Month: September 2023

4 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your MacBook Battery

Your MacBook battery life won’t last forever . When battery health degrades, leaving your charger at home becomes increasingly untenable since the time between charges can reduce dramatically.
The Obvious Sign: Reduced Battery LifeIt should go without saying, but a MacBook with greatly diminished battery life should benefit from a battery replacement. There are varying degrees of battery degradation, from “a few hours less than what I remember” to the machine lasting single-digit minutes when disconnected from power.
As your battery ages, it will lose capacity as part of the normal aging process. Modern MacBook batteries are good for 1000 cycles before needing to be replaced, while older models typically withstand 300 cycles. You can see how your battery is affected by usage using the graphs under System Settings > Battery.


Ideally, you want to see a steady decline rather than sharp dips in charge level (unless you know you’ve been doing something intensive like playing games or rendering video). Your Mac should remain relatively stable when not in use.

A “cycle” is one full charge from 0% to 100% and back to 0% again. Few people use their MacBooks in this way, but the cycles still add up. For example, two days of using half your battery life and charging from 50% to 100% would equal one cycle. You shouldn’t fear increasing your MacBook’s cycle count, since the battery is designed to be used.
RELATED:Debunking Battery Life Myths For Mobile Phones, Tablets, And Laptops
macOS Battery Service WarningYour MacBook should tell you when it’s time to replace your battery. Click on the battery charge indicator in the menu bar in the top-right corner of the screen. If you see a “Condition: Replace Soon” or similar warning, macOS has determined your battery is deteriorating to a degree where it will soon need replacing.


If you don’t see any such warning, your MacBook battery should be working as normal and not in need of replacement.
View macOS battery status in menu bar
You don’t have to replace your MacBook battery when this warning appears. Doing so will give your laptop a new lease of life when relying on battery power, but if you never leave your desk or find it convenient to carry a charger everywhere you go you can simply ignore it and carry on as normal.
High Cycle Count and Poor Battery HealthYou can see information about your battery under System Settings > Battery. macOS should report the overall condition, with an “i” information button you can tap to see your maximum capacity percentage.


You can also find this information under System Information. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen then hold the Option key on your keyboard. Click on “System Information” and then navigate to the “Power” section in the sidebar. Battery information will be displayed at the top of the information panel, with “Cycle Count” available in the “Health Information” section.
Consult Apple’s battery health guide to work out what sort of cycle count you should expect from your MacBook before needing to replace the battery. To find out which MacBook you have, click on the Apple logo in the top-right corner of the screen and then choose “About This Mac”.


Unexpected Shutdowns or OverheatingYour MacBook will turn itself off sooner than you’d probably like if the battery needs replacing. Unexpected shutdowns or heat problems could also be explained by poor battery health. For example, if your Mac reports that it has a moderate amount of battery left and then shuts down before giving you the low battery warning, a faulty battery could be to blame.
The same is true of unexpected power loss while using your MacBook on battery power. This is an extreme example of a battery fault, where the cell can no longer deliver the required power to keep the machine from shutting down. Even if this is the case , the MacBook should run fine on mains power (at least it does on our old MacBook Air that has no battery inside it).


Older batteries may also be more prone to overheating. You can check your MacBook’s temperature using a free app called Hot (for both Intel and Apple Silicon models). The normal operating temperature for an Apple Silicon (M1 or later) CPU at idle is around 68ºF to 95ºF (20ºC to 35ºC), and around 120ºF (50ºc) or less for an Intel CPU. Under load, both machines can spike to around 212ºF (100ºC) on the CPU.
Monitor temperatures with Hot for macOSTake these temperatures with a pinch of salt, since the ambient temperature and usage conditions (for example, full sunlight) can make a big difference to how hot or cold your MacBook runs. You’re more likely to notice sluggish performance as a result of thermal throttling or spontaneous shutdowns if your Mac is affected by heat.


RELATED:7 Tips To Keep Your Tech From Overheating
What to Do About Your Failing BatteryIf your MacBook is still under warranty or covered by AppleCare+ or another insurance scheme, you may be eligible for a free battery  replacement if your maximum capacity has dropped below 80%. You can check your eligibility under System Settings > General > About under the ” Coverage” section. Make an appointment with Apple or an authorized service center using Apple Support.
Apple will test your battery and let you know if it needs replacing. If you’ve followed the instructions for checking your cycle count and battery health above, you’ll probably already know the outcome of this testing. If you have a 15-inch MacBook Pro manufactured between 2015 and 2017, you may be eligible for a battery replacement due to a recall.
It’s worth checking the Apple Service Programs website to see if your Mac is listed for a free battery replacement or affected by any other issues. If your MacBook isn’t covered by your original warranty or a service program, Apple can still replace the battery. This is the easiest way forward if you want your battery replaced, but it’s also the most costly.
You can check how much a battery replacement will cost using the Mac Repair & Service website. Expect to pay around $199 for a new battery, including parts and labor. In many cases, Apple will be able to fit a new battery on the same day , or you can use an authorized service center or mail-in service if visiting a retail location isn’t possible.

Finally, you can always replace the battery yourself at home. You can buy everything you need to do this (including the battery) on websites like iFixit or Other World Computing. Kits can cost from as little as $60 to around $100 and come with everything you need.

You’ll also find links to guides on iFixit’s website or YouTube demonstrating how to perform the replacement. Replacing a battery is considered a fairly advanced fix, so if you’re worried about things going wrong it might be worth getting someone else to do it That said, if it’s an old MacBook you’re happy to risk and you’re keen to hone your repair skills, a battery replacement might make a perfect Sunday afternoon activity.

Keep Your MacBook Battery in Great ConditionThere are a few basic practices you can employ to keep your MacBook battery in good condition. This includes making use of optimized charging, keeping the charge level between 40 and 80%, and avoiding extreme temperatures.

How to check the condition of your Mac’s battery

If you’re thinking about buying a second-hand Mac notebook, you need to know how to find the condition of the battery.This simple tip helps you do that.A friend of mine was considering purchasing an old(ish) MacBook Pro and wanted to check the battery life as they arranged the deal.


That’s when I thought it might be worth sharing this little tip, given lots of people will be selling Macs to get hold of a new MacBook Air.
Battery cycles for battery healthThat’s when I remembered this little-known, but really quite useful (and mercifully short), Mac tip that helps you get some kind of insight into your Mac’s battery health.
[Related: Apple’s place is in the enterprise ]The batteries used inside Macs are built to handle a number of battery cycles.
Apple advises that once your battery has used up all these cycles, it should be considered as needing replacement.
The company also says: “Your battery is designed to retain up to 80 percent of its original capacity at 1,000 complete charge cycles.”
They usually work way beyond that number (it’s kind of notional), but you may experience increasingly low battery life between charges until you end up with a notebook you have to plug into power to use.


This is why you need to know how to find the battery cycle count data, particularly if you are about to purchase a second-hand Mac notebook. That way you know why what you are buying seems to be a bargain and can plan in advance for a battery replacement.
How to check the battery cycle count on MacsApple makes it easy to check the battery cycle count on Macs; you just need to follow these instructions:
Open About This Mac in the Apple Menu.General information about your system will appear in a small window.At the bottom left of that window you’ll find a button called ‘System Report’.Press this button, and a new window appears offering all kinds of hardware-related information about your Mac – choose the Power section.NB: Hold down the Option key when you press About This Mac to open the System Report directly.In the right-hand window in the next pane look for Health Information.This tells you your current cycle count and lets you know the condition of your battery.
What about the battery icon?You can also get a general sense of battery health using the battery icon.


Option-click the battery icon in the menu bar, and you will see one of these statements:
Normal: This is what you want to seeReplace Soon: The battery works but needs replacing.Replace Now: You can keep using the battery, but don’t expect too much time between charges, and you should look to replacing it.Service Battery: Don’t panic, you can keep using your Mac, but you really should take the machine in and get it services.
What is battery cycle?The batteries used in notebooks are not built to last forever.
Battery cycles are a shorthand used by manufacturers to estimate battery life. A battery cycle represents what happens when the battery is fully charged and then used until it empties – that’s one cycle.


If you use 90 percdent of your Mac’s power until it reaches 10 percent power, charge it to 100%, and then use a tenth of the power in the now charged Mac, that counts as a single charge (90 +10 = 100). Use up 50 percent four times running, and that’s two charges.


What is my Mac’s battery cycle?Most current Macs (MacBooks, MacBook Airs, and MacBook Pros) use batteries assessed as having 1,000 battery cycles. That’s pretty much good enough for at least three years of regular use.
Older Macs (including the original MacBook Air) carried batteries with just 300 cycles inside. You can check how many cycles your Mac is meant to have here.

The Ultimate Guide to Boosting your MacBook’s Battery Life

Despite the fact that Apple seem to be on a mission to make each new MacBook lighter and thinner than the previous version, today your typical MacBook boasts an impressive battery life, to the point where you can expect to get a full day’s work from a single charge. But it’s human nature to always want that little bit extra! 
That’s why in this post I’m going to be sharing 9 tips for getting the most out of your MacBook’s battery.
These tips are ideal
if you have an older MacBook; have recently noticed a decline in the running time you get from a single charge – or you’re just not in the mood to go hunting for your charger!Check how long your battery should lastBefore we start looking at tricks for getting the most out of your battery, it’s worth taking a moment to check how long the battery should last for your particular model.
If your MacBook is dramatically underperforming in the battery department, then this could indicate an underlying technical problem. If there’s a fault with your battery, then no matter how clever you are about how you use your Mac’s battery, you’re not getting to get the best results. If there’s a technical issue, then you’re better off taking your MacBook into your local Apple Store – especially if your laptop is still under warranty!

You can also check whether your battery needs to be replaced or serviced, by holding down the ‘option’ key on your keyboard and clicking the battery icon in your Mac’s menu bar. At the very top of the dropdown menu, you’ll see a summary of the current state of your battery.Ideally, this should read ‘Condition: Normal,’ but if there’s a problem you may see one of the following:
Replace Soon. The battery is holding less charge than when it was new, but is otherwise functioning normally. It may continue to lose charge.Replace Now. The battery is holding significantly less charge than when it was new, but is otherwise functioning normally. You should replace the battery as soon as possible.Service Battery. The battery isn’t functioning normally – it needs to be looked at by a professional.2. Keep up to date

Every new version of OS X introduces fixes and improvements, so it’s possible that upgrading to the latest version may fix any issues you’re experiencing, and could even extend your Mac’s battery life, depending on what’s included in the update.
Even if a new version of OS X doesn’t include any battery-related enhancements, it’ll include other improvements, so it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re running the latest version.


To check whether you’re fully up to date, click the Apple logo in the menu bar and select ‘App Store,’ followed by ‘Updates.’ If there’s an update available, it’ll appear under ‘Software Update.’
Similarly, make sure all your apps are up to date, as new versions may introduce improvements that’ll have a positive impact on how that app uses battery. Also, if you’re running the latest version of OS X, then the latest version of an app should be optimized to work with this version of the operating system – again, this may have a noticeable impact on that app’s battery usage.


3.Turn off Wi-Fi and BluetoothIt’s easy to get into the bad habit of leaving your MacBook’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth permanently switched on, even when you’re not actively using these connections. Leaving your Mac’s Wi-Fi or Bluetooth running in the background is a surefire way to burn through your battery, so make sure you disable these connections when you’re not using them.
To turn off Wi-Fi, select the Wi-Fi icon from your Mac’s menu bar, and click ‘Turn Wi-Fi off.’
To prevent your MacBook from permanently scanning for other devices over Bluetooth, click the Apple icon in the menu bar and select ‘System Preferences…’ followed by ‘Bluetooth’ and ‘Turn Bluetooth Off.’


system preferences menu4. Unplug unnecessary accessoriesAs a general rule, anything that’s attached to your MacBook is going to drain your battery, whether it’s a USB stick, SD card, 4G modem or external drive. Make sure you disconnect any peripherals that you aren’t currently using. If you have a SuperDrive then it’s also a good idea to eject any CDs or DVDs that aren’t currently in use.  


And even though we’ve all done it at some point, avoid the temptation to charge other devices by attaching them to your MacBook, such as your phone, tablet, e-reader or iPod, as this will have a massive, negative impact on your Mac’s battery life.
5. Try the Battery Health AppBattery Health is a free app that displays a wealth of technical information about the state of your battery, including the original battery capacity vs. its current capacity, when the battery was manufactured, its temperature, and the number of charge cycles completed. This information can be invaluable for diagnosing problems with your battery.
Install and launch Battery Health, and you’ll notice a new icon in your MacBook’s menu bar. Click this icon to open a dialogue containing lots of useful information about the overall health of your battery.


battery health6. Close Unused Apps – particularly battery-hogging ones!It’s a simple fact of life that the more apps you have running, the quicker your battery is going to drain, so it’s crucial that you close any apps that you aren’t actually using – particularly apps that are sucking up more than their fair share of juice.
The quickest way to identify the biggest battery hogs, is to click the ‘Battery’ icon in your MacBook’s menu bar and check whether any apps appear under ‘Apps Using Significant Energy.’


For a more in-depth look at all the apps currently running on your Mac, and the impact they’re having on your battery, launch the Activity Monitor:
Open your ‘Finder’ window and select ‘Applications’ from the left-hand menu.Open the ‘Utilities’ folder, followed by ‘Activity Monitor.’Select the ‘Energy’ tab.activity monitorActivity Monitor lists all the apps that are running on your Mac, plus the amount of power they’re using. Again, you should close any apps that you aren’t currently using,particularlyif those apps are consuming a large amount of power.
7. Check for runaway processesWhile you have Activity Monitor open, this is the perfect time to look for any parts of the Mac operating system that are misbehaving and consuming unusual amounts of battery.


In ‘Activity Monitor,’ select the ‘CPU’ tab. In the ‘CPU’ column, look for any processes that are taking up more than 70% of your CPU.
activity monitor cpuTo close an item, select it and then click the ‘Quit’ icon towards the upper-left of the Activity Monitor window. However, be cautious about terminating processes at random, as some may be performing important work behind the scenes. If you’ re unsure about a particular process, it’s always a good idea to research it on Google, before terminating it.


8. Adjust Energy Saver on MacBookAnother method of conserving battery, is to limit the amount of time your laptop is stood idle, before the screen turns off:  
Click the Apple icon in your Mac’s menu bar.Select ‘System Preferences…’Select ‘Energy Saver’ from the menu that appears.Select the ‘Battery’ tab.energy saverThen, adjust the amount of time before your screen powers down, using the ‘Turn display off after…’ slider.


9. Dim Screen Brightness onMacBookIf you can cope with staring at a slightly darker screenwithoutgetting eye strain, then you may want to try reducing the screen brightness as this will make your battery last just that little bit longer.

My iPhone’s battery doesn’t stay at 100% for as long as it used to. Is there a problem?

I fear that we in the tech media shoulder some responsibility for making people worry — sometimes to the point of obsession — about theirsmartphone’s battery life. It amazes me how close of an eye some smartphone owners keep on their devices.
We’re constantly monitoring our phone’s health.


To be fair, I’m like that too. A bit. No, not really. A lot.
Also: The best wireless chargers for iPhones
And if there’s one thing that we battery watchers get good at spotting, it’s when the battery is discharging faster than normal. And there’s no easier thing to notice than a battery going from 100% to 99%.When the battery was new it may well have remained at 100% for a few hours. But after a few months of wear, that tick-over from 100% to 99% happens a lot quicker.


But why? Is this a problem?
No, it’s nothing more than normal battery wear.
Every charge/discharge cycle that your iPhone goes through wears the battery a little. 
According to Apple, the battery in your iPhone is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. 
Also: Why you should really stop charging your phone overnight
You can see this measure if you tap on Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and it’s under the heading Maximum Capacity.
Battery Health on IOS 16 showing Maximum CapacityThe more you use your phone, the more it wears the battery. That’s physics. And you can’t change the laws of physics.
The bottom line: As part of the normal battery-wear process, your battery will lose about 1 percentage point off this Maximum Capacity for every 25 cycles.
This, in turn, affects how quickly your iPhone’s battery drops. That is, an old iPhone charged to 100% holds less charge than a new iPhone changed to 100% because of this wear.

Also: The price of replacing your iPhone battery has gone up
But it gets more complicated.
If you watch that Maximum Capacity figure, you’ll notice — when your iPhone is new — that it takes weeks, maybe months, before that 100% maximum capacity rolls over to 99%.
Why is that?
Because the battery inside your iPhone has a higher actual capacity than Apple claims. Apple under-promises on the capacity because new batteries have a natural variation in capacity, and Apple would prefer that your battery has slightly more capacity — not less — than what’s in the spec sheet.
Also: The best MagSafe battery packs for your iPhone
If you’re interested, you can actually get iOS to show you how much capacity your battery had when new, what its current capacity is, what its rated capacity is, and how many charge cycles it’s been through.
Confused? Don’t worry! Put simply, what this means is that when your battery is new, it can hold more power than its rated capacity; and because of this, it looks like it can stay at that 100% mark for longer. 
So, is this slow erosion of how long your battery will stay at 100% a problem?
No.
This is what normal battery wear looks like.
Also: The best phones right now
That said, there are a few steps you can take to take the stress off your battery to reduce additional wear.

Use a good-quality charger – either a genuine Apple charger or a good quality third-party charger.Keep your iPhone at room temperature as much as possible – don’t leave it baking in the sun or in a car window all day.Don’t keep your iPhone on a charger all the time – the battery is meant to be used.So, if this is normal, what are the signs of a dying battery?


Here’s what I look out for:
Rapid discharging over a few hoursCrashing when under load (for example, when playing a demanding game)Phone refusing to charge to 100%Physical damage such as bulging or overheatingThese are signs that your battery could be worn. But remember, all is not lost! It’s not much of a hassle to get it replaced, giving your iPhone a new lease of life.

Apple iPhone 15: from release date to specs, everything we know

Apple has just announced the details of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro at its ‘Wonderlust’ event.The standard iPhone will inherit several features from last year’s pro, including an improved Dynamic Island, the A16 Bionic chip and 48MP main camera. There are five colours in a textured matte finish: pink yellow, blue, green and black.


The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will have a new grade 5 titanium case, with a brushed texture finish in four colours: black and white, blue and natural. New features include a customisable action button that can be used to quickly launch different functions and a new full-screen standby mode when the phone is turned on its side. 


The Pros sport a new A17 Pro, a 3 nanometer chip, with new 6-core CPU and 6-core pro-class GPU that Apple says is up to 20 per cent faster. And the difference between the Pro and Pro Max will be more pronounced, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max sporting a 5x optical zoom instead of the 3x on the standard Pro. As expected, all iPhone 15 models with have USB-C charging instead of Lightning.Pricing remains largely the same as with the iPhone 14: the iPhone 15 starts at $799, the iPhone 14 Plus at $899 and iPhone 5 Pro at $999. Only the iPhone 5 Pro Max has a higher starting price at $1,199, but it now starts at 256GB instead of 128GB. We’re currently working on updating the full details below.
Of course, Apple has already made what might end up its biggest announcement of 2023: the launch of its AR headset. For the lowdown on that front, check out our thoughts on Apple Vision Pro.
Apple iPhone 15: designUSB-C connector
Apple has been forced to swap Lightning for USB-C (Image credit: Photo by Matthias Zomer via Pexels)We’re already certain the iPhone 15 will feature one big design change: a move from Lightning to USB-C. That’s because new EU rules announced last autumn will require all phones sold after autumn 2024 to use the USB-C connector for charging.


Apple has agreed to comply, and although technically they could still sneak out a new phone with a Lightning connector between now and the deadline, it wouldn’t make much business sense to do so. And with the iPad, MacBook and most third-party accessories shifting to USB-C, it makes sense from a brand viewpoint anyway.
Every iPhone 15 model, then, is likely ditch Lightning for USB-C… but that’s not the whole story. As we reported in November, leaks suggest that the capabilities of the ports won’t be the same across all four iPhones. It appears that only the iPhone 15 Pro models will support USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3, while the standard iPhone 15 will just support USB 2.0, offering no speed improvement over Lightning. Bah. And the whole thing is already proving controversial.


In other slightly worrying news, it sounds like the iPhone 15 Pro’s camera bump could be even bigger than that of the iPhone 14 Pro. Renders based on leaked CAD files show a similar design to the 14 Pro, but with an absolutely enormous set of lenses. And those lenses might even be rearranged – not that most users will notice.

Other leaks and rumours about the design of the iPhone 15 range may be less grounded in fact. But where they come from reliable sources, they’re still worth paying attention to. For example, many seasoned Apple leakers have claimed that the Dynamic Island, Apple’s interactive notch replacement, will hit all four iPhone 15 models. That would be a big deal, as it’s currently only available in the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.


There’s also a persistent rumour that the iPhone 15 will replace physical buttons with haptic touch sensors; like the ‘taptic’ home button in the iPhone SE. We’re really sure this isn’t a good idea, though, as it would make it difficult to restart the phone if the software freezes, and might make using a case more problematic too. So if Apple really is thinking about this, we hope they back off the idea sooner rather than later.
Speaking of buttons, one recent rumour suggests the iPhone 15 Pro will take a leaf out of the Apple Watch Ultra’s book and include a customisable Action Button. This could let users carry out various functions, from activating Control Center to turning on the torch.


And then there’s the display. Recent rumours have suggested that Apple is working on brightness of up to 2500 nits – up from the 14 Pro’s current max of 2000. Seeing as a brighter display is a selling point of the Apple Watch Ultra, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the same thing happen with the iPhone line up.
Less concerning is the suggestion that the rumoured iPhone 15 Ultra will be made of titanium. It’s not exactly something we’re crying out for, but at least it wouldn’t make us upset (unless it made the price prohibitive, of course).


Apple iPhone 15: cameraWe don’t know anything official about the iPhone 15’s cameras yet, and we haven’t even seen many leaks either. The biggest rumour is the prediction that the iPhone 15 Ultra will have a second selfie camera (while the iPhone 14 Pro has three main cameras on the back, the front camera remains a single lens.) 
iPhone 15 Ultra concept


A fan-made render of the rumoured iPhone 15 Ultra What that would be for, though, we can only speculate. It could mean the addition of an ultra-wide selfie lens (no more having to stretch your arm out of its socket to take a group selfie) or better zoom. Or it could introduce a dual system for sharper, more detailed images, or allow selfies to be taken with a shallower depth of field so subjects stand out more from the background.
Apple iPhone 15: pricing and release dateAnd now for the bad news. Recent rumours have suggested that the price of the entire iPhone line up is set to increase in 2023. This is thanks to increased production costs, with the iPhone 15 costing Apple 12% more to produce, and the 15 Pro a whopping 20%. This would mark the first increase since 2017 in the US – but spare a thought for us UK folk who have already seen the price of each model rise by around £100 in 2022.


Apple tends to launch new iPhones in the first couple of weeks of September: for example, it launched the iPhone 14 on 7 September 2022, with the 14, Plus and Pro going on sale over a week later (16 September) and the iPhone 14 Plus a little after that (7 October). At the moment, notedApple leaker Mark Gurman claims the line up will be announced on 13th September, before going on sale on the 22nd. 

Everything We Know About iPhone 15: Release Date, Rumors, Specs and Leaks

The iPhone 15 reveal is happening on Sept. 12 during the Apple September Event. Apple hasn’t released much in the way of official details about its next best smartphone, but a glut of leaks, analyst predictions and insider speculations has given us an inkling of what to expect.
This much is clear: expect more changes than those brought by last year’s iPhone 14. Speedier and more power-efficient processors, higher resolution periscopic lenses, USB-C, and a handful of surface design alterations – and it’t be long until we have confirmation of changes coming.
With new features could also come a less welcome iPhone 15 price hike. Hopefully, that’s one rumor that will be proven wrong. Read on for all the details we have ahead of the next Apple event.

iPhone 15 Release DateApple plans to reveal the iPhone 15 on September 12, 2023, before the smartphone goes on sale a week later. The event will start at 10 am PT/ 1 pm ET, and will likely run for about an hour. At the event, we ‘ll likely see exactly what the iPhone 15 will look like and everything it will be able to do, including whether or not it’ll actually have that USB-C port we’ve been asking for.
When Can You Buy iPhone 15?You should be able to buy the iPhone 15 on September 22, according to Bloomberg’s own sources. (This corroborates an earlier report from 9to5mac). The last several iPhones have been released in September (barring the later October launch of the iPhone 12), with the iPhone 14 hitting shelves on September 16, 2022. The iPhone 15 is unlikely to be different.

iPhone 15 PriceThe iPhone’s price has remained static for the past few years, with the last three generations of the standard model launching for $799. But a report by Bloomberg claims it’s all changing for the premium-tier iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, as Apple plans to increase prices in anticipation of slowing projected phone sales.
The company is already dropping hints that a price rise is on the way. During a quarterly earnings call last February, Apple CEO Tim Cook said “the iPhone has become so integral into people’s lives” that customers are “willing to really stretch to get the iPhone devotees, in other words, can suck it up.
How much will the iPhone 15 Pro cost?For reference, here are the retail prices of the 128GB versions of the iPhone 14 models. The iPhone 15 probably won’t look too different:
iPhone 14: $799iPhone 14 Plus: $899iPhone 14 Pro: $999iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1,099iPhone 15 modelsLike the last few generations of Apple’s flagship smartphone, the iPhone 15 line-up is expected to consist of four models: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
A report from the top of this year suggests the Pro Max may be renamed Ultra, though Bloomberg later walked back on those claims and suggested Apple instead plans to introduce the Ultra as a distinct, higher-tier model in 2024.

iPhone 15 FeaturesAs ever, big changes are coming to the iPhone camera. Apple industry and markets analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts both the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will inherit the 48-megapixel camera sensor of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It’s a sizable upgrade on the 12-megapixel camera that’s been a feature of the last three generations.


The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, however, are expected to get an even snazzier periscope lens. Already found on a handful of premium smartphones, periscope lenses essentially support high levels of optical zoom, letting you capture crisp pictures from a distance. With the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra sporting a 10x zoom periscope lens and the Google Pixel 7 Pro a 5x zoom, Apple may well be looking to catch up.


The Dynamic Island – the pill-shaped black cutout at the top of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max – is expected to become a staple feature too. It’s essentially an interactive notification area that replaces the top notch, which has been a mainstay of the phone’s design since the iPhone X. It can display music controls, incoming phone calls, AirDrop transfers, and a bunch of other app alerts. And since it’s interactive, the notification cutout can be expanded, shrunk, or split in two if displaying multiple background activities. While it was previously only a feature of last year’s Pro iPhone models, several insider rumors suggest it’ll hop over to the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.


For a while, it was also thought the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max would ditch their typical side buttons in favor of solid-state haptics that could vibrate and change intensity in response to pressure. But after Ming-Chi Kuo and others first hinted at the idea, they’ve more recently suggested that development issues have delayed integration, and Apple has reverted back to its standard physical button design.
iPhone 15 SpecsIt’s likely the whole iPhone 15 line-up will get a beefy chipset upgrade. Model identifiers pulled from the back end of a recent tvOS update suggest the standard iPhone 15 and Plus models will adopt the A16 chip found in the current iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.


The next-gen A17 chip, meanwhile, looks to be reserved for the coming Pro and Pro Max. It’ll be Apple’s first 3-nanometer chip and, according to one prolific leaker, will feature six CPU and GPU cores, each running at up to 3.7GHz. That will offer the usual performance improvements, but its manufacturer has also reportedly boasted it will reduce power consumption by up to 35%, according to a report from Bloomberg – a big boon for battery life. More unusually, a recent report by The Information claims that the same manufacturer has signed a deal to exclusively develop the 3-nanometer chips for Apple for a full year before making them for competitors. If true, it’ll be one way Apple keeps ahead of the game.


Analysts have also predicted the iPhone 15 will include a newer ultra-wideband communications chip to support compatibility with Apple’s recently unveiled mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. Apple has framed the headset as a consumer and commercial device that directly will integrate with several cores iOS apps. Improving the connectivity between the headset and other Apple devices seems like a natural step to shore up the Apple ecosystem.

iPhone 15 Design – What Will the iPhone 15 Look Like?At the top of the list of potential iPhone 15 design features is the disappearance of the Lightning port. After the EU introduced legislation last year requiring that all phones sold within its member countries use USB-C, Apple confirmed it would comply with the changes. It has until 2024 to do so, and is yet to clarify whether this year’s iPhone line-up will be the first to feature the port. It’s also yet to explicitly outline whether all iPhone models will make the switch to USB-C or just those sold within the EU.
Renders of the iPhone 5’s design provided to 9to5Mac by a Chinese case manufacturer show a USB-C port in place. They also show a handful of other design tweaks; the iPhone 15 Pro line will reportedly include:
Titanium frames, making it lighter and more durableThinner bezels thanks to new screen technology (that was first used on the Apple Watch Series 7 to make the wearable’s bezels thinner)More protruding camera lenses in a square array

More significantly, rumors suggest the mute switch – which has been present since the first iPhone– will be replaced by an Action button. It’s claimed to function as an all-purpose, programmable shortcut that can instantly open various apps and features. An iOS 17 beta build from July mentions several functions that can be assigned to it: silent mode, camera, flashlight, accessibility, focus, magnifier, translate and voice memos. We’ll have to wait to see exactly how it works in practice if it is even real in the first place.

What is optimised battery charging on iPhone and should you use it?

Here’s everything you need to know about optimised battery charging on iOS including what it does, and how to turn it off.


Optimised battery charging is a feature on iOS 13 or newer that limits overnight charging to protect your phone’s battery in the long term. Charging your phone to 100% for extended periods reduces the battery’s lifespan, so Apple’s software only charges it to 80%, reducing strain on the battery. Using optimised battery charging can increase your phone’s lifespan, but it may not be beneficial if you have irregular sleep patterns or don’t charge your phone overnight. You can easily turn off the feature in your phone’s settings.

Have you ever noticed that when you charge your iPhone late at night it stops at around 80 per cent? This isn’t a bug, it’s a feature called optimised battery charging doing its thing. It’s designed to increase the longevity of your phone’s built-in battery, ensuring that it works optimally for years to come. However, it’s not always beneficial, so it’s useful to know how to turn it off, too.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about optimised battery charging, including how it works, why you should or shouldn’t use it, and how to control it. Let’s dive in.

What does optimised battery charging do?

Optimised battery charging is enabled by default on all devices running iOS 13 or newer. It’s a feature that’s designed to protect your battery in the long term by limiting overnight charging.
The majority of people plug in their phones when they go to bed, leaving them plugged in overnight. This is convenient as it’s the one time that you know you’re not going to need your phone, and most homes have an outlet near the bed that can be used for charging.


As convenient as it is, it’s not the best thing for your battery. It’s not dangerous, there’s built-in protection on all modern smartphones that will stop the battery from overcharging, but keeping the battery at 100 per cent charge for extended periods reduces its lifespan.


That’s because as well as the physical age of your battery, its lifespan is also affected by its chemical age. The chemical age of your battery can be affected by how hot your battery gets, and how and when you charge your iPhone. As your battery chemically ages, the amount of charge it can hold will slowly decrease, meaning you’ll need to charge it more often.
iPhone 14 Pro Max shown from the bottom displaying Lightning portTo combat this, Apple’s software monitors your daily activity and will only charge the phone to 80 per cent when it’s plugged in at night. Then it will wait until just before your usual wake-up time to complete the charge to 100 per cent.
Only charging to 80 per cent reduces the strain on the battery, which can help to reduce the chemical aging of battery. When it’s working as it should, you won’t notice any difference from charging the old-fashioned way – except for the fact that your battery will remain in good health for much longer. You may also see a notification on your iPhone indicating that it’s using optimised battery charging, along with an estimate of when your iPhone will be fully charged.


Optimised battery charging does a few other clever things, too. Apple says that it only triggers in locations that you spend a lot of time in, such as at home or work, so long as you have location services enabled. This means that it shouldn’t impact you when travelling. Ironically, having location services turned on may actually run down your battery more quickly, as the GPS components in your iPhone will require power to make location services work. Indeed, turning location services off is one of the common suggestions for ways to extend your battery life.

Why should you use it?Using optimised battery charging means that your phone will have a much longer lifespan. There’s nothing worse than having a handset that works great but won’t hold a charge for more than a few hours, and this feature should help prevent that from happening.


Of course, batteries aren’t perfect, and they all have a finite lifespan. So even if you use this feature, you should expect your overall battery life to decrease as the years go by. It’s just that with this feature enabled, it’ll take much longer for that to happen, and the usable period is likely to greatly exceed the time that you use the device, before deciding to upgrade to a fancier model.
So, sound like a no-brainer, then? Well, there are a few scenarios where optimised battery charging might be more of a hindrance than a convenience.
Five reasons to buy the Apple iPhone 13 
The system requires iOS to learn your habits in order to work effectively, so if you keep irregular hours or regularly change shift patterns at work, then you might find that it’s not working as you’d hoped.


Similarly, if you don’t charge your phone overnight, then it won’t be doing anything useful – and could even slightly decrease your battery life by trying to learn your habits in the background.
In cases like that, it’s probably best to turn off the feature entirely. Thankfully, Apple makes this easy to do, and we’ll explain how in the next section.


How to switch off optimised battery charging on iOSIf you’ve decided you’d rather turn off optimised battery charging, simply follow the steps below:
Optimised Battery Charging iPhoneOpen SettingsSwipe down until you find Battery and tap on thatChoose Battery Health & ChargingTap the toggle to turn off Optimised Battery ChargingYou will be presented with the option to turn it off until tomorrow or turn it off entirelyChoose the option that suits your needs, and you’re all done

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra might be the only way to avoid its Exynos chips

Samsung’s best phone might be all Qualcomm, all the time.
According to a reliable leaker, all models of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will feature Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, regardless of the region.

 Samsung has a close relationship with Qualcomm in terms of Snapdragon chips. Buyers of the Galaxy S24 Ultra can expect a super-fast flagship phone no matter where they are located, but confirmation on the chips will only be provided at the official announcement next year.If you pick up the best Samsung phone next year you’re going to also get the best chips, according to a new report.

We’d been expecting Samsung to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the United States but go with the Exynos 2400 in other parts of the world, including South Korea and Europe. Now, it appears that will only be the case for the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus – choose the Galaxy S24 Ultra and you’ll get Qualcomm silicon, no matter where you happen to be located.

That’s according to a new report by one X leaker who has a reliable track record when it comes to these kinds of things, although it’s always important to note that nothing is 100% guaranteed with leaks this far out. The Galaxy S24 lineup isn’t expected to be announced until January or February of 2024, for example.
All Qualcomm, all the timeThe leaker in question is @tech_reve, and they believe that “regardless of the region, all models of the S24 Ultra feature Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.” That will surely be music to the ears of some, although this Exynos chip might not be the poor performer that we’ve come to expect from Samsung’s in-house chip designs.


Regardless of the region, all models of the S24 Ultra feature Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. — Revegnus A recent Ice Universe leak, again on X, shared details of the Exynos 2400 clock speeds with the chip expected to have a 1o-core CPU. But given Samsung’s close relationship with Qualcomm and the fact it’s likely to use overclocked versions of the Snapdragon 8 gen 3, many will surely prefer to carry a phone with that chip inside.

Regardless, it’s looking increasingly likely that buyers of the Galaxy S24 Ultra will get a super-fast flagship phone no matter what part of the world they are in at the point of purchase. We’ll get confirmation of exactly what chips will go where when the new phones are announced next year of course, and givenSamsung’s leaky history we might even find out before then, too.

Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus rumours: Everything we know so far

This is everything we have heard so far about the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are expected to be announced on September 12, with pre-orders starting on September 15. The standard iPhone 15 models may have a frosted finish and new color options, while the display size is expected to remain similar to the iPhone 14. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus could feature a 48-megapixel main camera sensor like the iPhone 14 Pro, but may not have the same camera upgrades as the Pro models.Apple iPhone leaks typically run throughout the entire year. No sooner does the latest iPhone series arrive – sometimes even before – then rumours start about the next models. For 2022, there were four iPhone models: the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
We’ve covered off what the rumours are saying about the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Ultra in a separate feature, but here we are looking at what we can expect for the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.


iPhone 15 release dateApple has sent out invitations to an event on 12 September, where we’re expecting to see the launch of the iPhone 15. The iPhone 14 series arrived on 7 September 2022, which was a week earlier than most expected, with Apple now falling back into its usual launch cadence.


That would likely mean the iPhone 15 is available to pre-order on 15 September, and available to buy from 22 September. It’s possible that not all models will go on sale at the same time, as has been the case in the past. iPhone 14 Plus was later than the iPhone 14 for 2022, so the same could happen this year too.
iPhone 15 designThe Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are likely to look the same as each other, aside from their physical size. They will also probably be a little less premium in their material choice than the iPhone 15 Pro models – aluminum instead of stainless steel or titanium for example. So far, details have been thin on the ground in terms of their designs, though there have been a number of suggestions that the iPhone 15 models will be getting the Dynamic Island cutout we saw on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in 2022. It’s also said that the Dynamic Island will include a proximity sensor within it rather than underneath it for the iPhone 15 models, though this shouldn’t change its appearance.
There wasn’t a huge design change between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 14 so we wouldn’t be surprised to see a bigger difference in the iPhone 15 models, though Dynamic Island would sort of do this.
It’s also been claimed the iPhone 15 models could come in cyan and magenta color options and it’s been claimed the finish could be frosted rather than glossy, matching what we currently see on the iPhone 14 Pro models. Elsewhere, it’s also been suggested the iPhone 15 models could see a switch to eSIM only for the UK and Europe, matching what Apple did for the iPhone 14 models in the US.


iPhone 15 displayIt’s claimed the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will feature the same display sizes as their predecessors – or at least very close to the same size. The iPhone 14 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen with 2532 x 1170 pixel resolution. This results in a pixel density of 460ppi. The iPhone 14 Plus meanwhile, has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen with a 2778 x 1284 pixel resolution, resulting in a 458ppi.
Both devices have a 1200nits peak brightness and both support True Tone, Haptic Touch and HDR. It’s expected the iPhone 15 models will offer the same, though there is some talk of a 6.12-inch or 6.2-inch display for the standard iPhone 15. There was also talk of slimmer bezels around the display, though this appears to be for the Pro models rather than the standard models.
Whether the iPhone 15 models will adopt the Always On Display featured on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max isn’t clear yet, though it would require them to also adopt ProMotion, and rumours are suggesting that won’t be the case.


iPhone 15 hardware and specsThe Apple iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro opted for the same chip as the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models rather than running the A16 chip featured on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It’s possible Apple will do the same for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, moving them onto the A16 chip rather than the A17, which is what is expected to run the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Ultra.
It’s also claimed that Apple will use Qualcomm’s 5G modem for the iPhone 15 models rather than a modem built in-house as it was initially thought for this year. Rumors suggest the first model to run an in-house 5G modem will be the iPhone SE (2024).
In terms of storage, no rumours have appeared detailing any changes to storage as yet. If the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus offer the same as the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, then we can expect 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options. There have been suggestions of improved RAM though.


While there might not be huge changes, we’d also expect some battery improvements on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The iPhone 14 Plus has an excellent battery performance, so we’d expect similar from the iPhone 15 Plus. It’s also been claimed this will be the year Apple will finally make the switch from Lighting to USB-C, though it’s said you will need a certified cable and charging speeds may be restricted depending on the cable. That said, we might see a bump to 35W charging – and there’s also talk of braided cables for some models, or color-matched cables for others.


iPhone 15 camerasWhen it comes to cameras, there have been reports suggesting the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus could see an upgrade to the 48-megapixel main sensor, though it may not be the same as the one found in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It’s also claimed that the standard iPhone 15 models might feature a stacked image sensor that will allow more light to get in, though it’s said a couple of different configurations have been tested. It’s also not clear if the iPhone 15 Pro models will get This upgrade.


If the standard iPhone 15　models do move to a stacked image sensor with a 48-megapixel resolution, we don’t expect to see the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus offer the telephoto lens offered by the Pro models in order to continue to offer a differentiation between the standard and Pro models.
We would expect to see similar features across the four models though, with perhaps a couple of extras on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iPhone Battery Health explained: Why Apple throttles iPhone performance and how you can control it

Apple slows down processors used in legacy iPhones – but what does that mean?
In 2017, Apple revealed it slows down older iPhones such as the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and the first generation iPhone SE in order to prevent unexpected shut downs by managing the performance peaks.

The performance management feature – or throttling as some have described it in the past – is also included on the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, but it only kicks in after an unexpected shutdown first occurs on a device with a battery that has diminished ability to deliver maximum instantaneous power.

Apple iPhonesfrom the iPhone 6 and later also have a Battery Health tool that was introduced with iOS 11.3 back in March 2018, along with the ability to turn off the iPhone’s batterymanagement feature. Here is everything you need to know about Apple iPhone’s Battery Health and performance management features and how to control them.
What is the iPhone performance management feature?Apple’s performance management feature is specific to iPhones and it’s designed to prevent a device from unexpectedly shutting down so the device can still be used. Unexpected shutdowns can occur for a number of reasons, be that extreme cold temperatures, or a device with a battery of high chemical age, for example.


Apple’s iOS software will dynamically manage performance peaks in order to manage shutdowns. It looks at a combination of things, like device temperature, battery state of charge and battery impedance. The software then assesses whether action is required and if it is, the maximum performance of some of the system components, like the GPU and CPU, will be managed in order to balance out workloads and allow for a smoother performance overall.

Some of the things you might notice when the performance feature has kicked in are: Longer app launch times, lower frame rates when scrolling, backlight dimming, lower speaker volume, gradual frame-rate reduction in some apps, disabled camera flash in extreme cases and apps refreshing in the background may require reloading upon launch.
Some of the things that won’t be impacted by the performance feature are: Mobile call quality and networking performance, captured photo and video quality, GPS performance, location accuracy, sensors like gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer and Apple Pay. 


With regards to the performance management feature, Apple describes it as: “If the battery health is able to support the observed peak power requirements, the amount of performance management will be lowered. If an unexpected shutdown occurs again, then performance management will increase. This assessment is ongoing, allowing more adaptive performance management.”
iPhone Battery Health explained: Why Apple throttles iPhone performance and how you can control it photo 2Apple
What is the Battery Health feature? Apple iPhones running iOS 11.3 and later have a Battery Health tool built in. To access the tool, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. From there, you’ll see information about your iPhone’s maximum capacity and peak performance capability. 
You’ll also see if your iPhone is being slowed by Apple’s performance management feature.
For example, we have an older iPhone XR showing as having a 94 percent battery capacity. Apple is not yet throttling the phone though: “Your battery is currently supporting normal peak performance”.
In the Battery Health feature, you’ll also see whether your iPhone needs service and you can subsequently turn off the controversial performance management feature that’s throttling your iPhone if you want to.


How to disable throttling on an iPhoneThe ability to disable – and even enable – throttling is only available for iPhones more than a year old running iOS 11.3 and later.
Under Battery in the Settings app you’ll notice the Battery Health option. Tap it. You’ll then see a screen with a link to more information about lithium ion batteries. Below that, you’ll see your battery’s maximum capacity.

If this indicator is under 80 per cent, you’ll see another message at the bottom of the screen that warns your iPhone’s battery is “significantly degraded”. There will be another link that will point you to a page about how to get your phone serviced. 
Disable ‘performance management’ featureIf your device has shutdown due to battery degradation, this same screen will tell you that “performance management has been applied to prevent this from happening again”.
There will also be an option to disable the throttling. You can’t enable the performance management feature until you experience another shutdown. Your iPhone will auto-enable it should that ever happen.


It’s also worth noting that “all iPhone models include fundamental performance management to ensure that the battery and overall system operates as designed and internal components are protected. This includes behavior in hot or cold temperatures, as well as internal voltage management. This type of performance management is required for safety and expected function, and cannot be turned off”. 

What do those percentages mean?In the Battery Health menu, you’ll see a percentage that indicates your iPhone battery’s maximum capacity, followed by a message explaining your iPhone battery’s peak performance capability. The message you get depends on the percentage shown.
For instance:
100 percent: Your battery is currently supporting normal peak performance.95 percent: This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown because the battery was unable to deliver the necessary peak power. Performance management has been applied to help prevent this from happening again. Disable…


79 percent or less: Your battery’s health is significantly degraded. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the battery to restore full performance and capacity. More about service options…Unknown: This iPhone is unable to determine battery health. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can service the battery. More about service options…
Maximum capacity and peak performance

Maximum battery capacity measures your iPhone’s battery capacity to when it was new. Batteries will start at 100 per cent when first activated and will have a lower capacity as the battery ages. According to Apple, a normal battery is designed to retain up to 80 per cent of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles when operating under normal conditions.

Now, as far as peak performance capability goes, it is the ability of your iPhone’s batteryto supply adequate charge. If your iPhone’s battery maximum capacity is under 80 per cent, then its health has been significantly degraded and it needs replacing.