No, a cycle is a total of 100% charge; this could be, say, one 40% charge and one 60% charge.
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Apple's 80% Charging Limit for iPhone: How Much Did It Help After a Year?
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I think it does this a lot more when you first get the device, to learn how you use it, what time you start using it, etc. I see this on the Apple Watch 10 as well; mine is charging to 100% some days, and 80% other days using optimized charging.
I mean, how wrong can you be? I've had two iPhones with battery replacements because the percentage was below 80%. I know people whose iPhones are old and they show in the 70s. Can you imagine if they falsely showed the percentage of something they guarantee? In addition, this data can be read by third-party apps, so, I mean, take off the tinfoil hat.
Launch day pre-order iPhone 15 Pro
80% limit since first boot
229 cycle - 100% maximum capacity
My expectation is, this 80% limit is only going to pay dividend from the third year and on
80% limit since first boot
229 cycle - 100% maximum capacity
My expectation is, this 80% limit is only going to pay dividend from the third year and on
This is interesting. However, I don't think it tells that much. There are other factors that affect the battery, such as temperature and intense usage. If you play a game that makes the phone get hot, that will negatively affect the battery, and if you live in a very hot or very cold area, that will also affect charging and battery capacity.
My launch month 13PM still shows 84% capacity (though 2-3 months ago it was at 90%). Charge it pretty much exclusively on a Samsung charging puck or an Apple Magsafe charger. When it hits 100%, I just take it off it's charger. And when I use it, I rarely go below 40% charge.
This is probably the best, longest lasting battery I've had in an iPhone. Very satisfied with it. Another reason why I think I can easily go one more year before upgrading.
This is probably the best, longest lasting battery I've had in an iPhone. Very satisfied with it. Another reason why I think I can easily go one more year before upgrading.
Mine is a day-one iPhone 15 Pro Max and it's at 90% - a 10% drop in a year! 300 cycle counts at time of writing. That's unheard of for me, normally mine are around 96-94% by the one-year anniversary mark.
I have AppleCare but even so, this is way too prevalent an issue on forums everywhere to not be a problem on the 15 Pro/Pro Max.
I use a MagSafe charger (the Belkin 3-in-1 one) almost exclusively, which will generate more heat than wired charging. I wonder if those of us on lower battery health percentages also predominantly use wireless charging?
I have AppleCare but even so, this is way too prevalent an issue on forums everywhere to not be a problem on the 15 Pro/Pro Max.
I use a MagSafe charger (the Belkin 3-in-1 one) almost exclusively, which will generate more heat than wired charging. I wonder if those of us on lower battery health percentages also predominantly use wireless charging?
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Had 100% health until 215 cycles, now 98% health at 245 cycles. Usually at 80% charging limit, except when air traveling, where I turn all limits off and force it to 100%. Heat is also a factor here, the summer was quite hot. I use CarPlay, so the phone usually is not in direct sunlight.
The battery seems to do a lot better with the 80% limit, the question is if your lifestyle allows you to live with it. If you can cheat-charge for 20min mid-day go for it, otherwise don’t bother, it’s just a phone.
The battery seems to do a lot better with the 80% limit, the question is if your lifestyle allows you to live with it. If you can cheat-charge for 20min mid-day go for it, otherwise don’t bother, it’s just a phone.
I work mostly from home and have the phone plugged in the car. At night charge the phone on a slow wireless charger that is 7,5w which obviously is good enough for an overnight charger. I quiet like the feature because it feels like it does not abuse the battery trying to charge it to 100%, especially on long trips.
15 pro max
15 pro max
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iPhone 15 Pro Max, first used in November 2023. 214 cycles, 100% capacity, optimized charging, MagSafe for the most part.
I occasionally turn it to 80% (or 90% now on iOS 18) if I'm plugged in with GPS on long car rides, streaming SiriuxXM early in the day while on a photography shoot, etc. That's only been on 2-3 occasions, though.
I occasionally turn it to 80% (or 90% now on iOS 18) if I'm plugged in with GPS on long car rides, streaming SiriuxXM early in the day while on a photography shoot, etc. That's only been on 2-3 occasions, though.
This is a very good point. I hate it when my phone is constantly charged to 100% during longer trips when I use it for navigation.
You know what is much, much more important than putting a limit on your charging? Heat. Keep that thing cool 😎. Don't charge wirelessly and use it at the same time for example.
My 15 PM is at 96% and 144. I always use magsafe and always charge to 100%. I upgrade every year so I don't really care about the percentage.
Exactly. This is why this only matters if, a) you don't have AppleCare+, which will replace your battery if it's below 80%, and b) you plan to keep your phone more than two years (though you can extend AppleCare now), or you want to be able to sell it used with a decent battery health. If you trade your phone into Apple, they don't care what the battery health is, because they're going to replace the battery when they refurbish the phone.
I often get better battery health than those who baby their phone, when I have no charge limit and just charge the thing whenever I want, often wirelessly. I think it's just luck of the draw.
There's not really a "why" or a "hidden, conspiracy reason" for me pointing to a blog post, besides it being a very respected and reliable blog.
Thank you for posting these evidences which I didn't know about. I am always open and happy to learn and, contrary to what others posted in reply to my post, I have no intention of spreading lies on purpose.
I don't think the blog post I linked to contains lies, and I personally know the writer, who is a respected and known Mac expert.
Now, from your research, it seems that what I proposed of doing (40 to 100%) is close enough in efficiency to the 20 to 80%, making me think that what damages batteries is "emptying them too much".
But then ... 0 to 60 is even better ... which in the end proves my point (at least in my opinion): just charge it whenever you feel like and do not worry about that. Great that there is scientific research on the topic, but perhaps we are stressing too much about this?