The way hot weather affects your cell phone and its performance. Outside of that operating temperature range, your smartphone may experience difficulties. Shortened battery life, touchscreen issues, and trouble charging are some of the major issues. When lithium-ion batteries are exposed to extreme temperatures, the heat reacts with the battery and it makes the battery slow down or it can stop completely. Remember that not only you need to bundle up this winter, but your cell phone does too! As temperatures drop into the bitter cold, you have to keep your phones protected as well. Otherwise, it will harm your phone.
Why does cold weather impact your phone
Apple suggests that iPhones and iPads should be kept in temperatures ranging from 32ºF to 95ºF. Your device may experience shortened battery life, touchscreen issues, and trouble charging outside of that operating temperature range. In some cases, the device can even shut down because of the temperature drop. A big number of modern smartphones operate using lithium-ion batteries, which are far more sensitive than alkaline batteries. These lithium-ion batteries, when exposed to extreme temperatures, can change and as a result, less current is discharged from the batteries. This affects the phone, as the battery decreases the performance is affected and it shortens your battery life ultimately shutting down your device.
These issues caused by cold weather are not temporary and only affect the device in extreme temperature. Once the lithium-ion battery reaches the recommended operating temperature, the device’s performance becomes normal.
Some tips to protect your phone from cold temperature:
Although mobile phones are not permanently affected by the cold weather, it is suggested that you should keep your devices working optimally at all times. Here are some tips that you can use to keep your phone operating perfectly in winters.
- One should keep the cell phone in a bag or purse to protect it from inclement conditions.
- Keep your device in your pants or coat pockets. The heat of your body can help the device stay within its operating temperature.
- Your phone case should have thermal protection and insulation.
- You can just turn off your phone if you are planning to spend a long period in cold weather.
- Do not restart the device immediately after it unexpectedly shuts off. It may cause more harm to your battery. Wait to charge and restart it until you’re within the recommended operating temperatures for your smartphone.
- Do not leave your phone in the car for long periods when the weather is extreme.
- In case of an emergency on icy roads, always keep a backup power source with you.
Here are some common issues that you might face while being in extreme temperature:
Battery Life Drain
It is known by everyone that a certain temperature is required for a chemical reaction to take place. In low temperatures, chemical reactions become slower. Therefore, when a battery is exposed to cold conditions, sufficient current is not generated then it is, at a higher temperature. Once the battery drops, it quickly reaches the point where not enough current is delivered and the phone will stop functioning. This is temporary and once the battery is warmed up again, it will begin to operate normally but you should take the precautions to avoid any hassle.
Touchscreen Issues
LCDs are more susceptible to the cold than AMOLED displays. In cold weather, it is reported that users might experience their touch screens react slower. It has also been noticed that there are smudging and ghosting effects on text and colours in some cases.
So you have to take more care of your smartphone in the cold weather. Your phone screen is more likely to shatter in the cold as the cold makes the display panel rigid. Take care of your smartphones before it’s too late.
External and Internal Component errors
People have experienced various issues related to internal as well as external components in extremely cold conditions. These issues can include from your device having difficulty reading your SIM card to not allow the hands-free to function. That is why it is advised to not take your phone out in the cold temperature and if you do, do it with proper protection.
What can you do to protect your smartphones?
The simplest and easiest solution is to limit the use of your smartphone in the cold. You can simply leave it in your pocket, jacket, bag or purse and take it out when there are warmer conditions. By keeping the phone in the pocket, it will give your phone the added benefit of your body heat. If you are going to use headphones, use ones with an inbuilt microphone so that you can listen to music and answer phone calls without exposing your device to the cold. Don’t leave your smartphone in a cold vehicle for a long time. The damage done by this is permanent. Finally, a weatherproof case can secure your device from all these issues up to a great extent.
