YOUR iPhone is a hi-tech gadget masterpiece – but you might be using it wrong.
There are some minor mistakes that might get you in trouble, and we’ve pulled together five of the worst.
1
Using your iPhone in the shower, sea or pool
Most iPhone models are rated as water-resistant, ever since the iPhone 7 back in 2017.
And for those ratings, they will have been submerged in a metre of water for more than 30 minutes.
So you’d probably get away with assuming your iPhone is waterproof – but don’t get carried away.
While your iPhone will almost certainly survive a splashing from a sink, try to avoid getting it wet.
Importantly, there are some circumstances you definitely want to avoid.
You should never use it in the shower.
“To prevent liquid damage…avoid…exposing your iPhone to pressurized water or high velocity water, such as when showering,” Apple explains.
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You should also avoid taking it in the sea, because salt water can cause damage to the iPhone.
Similarly, don’t use it in water with special chemicals in – like a chlorinated swimming pool.
Using old or frayed cables
This might sound obvious, but be very wary of water when charging your iPhone.
If you’ve recently had a drink on the side and the surface is wet, or you’re charging in the kitchen near a splash zone, you could be at risk.
Similarly, be careful if you’re using a cable that is damaged, broken, frayed and so on.
“Using damaged cables or chargers, or charging when moisture is present, can cause fire, electric shock, injury, or damage to iPhone or other property,” Apple warns.
If you’ve got a damaged cable or adapter, simply replace it.
Don’t be tempted to keep using a worn down cable, or it could be very dangerous.
Also, Apple supplies your iPhone with a charger, and sells replacements through its store.
But be very wary of using third-party cables or adapters.
These might be manufactured cheaply and without proper safety standards.
“Charging with such adapters could pose a risk of death or injury,” Apple says.
Using your iPhone in summer heat
Using your handset in the scorching heat can ruin your mobile forever.
Apple has warned that letting your iPhone temperature rise too high could “permanently shorten battery life”.
Extreme temperatures can cause major issues with your smartphones – and Apple’s pricey iPhones are no exception.
“Low – or high-temperature conditions might cause the device to change its behaviour,” Apple explains.
Cold temperatures can lead to temporary battery life shortening.
But high temperatures can mess up your battery life for good.
“Using an iOS device in very hot conditions can permanently shorten battery life,” an Apple support post reads.
On hot days, it’s very easy for an iPhone to exceed its normal operating temperature.
Apple has some specific warnings of things you definitely shouldn’t do with your iPhone today:
- Leaving the device in a car on a hot day
- Leaving the device in direct sunlight for an extended period of time
- Using certain features in hot conditions or direct sunlight for an extended period of time, such as GPS tracking or navigation in a car, playing a graphics-intensive game, or using augmented-reality apps
There are ways to reduce your risk, even on very warm days.
For instance, don’t put your iPhone in confined places, like under bed covers or in your pocket.
Also, if you feel your phone getting warm, stop using it – or even turn it off.
Avoid using powerful apps for long periods of time. This is particularly important for gamers, because game apps can cause a phone’s processor to heat up very quickly.
If your phone gets too hot, it may even turn off automatically, leaving you without a handset.
Using the wrong charging settings
Your iPhone battery will hold less charge as it ages, but you can help to limit this degradation.
“A battery’s lifespan is related to its chemical age, which is more than just the length of time since the battery was assembled,” said Apple.
“A battery’s chemical age results from a complex combination of several factors, including temperature history and charging pattern.
“All rechargeable batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they chemically age.
“As lithium-ion batteries chemically age, the amount of charge they can hold diminishes, resulting in reduced battery life and reduced peak performance.”
That’s where Optimised Battery Charging comes in, in a bid to extend the lifespan of your iPhone.
You can limit the wear on your battery by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged.
That ultimately means your battery will last longer.
So when Optimised Battery Charging is active, your iPhone will delay charging past 80% – but only in specific situations.
Your iPhone will learn about your day-to-day charging routine to do this.
Go into Settings > Battery > Battery Health > Optimised Battery Charging.
Make sure it’s toggled on to activate the feature.
No more iOS updates
Apple regularly introduces new versions of its iPhone software – and we’re currently on iOS 15.
Eventually Apple stops supporting older models with updates, which is very bad news if you’re affected.
These updates include vital security updates that patch serious problems with your device.
So if you can’t get those updates, you’re at serious risk of being hacked.
The current iOS 15.4 supports phones all the way back to the iPhone 6S and iPhone SE (1st gen).
Check if you’re still getting the latest updates in Settings > General > Software Update.
If you’re not then it’s highly recommended that you upgrade your iPhone to a newer model that still gets security updates.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
