phone in periodically throughout the day if it makes you feel better, but there’s no reason to make a mad dash for the nearest outlet just because you’re hovering somewhere around the halfway point.
Reasons Your Battery Might Be Draining Faster Than It Should
Although a 2% decline in total charging capacity is hardly a cause for concern, it could be that some of your usage habits are putting undue stress on your phone’s battery.
Here are three of the most common culprits of premature battery diminution, along with ways to reduce their energetic impact.
Your Screen Is Too Bright
It takes a lot of power to light up all those pixels, especially on screens as large and dynamic as that of the iPhone 11.
Setting aside the fact that there’s rarely ever a need to crank your phone’s display up to full brightness, doing so can cause your battery life to take a major hit.
If your goal is to maximize your phone’s charging economy, you’re much better off keeping your brightness level just high enough to ensure optimum visibility and adjusting it as needed to perform various tasks, such as reading outdoors or watching videos with the lights off.
You Have Background App Refresh Turned On
Background App Refresh is an extremely convenient feature that allows all your favorite apps to constantly refresh themselves and display up-to-date content, even when you’re not actively using them.
Unfortunately, it’s also an extremely demanding feature that requires your device to always be allocating battery power to whatever apps you have running in the background.
As such, it tends to be one of the leading culprits of premature battery diminution.
You can nip this in the bud by heading to your device’s Settings menu and turning off Background App Refresh.
It’s also possible to toggle the feature on and off for individual apps, a solution that may be more to your liking if you have certain apps that you check frequently.
You Consume A Lot of Streaming Media
As entertaining as it is for you, few things are more taxing for your phone than forcing it to render a never-ending stream of audio and video data.
Mitigate the potential for battery depletion by downloading songs and videos whenever you can. That way, you’ll be able to listen to them offline later.
If you plan on doing some marathon streaming, like watching full episodes of your favorite TV series or listening to multiple albums back to back, and don’t want to bother downloading your selections first, it will be helpful to connect your iPhone to its charger first.
In Conclusion
The bottom line is that in the vast majority of cases, a slight drop in battery capacity is nothing to be worried about at all.
The exception is if your phone’s battery is draining so rapidly that you can’t get through the day without charging it at least once.
Our advice?
Try spending less time babysitting your battery and more time marveling at all the incredible things your iPhone 11 can do, such as affording tons of useful touchscreen space, recording stunning 4k-quality videos, and capturing crystal-clear photos in low-light settings via Night Mode.
After all, there’s a reason it’s the third best-selling smartphone of all time!
Apple has been the dominant pioneer of the mobile tech world for the past two decades. Learn more about what makes their iPhone an icon not just in the present day, but for the ages to come as well!