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Battery technology simultaneously enables today's impressive mobile electronics and holds them back from being even more mind-blowing than they already are. The need for high-performance, low-power-consumption components has driven the development of advanced chipset instruction set architectures which have underpinned pretty much the entire smartphone industry since its birth. Still, we continue to see some new phones drain their batteries before the day's up.
Best smartwatches for battery life in 2024
Not all smartwatches struggle with battery life, especially when it comes to these recommendations
Smartwatches have quickly become mini-computers with many features, from messaging to health tracking. But to continuously enjoy these benefits, enduring battery support is required. So, unsurprisingly, battery life is a key metric to be considered when weighing features and hardware. From favorites like Garmin to budget winners like Amazfit, some reputable models offer a good combination of software, hardware, and cost. Thankfully, this list includes the best smartwatch options that prioritize battery life without sacrificing too much in the process.
How to extend the battery life on your OnePlus Open
There are multiple ways to squeeze out as much battery life as possible
The OnePlus Open launched in late 2023 and has become one of the most sought-after foldable phones. Its tablet-like design and unique OxygenOS features set it apart from its competitors, making it an excellent high-end device. Although the battery capacity may be smaller than a regular smartphone, it offers a great battery life experience. OnePlus optimized the device to be highly efficient, but there are ways to extend the battery. This guide explains the settings you can adjust to maximize the battery life on your OnePlus Open.
9 easy ways to improve the battery life on your Samsung Galaxy S24
Never go into the battery danger zone again
Samsung introduced its latest flagship, the Galaxy S24 series, at the Galaxy Unpacked event this January. The new generation of flagship phones flaunt larger battery capacities than their predecessors. For instance, the Galaxy S24 Ultra features massive cells, so you don't have to worry much about them draining too soon. The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24+ have a marginal battery improvement compared to the previous generation. Still, you might want to extract more juice from them. If so, try out our tips to eke out every last drop of battery life on your Samsung Galaxy S24.
How to check your phone's battery health
A healthy battery is the secret to your phone's durability. Learn how to diagnose and replace it
Every smartphone's battery degrades over time, so be aware of its battery life. Battery health can affect a phone's value, so before you trade in or sell your phone, find out the status of its battery. We show you how to check the battery health on all Android and iOS devices. These tips also apply to Chromebooks, as even gaming Chromebooks suffer from battery degradation.
Phone not charging? These tips will help you get connected
You may not have to buy another one just yet
If your phone doesn't charge correctly, don't buy replacement cables and charging bricks just yet. Many charging problems can be solved in minutes by examining your phone, cable, or charging source. We walk you through solutions to common charging issues for Android and iOS phones and tablets. Check your phone's battery health while you're at it, as charging issues go hand in hand with battery problems. You don't need to spend money to follow this guide. Still, have extra durable USB-C cables in case your main cable goes astray.
How to check battery health on your Android phone
Phone running out of juice too soon? Check your battery health
You might notice that your phone's battery isn't as robust as it was when you purchased it. Frequently seeing the low battery indicator can get annoying, especially if you feel like you fully charged your phone a few hours ago. Whether you use a high-end or budget phone, the battery degrades over time.
When comparing battery life, the best budget phones on Android can't hold a charge like the newest ones on the market. With third-party apps sapping away at your device's battery life, you need a way to slow down and monitor your battery's consumption in the background. To combat this battery drain, we put together this guide showing you how to find the mobile apps that are draining your battery.
Android 14 will let you know when your battery is super low
A new 2% alert will give you one last chance to find your charger
Now that the developer preview for Android 14 is out, we’re learning more and more about what to expect from the next version of the OS, including a new tidbit we picked up today about battery life — and specifically, when you’ll get an alert that you’re running out of it. If you’re one of those folks who likes to live life on the edge, with Android 14 you’ll see a “Very low battery” notification when you have just 2% battery life left, as sort of a last-ditch attempt to get you to plug in your device before it shuts down.
Energy Ring adds support for Samsung's Galaxy S22 series
Along with a Material You overhaul for the app
Checking out battery percentages in the corner of your screen is so 2016. These days, if you want to add some flair to your phone's usual slate of utilities, apps like Energy Ring are essential. As has become a rite of passage for any major smartphone release, Samsung's latest smartphones finally have support for one of our favorite third-party tools from the Play Store.
8 ways to extend your Samsung Galaxy phone's battery life
Settings you can change to reduce battery drain on your Samsung Galaxy device
Smartphones come with larger battery capacities than they did a few years ago. Samsung’s Ultra smartphones, for example, have cells so massive that you rarely have to worry about draining to zero before you can recharge. However, the same can’t be said for regular Galaxy flagships and mid-range devices. Depending on your usage, you can get anywhere from poor to decent battery life. If you’re looking to improve this, there are a few actions you can take.
Pixel 6 users report wildly varying battery life — here could be some reasons why
Why does seemingly everyone have a different opinion about the Pixel 6's battery life?
The wide range in reported battery life for Google’s new Pixel 6 series have some of our readers concerned as they shop for a new phone. Why are different reviews and different people getting wildly varying numbers? One person says it’s got “good” battery life, another says it’s “bad” — which can you trust? Well, sadly, they’re both probably true.
Samsung's Galaxy S22 might feature a much smaller battery than its predecessor
Will a power efficient display be enough to make up for it?
Time and time again, we've seen evidence that consumers care deeply about how long their device can last on a single charge. That's never stopped smartphone manufacturers from prioritizing speed, displays, and a thin chassis above all else. Samsung's entire Galaxy S21 series sports some pretty solid battery life, but that might not be the case for its upcoming Galaxy S22 lineup.
Android 12 might not bury screen-on time stats after all
Hopefully they will be just as useful as they were in Android 11 and older
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While there are many things to love about Android 12, we were bummed to find out that the screen-on time stat disappeared in Beta 1, and it hasn't returned in Beta 2 either. We were almost ready to accept that Google decided to scrap this useful statistical insight into our phones' battery lives, but thankfully, it looks like screen-on time is set to return in a future Android 12 update.
Here's what's new in Chrome 91
Prettier buttons, OTP autofill improvements, battery-saving optimizations, and much more
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Chrome 91 has just hit the first few phones, and while you might not notice too many differences on the surface, there are quite some things going on if you know where to look. The most significant visual changes you'll see on Android are probably the redesigned website buttons and forms, like those you can see in the weekend polls of our own website. But there's more going on. Let's dive in.
OnePlus Watch Q&A says it won't have always-on display at launch
Smooth animations, Google Fit syncing, and phone compatibility are also laid out
It's been a week since OnePlus formally announced its Watch, surprisingly running home-grown software that gives it nigh-unbelievable battery life. Today a OnePlus product manager posted a Q&A about the upcoming Watch on the company's forum, bringing some much-needed insight into the choices made for the new wearable.
Dave Burke teases surprises for Android 11 and shares the internal dessert name
Meet Android Red Velvet Cake
Android 11 is nearing the finish line — there's only one more beta before it goes stable. That's why we thought we knew everything about the new OS there is to know, but it looks like the Android team might have one or two aces up its sleeve. In the All About Android podcast, Android VP Dave Burke hints that there are a few surprises left that haven't been announced yet. He also unveils that Android 11 does have an internal dessert name, after all. Meet RVC, or Red Velvet Cake.
These days, OnePlus is known for engaging with its customers more than most smartphone manufacturers do, feeling out their interests when it comes to certain features. Just earlier today, the company published a series of responses related to customer feedback for the 7 Pro, covering a range of topics from the "ghost touch" issue to ongoing camera improvements, and even the potential its latest phone might pick up always-on display functionality — one of the most common requests.
Android already sends out notifications for estimated remaining battery life when your charge reaches a certain threshold, but Google is incorporating these estimates even further in Android Q. If you have the battery percentage in your status bar toggled on, you'll now see how long your phone thinks your battery will last in the quick settings shade.
The days when third-party battery-saving apps were necessary to hit a satisfactory number of hours off a single charge are long behind the vast majority of Android users, thanks to improvements like Doze and Adaptive Battery. But in some cases, this measure of progress has become something of a Pyrrhic victory, with useful background processes carelessly destroyed and developers taking the brunt of user ire. Well, the Urbandroid team — the gang behind apps Sleep As Android, Twilight, and others — doesn't plan on going quietly into the night. In fact, they're going on the offensive with a new informational website where the most flagrant OEM offenders are shamed and users and developers are educated.