Buy New Phone Battery
In late 2017, Apple acknowledged it had deliberately and secretly throttled some of its older phones to stabilize performance caused by aging batteries. Starting with iPhone 6 and iOS 11.3 you can go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to find a tool that reveals significant information about the current condition of your battery, and recommends if a battery should be replaced. You can also disable the performance management feature, though you may risk unexpected shutdowns if your battery is degraded.
buy new phone battery
When you tap on Battery Health, you can easily see the relevant statistics. Maximum Capacity is a percentage that measures current capacity versus 100% when your battery was new. A range of that percentage is normal, though a healthy battery should retain about 80% of its original capacity at 500 charge cycles. If capacity falls below 80%, Apple recommends replacing the battery.
Recalibration of maximum capacity and peak performance capability happens during regular charge cycles, over a few weeks, during which the displayed maximum capacity percentage will not change, though peak performance capability might be updated. If a previous degraded battery message was displayed, this message will be removed after updating to iOS 14.5.
When recalibration is complete, maximum capacity percentage and peak performance capability are updated and the recalibration message removed. If the recalibration still indicates a degraded battery, a battery service message will appear. Should that message be in error (if recalibration fails, for example), an Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace your battery for free.
However, using Android 9.0 Pie and Android 10, you can check Settings > Battery to get your current battery level and toggle between various battery saving modes. Some third-party apps available on the Google Play Store can also help.
This app is designed to measure actual battery usage with data derived from the battery charge controller. Android calculates battery usage from device manufacturers, but this app also measures battery capacity. It uses the charge alarm to enhance life span, determines wear on the battery with each charge, calculates discharge speed and battery consumption per app, and quantifies how long it takes before your battery will charge.
It's a new year, which means it's probably time for a new phone. Apple is still the most popular smartphone brand in the U.S. While Android smartphones combined may command a moderately larger global market share, no single brand alone -- including Samsung -- outpaces the venerable iPhone. It's no secret that iPhones aren't cheap, but if you need a new one and are hungry for smartphone deals, we can help. We've got a curated handful of the best iPhone deals and carrier offers right now, offering savings on everything from the iPhone SE to the iPhone 13. We also include savings available when you buy a recent model new or refurbished iPhone, which can be the best deals of all. The newest iPhone, the iPhone 14 series is now available and has already pushed down prices of earlier models.Apple iPhone 13 (128GB, Verizon) -- $5.00 a month for 36 months
If you've ever used Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay, then you've already taken advantage of the NFC feature on your phone. However, NFC can do a lot more than just handle mobile payments.What is NFC, and how does it work?
Apple's newest iteration of the iPhone has been available for purchase for a while, but some people are just now looking into picking it up. The iPhone 14 is the most advanced smartphone Apple has ever made and, thanks to the Dynamic Island of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, it stands out as unique when compared to the rest of Apple's smartphone lineup.
Because there are four discrete devices in the iPhone 14 line, and within each phone there are multiple hardware options, understanding how much each iPhone costs can be a little bit of a challenge. It's a good thing that Apple is offering so many different options for people to purchase the phone that best suits their needs, but as a result, there's a little bit of confusion about the different versions.
Best of all, it's paid for. So do I really have to buy a whole new phone just to get a new battery? It's not like I can pop the back off the X and swap out the old one. Not easily, anyway -- I tried this delicate surgery a few times with earlier-generation iPhones and was never successful.
Fortunately, Apple offers in-store and mail-in battery-replacement service. And most local phone-repair shops will do this as well. Because I'm the Cheapskate, of course I shopped around first. Apple would obviously be the most expensive option (because it's Apple!), so I asked for quotes from three nearby shops. To my surprise, the rates ranged from $89 to $129 -- on the high side, I thought, but still far cheaper than buying a new phone.
The other win: I felt a little more comfortable with Apple doing the work. A few years ago I hired a local shop to replace my daughter's phone battery; it came back with a broken front camera. Around the same time, my sister used a different shop for a replacement battery; a couple months later, the phone started coming apart due to faulty glue.
A security guard checked me in, and although there were about four people ahead of me in line, I waited only about five minutes. Once I got to the window, a friendly employee ran a few diagnostics on my phone, verified that it would benefit from a new battery, and sent me on my way.
And that's exactly how it went down. The entire transaction was smooth and efficient, and $69 later my iPhone X feels like it just came out of the box -- at least from a battery perspective. Normally, by 5 p.m. I'd be down to about 10% remaining. Yesterday, I still had 55% -- at 8 p.m.
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.
The huge number of choices from a variety of phone manufacturers should make shopping simple, but sometimes this makes it more confusing, whether you're looking for the highest-quality, elite phone or a more affordable phone, like the Google Pixel 6A. The best devices on the market not only have different prices, they also have different camera specs, screen sizes and storage capacities.
In general, performance lines up with cost. The very latest, greatest technology usually comes at a premium. Flagship phones pack the best cameras, the most powerful processors and may even sport cutting-edge tech like flexible displays. The high prices mean that these phones are only worth considering for those who want the absolute latest tech in their pockets.
Not everyone needs such top tech however, or may simply be unwilling to spend the $1,000 or more typically required to get it. Luckily, the midrange sector of the phone world has been one of the fiercest battlegrounds for companies to compete in, resulting in some amazing phones that won't break the bank. Features like wireless charging and cameras with multiple lenses that were once the domain of flagships are now commonplace on midrange phones.
5G is the latest standard that promises lightning-fast mobile data speeds when you're out and about. Like any new technology, it's commonplace to see it on higher-end devices but it's also increasingly common to find on much more affordable phones too.
Coverage for 5G isn't everywhere yet, so it's important to ask yourself whether you need 5G speeds at all and crucially, whether they're available where you live. If you're planning on keeping your phone for at least a couple of years, you can safely expect 5G to become more of the norm in that time. If you're on the fence about it now, it may be that in nine months you'll feel differently and might regret not taking the plunge sooner.
All phones have gotten steadily bigger over the last few years, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max measuring a whopping 6.68 inches and the Galaxy S23 Ultra coming in at 6.8 inches. Small phones aren't that common anymore but there are a few options to consider if you don't want a massive screen stretching out your pockets.
Apple opted not to update the iPhone 13 Mini this year, but it is still officially on sale through the Apple Store and at 5.4-inches it's quite a lot smaller than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14. On the Android side, the Google Pixel 6A's 6.1-inch display makes it one of the better smaller phones, but even then it's hardly what you'd call tiny.
Camera features have been a major point for bragging rights in recent phones, with manufacturers always wanting a bigger, more exciting number, be it the number of megapixels or quantity of actual camera lenses. Three rear cameras are now common -- a regular lens, an ultrawide lens and a telephoto lens -- with even budget-focused phones packing multiple cameras.
Look out for features like optical (rather than digital) zooms, night mode for better low-light images, and optical image stabilization. Sometimes these features might not be clear, and it's not possible to judge a camera's performance just by looking at the specs. If you really care about your phone's photography skills, then take some time to look at the reviews and see how its camera performs before you spend your money.
Most phones, from the budget end through to elite flagships, can last most of a day on a single charge. Bigger phones might have bigger batteries, but they also have bigger screens and often more powerful processors, so they suck that extra juice down quickly. Few phones will give you more than a day of use. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Top-end phones pack powerful processors along with 12GB of RAM or even more. It's enough to make these phones run any task without breaking a sweat, but you don't need to spend flagship level money to get great performance. 041b061a72