It’s also winter for our smartphone. And like us, our most faithful everyday companion catches cold.
But as soon as it is cold, our smartphone is at its head and goes off alone, unexpectedly. This does not mean that your smartphone is defective!
But why does this phenomenon occur? And how to fix it? We tell you everything! Being a journalist or high-tech blogger gives rise to recurring situations in the private setting.
Friends take for the Bible new technologies, and we are sometimes faced with existential questions such as “should you recharge your smartphone all night?”
“Is the iPhone better than the Samsung?” “What about your phone?”, “and what do you think about smartphones at 1500 euros?”.
And then sometimes, like a glimmer of hope in a sluggish daily, a friend named Giovanni asks you the question:
“Hey dude, who bumb you in there?, you know if my cell has a problem because as soon as he it’s cold it goes out alone while the battery is almost full, it’s the galley. But yes, not that question!
After a little research, we have the answer. And you are told in bonus how to avoid the phenomenon. We say thank you who? Thank you Giovanni!
Do not worry, your battery is fine
If your smartphone turns off when it’s cold, do not panic, that does not mean that your battery is defective.
In fact, it’s the opposite. While waiting for other technologies, such as graphene for example , the batteries of smartphones use lithium-ion.
To schematize, the lithium-ion is based on a chemical reaction based on the flow of electrons creating electric current.
The advantages of lithium-ion are multiple. Batteries are less expensive for manufacturers and can hold a lot of energy in a very dense space.
The biggest disadvantage is that the lithium-ion is very sensitive to temperature variations. The speed of the chemical reaction is more or less rapid depending on the ambient temperature.
The colder it is, the slower the reaction and the less power the battery provides. The cold also has a second Kiss Cool effect (it was easy).
At low temperatures, the internal resistance increases and the voltage decreases. Under the 2.7 volts bar, the smartphone is lured and thinks that the battery is discharged . So, he goes off.
Aware of the phenomenon, some manufacturers reassure their customers. Apple delivers complete information on the subject on its official website.
“It may be that you found that using an iPod, an iPhone or iPad in a very cold environment alters autonomy. This is a temporary condition. Once the battery molecules have warmed up, the battery recovers its previous capacity” explains the manufacturer.
Do not panic so! Just wait and warm up or plug in your smartphone to get everything back to normal.
If it had turned off with 89% of battery, it will return in the same state of form. Or, you can prevent rather than heal. Some small daily gestures help to avoid the cold snap.
Some Tips To Avoid The Cold Snap
No need to be a genius to know how to avoid the cold of your smartphone. Just make good gestures and keep it warm.
Avoid putting your smartphone in pockets of pants. The cold infiltrates easily. It is best to put it in an inside pocket.
For users of two wheels, this advice is to be adopted systematically. The handbag is to be avoided too.
What warms the smartphone is the body temperature. Placing it between the body and a good coat is the best way to avoid a cold snap.
If despite your precautions the smartphone turns off anyway, it is important not to accelerate its warming.
Placing it on a heat source is not recommended (radiator, hair dryer etc.). In the case of chemical reactions, a thermal shock could create instability and damage the battery and / or the smartphone.
Simply place your smartphone indoors at room temperature (unless you work in a workshop where it is -5 °).
If however you do not have the possibility of storing your smartphone in an inside pocket, special shells exist.
They are not models of design but they have the merit of preserving your smartphone. If you go skiing for example, they will be very effective. Not only do they protect from the cold but they are also protection against falls.
Finally, know that all smartphones are not equal to the cold. Some models can withstand extreme temperatures (up to -20 ° for some). Others are more sensitive, the iPhone, for example, struggles to resist when the temperature reaches -5°.