iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are here – and just as the rumors predicted, they both come with a USB-C port instead of Lightning. This means that users can finally use the same cable between iPhone, iPad, and Mac to recharge. But there’s something else Apple may not have told us, as 9to5Mac has found evidence that iPhone 15 will have an option to limit the maximum battery charge.
iPhone 15 to include battery charge limiting option
Based on code found in iOS 17 RC, which was released to developers on Tuesday, Apple has developed a new feature that will let users limit the maximum battery charge to better preserve its health. Once available, the option will be found in the Battery settings menu.
When the feature is turned off, users will see a message saying that the iPhone “will charge to its full capacity.” But when the feature is on, it will inform the user that the battery “will only charge to about X%.” The Settings app will also show when the iPhone was last recharged to the limit set by the user.
The feature works similarly to “Optimized Battery Charging,” which learns the user’s daily routine so that it only finishes recharging the battery past 80% around the time the user unplugs the iPhone from the charger. The new option, however, will always limit recharging to a certain battery level.
Top comment by Ryan Hitt
This feature is one I will use constantly. Adaptive charging does not work for me since my schedule is way too irregular for the phone to intelligently figure anything out. But I am able to periodically charge my phone during the day, so if I can “top” it off at 80% during my day-to-day, that’s all I need. Turn it off and charge to 100% on vacation or whatnot. This will have a very positive effect on most people’s battery health I imagine.
A similar feature already exists in some Android phones such as Samsung’s Galaxy. That’s because recharging a lithium-ion battery to 100% ends up making the battery age faster, so phone makers have been adding features to limit recharging in some situations. By doing so, users can sacrifice battery life to ensure that the component will last longer.
Many iPhone 14 Pro users have been complaining about how the device’s maximum battery capacity has been dropping considerably quickly. Perhaps this has prompted Apple to provide an option to let users better manage their iPhone’s battery.
Compatibility
Since the iPhone 15 hasn’t hit stores yet, we can’t say for sure that this feature will be available on day one. However, given that it’s already there in the code and we didn’t find it enabled on iPhone 14 models, we assume that the new charge optimization feature is only compatible with USB-C iPhones.
iOS 17 will be released to the public on Monday, September 18. As for the iPhone 15, pre-orders start this Friday with the official launch set for September 22.
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