How to: Improve battery life on your smartphone

Push email
Push email uses a mail delivery system with real-time capability to ‘push’ email to the recipient as soon as it arrives at the server, rather than requiring the recipient to collect or ‘pull’ email manually. If you use Microsoft Exchange or a similar push email service, be aware that frequent synchronisation can have an adverse effect on battery life.

If you are a Windows Mobile and Microsoft Exchange user, tap Start>Programs>ActiveSync and then Menu>Schedule. You can now configure your handset to sync more frequently during times when you are likely to get email (peak times) and less frequently out of office hours (off peak times).

All the major mobile platforms support Microsoft Exchange and it is worth spending a few minutes configuring the push email settings on your particular smartphone. If you are an iPhone user and have a push email account such as MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail or Microsoft Exchange, tap Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendars>Fetch New Data and you can turn off push functionality if it is not required.

Wireless networks
If you are in an area of limited wireless reception, your smartphone will constantly search for a stronger signal and this can drain power very quickly. Consider using flight mode until you return to an area with good network coverage. 3G networks work in much the same way and if you are using 3G, turn it off when it is not required.

Although 3G networks load data faster, they also have an adverse effect on battery life, especially in areas where 3G coverage is poor. If you have an iPhone, go to Settings>General>Network and you can toggle 3G on or off in an instant. On an Android phone you can place a widget on your home screen to turn your mobile data connection on or off when needed.

Wi-Fi is also a major power drain and switching it off when it is not required can significantly prolong the time between charges. Alternatively, tweak the Wi-Fi power settings for optimum battery life if this option is available. Windows Mobile users can tap Start>Connections>Connections tab>Wireless LAN>Power Mode tab and move the slider towards Best Battery rather than Best Performance.

Although Wi-Fi does drain power, it is important to note that it is better for your battery to use Wi-Fi rather than 3G when browsing the Internet because 3G is more power-intensive. Bluetooth is another wireless technology that can drain battery power. If you don’t need it, turn it off.

Power intensive tasks
If your battery is running low and the option to recharge it is not available, try to avoid power intensive tasks. Most games require a lot of CPU power and will therefore be a huge drain on your smartphone’s battery. Streaming video and excessive Internet browsing can also significantly reduce the time between charges, as can using your mobile device as an audio player.

Charging tips
Looking after and maintaining your battery can extend its life. For example, never let your battery discharge completely and make sure that you charge your smartphone regularly. Lithium-based batteries like being topped up as it keeps the electrons moving and even if power is showing 100%, leaving your smartphone charging overnight will not be detrimental. On the contrary, it will help ensure that you have enough power for those days when you really need your battery to last. On a final note, performing at least one full maintenance charge cycle every month will help maximise the life and performance of your battery.

Optimise your settings
Three simple steps to minimise power consumption

Adjust brightness
Backlighting impacts on battery life and the easiest way to minimise power consumption is to adjust the brightness of your backlight while it is on battery power. Reduce the brightness a little and you will quickly adapt to the new setting.

Backlight timeout
A good rule of thumb is to adjust the settings so that that the backlight is on for the least amount of time that is acceptable to you. Unless you are a prolific smartphone user, configure the backlight to switch off after two or three minutes.

Auto power off
Do you sometimes put your smartphone down without switching it off? Conserve battery power by using your device’s auto power off feature. Tweak the setting so that your handset switches off automatically after a period of inactivity.

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