Living in almost-desert conditions here in Arizona does a lot more damage to smartphones than one might want to believe. Phone repair shops in places like Maricopa regularly advise customers on how to keep their phones safe in desert conditions, lest they find themselves on the receiving end of an unintended burn on their thighs from overheating phones.
But is it that bad? Well, think of it this way: most modern smartphones have ten times the computing capacity of supercomputers in the 90s. The only difference is that the 90s supercomputers had cooling fans and air-conditioning, while your smartphone relies on a gentle breeze from the outside.
But not only does keeping your phone cool help you avoid a literal pocket explosion, but it also helps you preserve your battery. Remember: lithium batteries lose much of their efficacy the hotter they get, so the less they overheat, the better.
To prevent any untoward incident involving you, your pocket, your smartphone, and a hot day, here are some pointers on how to keep your smartphone safe in hot weather:
Always Keep Your Phone Away from Direct Sunlight
Treat your smartphone the way you treat your skin at the beach: you never want to leave it out on the sun for too long. But in the case of your smartphone, you won’t have suntan lotion to protect it, so the time frame of leaving it out in direct sunlight is extremely short.
If you’re out in the sun, keep your phone in the shade. You should leave it under a towel or a hat on the table. It can be anything that blocks out the rays of the sun while still maintaining some airflow.
Never Leave Your Smartphone in Your Car
You won’t leave your dog in a car on a hot day, so why would you leave your smartphone in your vehicle as well? Remember that the temperature inside of a car parked under the direct heat of the sun can quickly climb, even faster if the windows are closed. Heck, even a 70-degree day (chilly for Arizona) can bring up the temp inside your caddy up to a toasty 104 degrees.
Take It Out of Its Case from Time to Time
The more you use your phone, the hotter it gets. Couple that with Arizona’s balmy 70 to 90-degree weather, and your phone can overheat quickly. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t even notice until it’s too late because of their phone’s casing, which is supposed to protect it from shocks and drops. However, if you’re living in hot climates, it’s always a good idea to take your phone out of its case from time to time to get some airflow cooling it down to more appropriate levels.
Keep Your Brightness at a Minimum
Your phone screen’s brightness is one of the biggest drainers of battery in any smartphone; it’s also one of the features that ups the temperature quickly. If you’re living somewhere sunny, it’s tempting to turn up your screen’s brightness so that you can see what’s going on. But fight this urge! Instead, read your messages in the shade.
With these ideas in mind, you can keep your smartphone from overheating and eventually damaging itself in hot weather.
Meta title: Keeping Your Smartphone Safe in High Temperatures
Meta description: Preventing your smartphone from overheating doesn’t only help you avoid untoward incidents but also preserves its lifespan. Learn about it here.