Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
All Lithium batteries have a finite amount of charge cycles depending on its capacity, design and some more minor factors. And likely because of such difference, phone charge cycle is much lower than your MacBook charge cycle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dawgfan
Yes, all batteries have an number of cycles before they are no longer good.

GO DAWGS!!!

Go Dawgs! - BTW - is there a way to determine how many cycles we should expect and how do I tell how many one has been through? Can do on my Air, but not sure about our phones (5C and SE). Thanks!!!
 
https://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

"Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. The one-year warranty includes service coverage for a defective battery. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery service for $79, plus $6.95 shipping, subject to local tax."

This should give you a good starting point about what Apple expects.
 
https://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

"Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. The one-year warranty includes service coverage for a defective battery. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery service for $79, plus $6.95 shipping, subject to local tax."

This should give you a good starting point about what Apple expects.
Hopefully Apple will follow Samsung with the S8, who claims to have improved battery efficiency from reaching 80% after similar use with the S7 and earlier, to 95% with the S8.
 
All rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles, but it's usually not worth worrying about. By the time you've really worn down the battery (if you do) it will probably be time for a new phone for other reasons.
 
  • Like
Reactions: crf8
Like my MacBook, which has an estimated 1,000 charge cycles?
Get CoconutBattery for your MacBook. Then plug your phone into the MacBook using you cable and it will give you very accurate info regarding your battery health, # of charge cycles etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
Yes,batteries have a limited life span,but the charging cycles set by Apple,is mostly underestimated. Had the same phone for 3 years,charge it every night,no sign of battery wear yet.
True, it's not noticeable.

I have a 5S that has a battery capacity of 89% after all these years with 332 cycles on it. This means that after 332 complete battery recharges, the battery has lost only 11% of it's total capacity. It's not enough to notice that it holds less charge then it did new. It lasts about as long as my 3 week old SE.
 
Yes,batteries have a limited life span,but the charging cycles set by Apple,is mostly underestimated. Had the same phone for 3 years,charge it every night,no sign of battery wear yet.

On 6 iPhones through the years, only 1, my 6, required a battery replacement. In under 2 years. it started dropping unexpectedly from 30 to 0. Replaced it. Then handed it down to replace a 4 that never had the battery replaced. I wasn't using it, so it wouldn't surprise me if the battery life was less. The user was normally driving so it could easily be charged up.
 
Go Dawgs! - BTW - is there a way to determine how many cycles we should expect and how do I tell how many one has been through? Can do on my Air, but not sure about our phones (5C and SE). Thanks!!!


I know you will laugh at me but go Georgia State Panthers!!!!
 
I've had MacBook's with WELL over 1000 charge cycles that got 5 hours+ easily still. Unless they really start playing up and randomly shutting down at 20% I'm happy. A slight deterioration over time is only natural.
 
This analysis shows how depth of discharge plays into the equation.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

TLDR:
Depth of discharge (DoD) and heat also has a lot to say regarding battery wear. It's not just about cycles. If you can keep your iPhone cool and maintain charge between 40 and 80%, you'll be able to achieve a lot of more cycles than 500 before the battery is worn down.

It's a pain in the butt to keep an iPhone between 40 and 80%, so a compromise could be to keep it between 20 and 90%. This way you'll never have to worry about cycles.
 
This analysis shows how depth of discharge plays into the equation.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

TLDR:
Depth of discharge (DoD) and heat also has a lot to say regarding battery wear. It's not just about cycles. If you can keep your iPhone cool and maintain charge between 40 and 80%, you'll be able to achieve a lot of more cycles than 500 before the battery is worn down.

It's a pain in the butt to keep an iPhone between 40 and 80%, so a compromise could be to keep it between 20 and 90%. This way you'll never have to worry about cycles.

The biggest thing is just don't let your battery drop below 10% incase of emergencies where you can't get to a charger. I've hit 180+ cycles on my 7Plus and it was still at 100% health. I avoid heat, cold, and letting it drop below 10%.

My 2012 MBA is at 1,128 cycles and still kicking around 82%. 128 over the 80% threshold.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
The biggest thing is just don't let your battery drop below 10% incase of emergencies where you can't get to a charger. I've hit 180+ cycles on my 7Plus and it was still at 100% health. I avoid heat, cold, and letting it drop below 10%.

My 2012 MBA is at 1,128 cycles and still kicking around 82%. 128 over the 80% threshold.

Where on the iphone do you find how many cycles you've used and battery health?
[doublepost=1493220750][/doublepost]Good info here guys. Just coming from a Samsung Note to a 7 plus and the battery life is amazing, just want to do all I can to keep it that way.

So basically, try not to charge to 100% all the time and leave it there charging at 100% and try not to let it drop below 20-40% and that is about all you can do?

And doing lots of short bursts of charge, ie when you are in car, like bumping it from 60 to 70 or just adding a little charge doesn't matter or hurt, it's the constant charging to 100 and leaving it on that kills it?
 
Where on the iphone do you find how many cycles you've used and battery health?
[doublepost=1493220750][/doublepost]Good info here guys. Just coming from a Samsung Note to a 7 plus and the battery life is amazing, just want to do all I can to keep it that way.

So basically, try not to charge to 100% all the time and leave it there charging at 100% and try not to let it drop below 20-40% and that is about all you can do?

And doing lots of short bursts of charge, ie when you are in car, like bumping it from 60 to 70 or just adding a little charge doesn't matter or hurt, it's the constant charging to 100 and leaving it on that kills it?

You can't on the iPhone itself. You need to use Coconut battery for Mac or iBackupbot for Windows.

Charging to 100% is fine. iOS automatically stops charging at 100% and discharges to 95%. At 95% it starts to charge backup again, therefore preventing overcharging. Keeping it at 100% 24/7 is bad because it doesn't use the battery and batteries like to be used. Thats why they say 20-80% is the best range, because its being used. Under 20% reduces the voltage of the battery and could over time hurt the battery health.

Short bursts are typically fine. I prefer not to do it, but I haven't read anything that says its bad. The biggest thing to avoid is heat. Heat kills your battery health.
 
You can't on the iPhone itself. You need to use Coconut battery for Mac or iBackupbot for Windows.

Charging to 100% is fine. iOS automatically stops charging at 100% and discharges to 95%. At 95% it starts to charge backup again, therefore preventing overcharging. Keeping it at 100% 24/7 is bad because it doesn't use the battery and batteries like to be used. Thats why they say 20-80% is the best range, because its being used. Under 20% reduces the voltage of the battery and could over time hurt the battery health.

Short bursts are typically fine. I prefer not to do it, but I haven't read anything that says its bad. The biggest thing to avoid is heat. Heat kills your battery health.

So how did you tell your cycles on your 7 Plus... ?

Thank you so much !!
 
Last edited:
My iPhone 6 has 671 cycles and 82,7% battery health according to Coconut. I never think about my battery. I use my iPhone 6 all the time and I charge it every night till the next morning. It gets hot and cold all the time, thanks to the weather in The Netherlands. So, it is just a lottery. Use your iPhone in a way you feel comfortabel with. That is what an iPhone is made for after all.
 
My iPhone 6 has 671 cycles and 82,7% battery health according to Coconut. I never think about my battery. I use my iPhone 6 all the time and I charge it every night till the next morning. It gets hot and cold all the time, thanks to the weather in The Netherlands. So, it is just a lottery. Use your iPhone in a way you feel comfortabel with. That is what an iPhone is made for after all.

I didn't think you could have coconut on your iphone?
 
Without counting your charged cycle, basically if you use your phone everyday which i think we do, some use heavily and recharge more often and some less. But after about 3 years of daily use, the battery will significantly become weaker and would have less juice left. By that time, I will change the newest iPhone anyway and retire my 3-4 yrs old iphone. But replacing with new batteries can be done around $100 so I heard.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.