macOS Sonoma Optimizes Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air's Battery Health

[MacRumors]

macOS Sonoma better optimizes the long-term battery health of the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip, according to Apple's release notes for the software update.

"Battery health management updated on 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip to better optimize long term battery health," the release notes state.

Apple does not provide any additional details about the exact optimizations that it made, nor have there been any widespread battery health complaints from customers who own this 13-inch MacBook Air model, released in July 2022. Battery health information can be found by opening the System Settings app and clicking on Battery.

In a support document, Apple explains how the battery health management feature works:

Battery health management is designed to improve your battery's lifespan by reducing the rate at which it chemically ages. The feature does this by monitoring your battery's temperature history and its charging patterns.

Based on the measurements that it collects, battery health management may temporarily reduce your battery's maximum charge. This happens as needed to ensure that your battery charges to a level that's optimized for your usage—reducing wear on the battery, and slowing its chemical aging.

macOS Sonoma is set to be released today following over three months of beta testing, with key new features including interactive desktop widgets, a Game Mode, the ability to add websites to the Dock as web apps, several Safari improvements, and more. We previously shared a list of Macs compatible with the update.

Article Link: macOS Sonoma Optimizes Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air's Battery Health

 

[alexandr]

Can't wait for Sonoma!

 

[jonnysods]

Don't the M1 machines do that too? My M1 14" MBP does this, it decides when its going to fully charge etc.

 

[LedRush]

While this is welcome for me and the 3 M2 Airs in my family, the battery management hasn't been effective for me on other devices as I guess I do not live a predictable enough life.

 

[jgbr]

Well, hurry up and release it then. Let's see if this is a less buggy core rot version of Mac OS...

 

[iBluetooth]

Don't the M1 machines do that too? My M1 14" MBP does this, it decides when its going to fully charge etc.

They all do, but it seems to be a better fine-tuning of it.

 

[contacos]

*optimized so you don’t get to ever claim AppleCare+ at 80% kind of optimization like on my Apple Watch?

 

[VMukhtarov]

After installing Sonoma betas, my M2 battery health dropped to 96% after 10 month and 80 cycles

 

[darkharbour]

*optimized so you don’t get to ever claim AppleCare+ at 80% kind of optimization like on my Apple Watch?

Wait, I can do that? I never realized that was an option for my MacBook

 

[contacos]

Wait, I can do that? I never realized that was an option for my MacBook

Of course

Your product is eligible for a battery replacement at no additional cost if you have AppleCare+ and your product's battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity.

Mac Repair and Service - Apple Support

Need to repair your Mac? See your service options, their costs by coverage type, and how long they take.

support.apple.com

 

[azentropy]

After installing Sonoma betas, my M2 battery health dropped to 96% after 10 month and 80 cycles

Bragging or complaining?

 

[Dog Bone Malone]

My M1 iMac ran like a bang of nails with the latest Sonoma beta. So much so, I wiped my Mac and reinstalled Ventura. Hot diggity ding dong Wowserroonies! my Mac is now flying. It's running the best it's ever ran!

Me thinks I'm going to give Sonoma RC a miss Whislt things are running this good.👍

 

[VMukhtarov]

Bragging or complaining?

I'm not sure, just wanted to see 100% as long as possible

 

[kiranmk2]

Apple, just buy Al Dente and embed it into MacOS.

 

[icerabbit]

I need better battery management for my 2018 MBA. It is like it will not enter deep sleep. It keeps draining itself to death over the course of a few days, when not in use, despite going through various options to not check for anything, no wake on lan, ...

 

[sw1tcher]

I need better battery management for my 2018 MBA. It is like it will not enter deep sleep. It keeps draining itself to death over the course of a few days, when not in use, despite going through various options to not check for anything, no wake on lan, ...

You need to get an M2 MBA for better battary management... just like how you need to get an iPhone 15 to be able to see battery cycle count or to prevent it from charging beyond 80 percent as those features are limited only to new devices.

 

[now i see it]

All they needed to do (like 20 years ago) is just have a 80% charge limit option like on the new iPhones
But noooooo

 

[diego.caraballo]

July 27, 2022. AlDente set to 75%.
Not too excited about the degradation to be honest.
And really, really disappointed at Apple that this model even requires to re-apply the CPU THERMAL PASTE
as part of the lengthy and complex battery replacement procedure. Is a new low, even for Apple...

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

After installing Sonoma betas, my M2 battery health dropped to 96% after 10 month and 80 cycles

yeah it really sounds like installing beta is horrible for the battey

 

[carswell]

All they needed to do (like 20 years ago) is just have a 80% charge limit option like on the new iPhones
But noooooo

Agreed. And why aren't these battery health features available in iPadOS? My new M2 iPad Pro ain't deserving enough?!

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

quite an esoteric statement lol. could it be in line with ios' latest 80% limit feature, meaning the m2 macs will lock charge at 80% more agressively (whilst unitl now they would sporadically let it go up to 100 and sometimes block at 80)

 

[deebinem]

Apple, just buy Al Dente and embed it into MacOS.

Came here JUST to ask how many people are running this instead of Apple's optimization? Hell, this kept my old 2015 MBP from degrading even further

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Of course

Your product is eligible for a battery replacement at no additional cost if you have AppleCare+ and your product's battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity.

Mac Repair and Service - Apple Support

Need to repair your Mac? See your service options, their costs by coverage type, and how long they take.

support.apple.com

just checked and to my surprise it says the same thing on apple.fr, even though all genius bar guys i asked told me that they only replace battery "if its in the red" which sounded quite vague

it looks like "below 80" is the only criteria? i see no mention of 1000 cycles or such

 

[jdb8167]

My M2 MBA does pretty well with only charging to 80% over night and then up to 100% before I leave for work in the morning. That’s weekdays but it isn’t smart enough to see that I don’t use it on battery on the weekends. It charges to 100% on Saturday and stays there until Monday morning.

 

[cutlub]

macOS Sonoma better optimizes the long-term battery health of the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip, according to Apple's release notes for the software update.

"Battery health management updated on 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip to better optimize long term battery health," the release notes state.

Apple does not provide any additional details about the exact optimizations that it made, nor have there been any widespread battery health complaints from customers who own this 13-inch MacBook Air model, released in July 2022. Battery health information can be found by opening the System Settings app and clicking on Battery.

In a support document, Apple explains how the battery health management feature works:macOS Sonoma is set to be released today following over three months of beta testing, with key new features including interactive desktop widgets, a Game Mode, the ability to add websites to the Dock as web apps, several Safari improvements, and more. We previously shared a list of Macs compatible with the update.

Article Link: macOS Sonoma Optimizes Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air's Battery Heal

I hope they can do the same for the iPhone 15 Pro.