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Treat the battery well (avoid wireless charging when you can, don't charge when hot) and these devices can last a long time. And even when the battery starts to die, you can get an official replacement for much less than the cost of a new phone.

If you're a typical high income tech person who upgrades their desktop, laptop, phone, tablet, and watch on a regular cycle, that's a staggering amount of money to stay on the treadmill. I'm consciously choosing to keep my devices as long as possible. I've given up smartwatches, my desktop and tablet are 8 years old, and I plan to keep my phone for at least 5 years.



I just replace the battery. I don’t treat my phones battery with kid gloves.

That being said, the battery capacity of my iPhone 12 Pro Max bought when it was first introduced is still at 80%


My iPhone 11 from October 2019 (launch) is at around 75% on the battery.

It is actually pretty amazing considering the device has been in continuous around the clock use (powered on) for nearly 5 years.


Avoid wireless charging ?

What's wrong with it ?


Wireless charging generates a lot more sustained heat, which can, hypothetically (and in some cases has been demonstrated to) cause chemical degradation of the battery faster. Heat and high charging speeds, combined with keeping the battery at extremes (close to 0%, close to 100%) is the worst combination.


Generates a lot of heat. I first noticed when my phone was unable to do nav while wirelessly charging in a rental car.


>get an official replacement

How? Apple doesn't sell spare parts. I went through two battery replacements on my iPhone SE 1G, after the original battery died. One from iFixit which was terrible. Battery SoC and performance was always wonky with that. Another from a reputable spare parts seller here, which had Apple branding on it, and it started good, but soon developed the same problem as the first.

Given Apples hostility toward repairs, it's obvious they'd rather you throw your device into the ocean and pay for a new one.


By "official replacement" I meant taking it to the store and having them do it. My wife recently got a battery replacement at the Apple Store, around $100. Paying that every 2 years is a lot cheaper (and better for the environment) than buying a new $1000 phone.




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