Keep iPhone on 24/7?

barr08 · May 20, 2009

Hey all,

I use my iPhone as an iPod in my car. Basically, I just leave it on shuffle, and use an FM transmitter to do the rest. My question is, would it be bad for the iPhone to leave it on 24/7? I guess it would be sending data through the FM transmitter, but of course it wouldn't be playing when the car is off. I am concerned about the life of the phone, it has been around for quite some time.

Thanks, and let me know what you think!

Unspoken Demise · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
Hey all,

I use my iPhone as an iPod in my car. Basically, I just leave it on shuffle, and use an FM transmitter to do the rest. My question is, would it be bad for the iPhone to leave it on 24/7? I guess it would be sending data through the FM transmitter, but of course it wouldn't be playing when the car is off. I am concerned about the life of the phone, it has been around for quite some time.

Thanks, and let me know what you think!

I dont see any reason why it would hurt the phone, but naturally it would drain your battery. Do you have Apple Care for it/ is it under warranty?

barr08 · May 20, 2009

Unspoken Demise said:
I dont see any reason why it would hurt the phone, but naturally it would drain your battery. Do you have Apple Care for it/ is it under warranty?

It is not under warranty. It is pretty a pretty old model, a friend traded it to me for my Touch. Recharging is not an issue, as I have a car charger. Does anyone this may cause long-term battery issues?

AiralynRose · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
It is not under warranty. It is pretty a pretty old model, a friend traded it to me for my Touch. Recharging is not an issue, as I have a car charger. Does anyone this may cause long-term battery issues?

"A pretty old model"? lol, there are only 2 models. Keeping anything in a HOT car with a Lithium Ion battery is going to be bad for it. Extreme temperatures are not good for them. Take it inside with you when you are inside for long periods of time (like over night). I started bringing my iPod in every night after it was frozen (it was really cold outside) and wouldn't turn on.

ziggyonice · May 20, 2009

The iPhone is still a phone. I don't think you need to "shut down" too often, like a computer.

barr08 · May 20, 2009

AiralynRose said:
"A pretty old model"? lol, there are only 2 models. Keeping anything in a HOT car with a Lithium Ion battery is going to be bad for it. Extreme temperatures are not good for them. Take it inside with you when you are inside for long periods of time (like over night). I started bringing my iPod in every night after it was frozen (it was really cold outside) and wouldn't turn on.

ziggyonice said:
The iPhone is still a phone. I don't think you need to "shut down" too often, like a computer.

I just finished a post in the community thread about how welcoming the community here is of people with all different levels of expertise. Let's not go and ruin that with your unwelcome and unneccesary sarcastic remarks. This is one of my first posts in the iPhone part of this forum, perhaps the community here is less mature than people who frequent the Mac/General boards of this forum.

I just want to know if it's a bad idea to keep the iPhone on and playing music while the car is off. It looks like it doesn't really matter all that much, so I'm probably going to continue doing it.

The Californian · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
I just finished a post in the community thread about how welcoming the community here is of people with all different levels of expertise. Let's not go and ruin that with your unwelcome and unneccesary sarcastic remarks. This is one of my first posts in the iPhone part of this forum, perhaps the community here is less mature than people who frequent the Mac/General boards of this forum.

I just want to know if it's a bad idea to keep the iPhone on and playing music while the car is off. It looks like it doesn't really matter all that much, so I'm probably going to continue doing it.

First of all you didn't post anything about us being hospitible in the Community Forum unless it was while you were talking about "24" or divorce.

Apart from that I think people have been very helpful but lighthearted, just cause someone jokes around and has a sense of humor doesn't mean they are trying to be rude.

And finally, to your question. I leave my 3G on 24/7, it's on while it charges and all day and night. It's important to make sure you allow the battery to drain down to nothing occasionally just to exercise it, but also try to do a soft reset daily or even weekly... It's just good for it.

I'm sure you'll be fine, so enjoy it.

barr08 · May 20, 2009

xbuddycorex said:
First of all you didn't post anything about us being hospitible in the Community Forum unless it was while you were talking about "24" or divorce.

Apart from that I think people have been very helpful but lighthearted, just cause someone jokes around and has a sense of humor doesn't mean they are trying to be rude.

And finally, to your question. I leave my 3G on 24/7, it's on while it charges and all day and night. It's important to make sure you allow the battery to drain down to nothing occasionally just to exercise it, but also try to do a soft reset daily or even weekly... It's just good for it.

I'm sure you'll be fine, so enjoy it.

It was an edit on my 1000th post, short but sweet, and I meant it. I come here to get good advice from polite, mature people about my technological issues. I got two replies in a row which were condescending and not helpful, so I reacted. I appreciate you trying to defend them, but I stand by what I said.

Thank you for your input. The goal of this thread was to see if anyone had any horror stories about leaving their iPhone/iPod playing music in their car 24/7, and it looks like so far I am in the clear.

chriszzz · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
I just finished a post in the community thread about how welcoming the community here is of people with all different levels of expertise. Let's not go and ruin that with your unwelcome and unneccesary sarcastic remarks. This is one of my first posts in the iPhone part of this forum, perhaps the community here is less mature than people who frequent the Mac/General boards of this forum.

I just want to know if it's a bad idea to keep the iPhone on and playing music while the car is off. It looks like it doesn't really matter all that much, so I'm probably going to continue doing it.

Overreact much?

Knowlege Bomb · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
It was an edit on my 1000th post, short but sweet, and I meant it. I come here to get good advice from polite, mature people about my technological issues. I got two replies in a row which were condescending and not helpful, so I reacted. I appreciate you trying to defend them, but I stand by what I said.

Thank you for your input. The goal of this thread was to see if anyone had any horror stories about leaving their iPhone/iPod playing music in their car 24/7, and it looks like so far I am in the clear.

How were the replies you quoted condescending?? The first contained useful information regarding various charging environments and the effects on the battery life and the second was pretty straight and to the point about not having to "reboot". I'll agree the eye roll was unnecessary but it really didn't fit with the mood of the rest of the post.

I hope you don't take everything so personally in the real world...

bigchief · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
I just want to know if it's a bad idea to keep the iPhone on and playing music while the car is off. It looks like it doesn't really matter all that much, so I'm probably going to continue doing it.

This has already been stated and apparently you didn't read it but leaving a cell phone in a hot car will cook your battery.

fabian9 · May 20, 2009

barr08 said:
I got two replies in a row which were condescending and not helpful, so I reacted. I appreciate you trying to defend them, but I stand by what I said.

I don't see how they were condescending either... :S

Michael CM1 · May 20, 2009

I've had my iPhone for 13 months and can probably count the hours it has been shut off on my fingers. If you're like many of us and it's your only phone, it's crazy to turn it off. I didn't sign up for $70/month to have a time when I can't get calls or whatever.

Most phones worth a darn are meant to be on like this, just like computers. However, I will say you should have your computer set up to go into low-power mode (sleep) if you're away for a while.

9822679 · May 20, 2009

24/7... Wow I'm starting to understand why there people on this board get so serious about miniscule iPhone issues

I have a laptop, netbook, desktop and an iPhone. Only the desktop stays on 24/7 and that's because it doubles as my HDTV.

MadMacxxx · May 20, 2009

Dr. Cabrera said:
24/7... Wow I'm starting to understand why there people on this board get so serious about miniscule iPhone issues

I have a laptop, netbook, desktop and an iPhone. Only the desktop stays on 24/7 and that's because it doubles as my HDTV.

You must be married and have kids if your OK with turning your phone off, say, at night for example. I'm personally too paranoid about missing an important call from my gf, family, or friends in distress, so leave mine on 24/7. Plus, I can't stand people who don't answer their phones too often or dont reply till like 7+ hours later, so I don't want to be that guy.

kas23 · May 20, 2009

I haven't shut my phone off since I bought it (months ago). It's my only phone. Besides that, I don't need it to last forever, just for 1.5 years, when I buy a new one. I also have a warranty, so it really doesn't matter.

AiralynRose · May 20, 2009

Michael CM1 said:
I've had my iPhone for 13 months and can probably count the hours it has been shut off on my fingers. If you're like many of us and it's your only phone, it's crazy to turn it off. I didn't sign up for $70/month to have a time when I can't get calls or whatever.

Most phones worth a darn are meant to be on like this, just like computers. However, I will say you should have your computer set up to go into low-power mode (sleep) if you're away for a while.

Just to clarify, It seems as though the OP doesn't use it for a phone. But wants to leave it playing in his car all the time. (Which I don't even understand why he'd want to do that.)

cellocello · May 20, 2009

People turn their phones off?

bigchief · May 20, 2009

I don't know about the iphone but all the other cell phones I've bought from AT&T the reps advised to turn the phone off once a day even if it's turned off for just a few seconds. This is to enable updates from AT&T.

v66jack · May 20, 2009

My last two iPhones kept crashing constantly, and when i took it to the apple store the women said that you should turn it on and off at least once a week to clear cache memory or something!! Im no tech person but if i don't turn it on off now and again it keeps crashing!! So thats what apple advised me ad it has stopped the crashing - when i remember to do it!!!!

stutzedward · May 22, 2009

Cellphones are meant to be on all the time but rebooting is needed daily, just like my WinMo fone. Hence with the WinMo experience, I make a habit reboot my iPhone daily too.

JCastro · May 22, 2009

v66jack said:
My last two iPhones kept crashing constantly, and when i took it to the apple store the women said that you should turn it on and off at least once a week to clear cache memory or something!! Im no tech person but if i don't turn it on off now and again it keeps crashing!! So thats what apple advised me ad it has stopped the crashing - when i remember to do it!!!!

This is the only time I turn my iPhone off too. I could probably count on one finger the amount of time I actually had it powered off.

I guess the OP is not using his iPhone as a phone. Maybe there are some people that do leave their cells in the car or whatever. A lot of my friends laugh at me because if I am not talking on the phone it is still in my hand because I am playing with it or surfing the web, playing games or something.

TheSpaz · May 22, 2009

bigchief said:
I don't know about the iphone but all the other cell phones I've bought from AT&T the reps advised to turn the phone off once a day even if it's turned off for just a few seconds. This is to enable updates from AT&T.

Hahahahahahaha!

I never turn my iPhone off unless it's acting weird (which isn't often). It stays on for weeks and months at a time. I just keep recharging it. It is not bad for an iPhone to stay on all the time. Heck my iPod touch is still on... I never shut that off. My Mac Pro stays on 24/7 too.

John T · May 22, 2009

JCastro said:
........if I am not talking on the phone it is still in my hand because I am playing with it or surfing the web, playing games or something.

So; what you're saying is - you do nothing, apart from talking and playing games etc. on your iPhone. Wow! What a constructive and interesting life you lead!

Your contribution to society is er... unfathomable!

iPhoneNYC · May 22, 2009

I've had a first gen for almost two years now. The only time I shut the phone off is on very long plane rides (I also carry a nano on these flights). I charge at night with the phone still on. After two years of basically being on I'm only now seeing the slightest drop in battery life. I plan to switch to the new phone when it becomes available so I don't really think battery life is a true problem as most will switch after two years or shorter...

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