Apple finally confirms that the iPhone battery life can be compromised when you expose your iPhone to extreme cold weather.
Some iPhone users have reported that their iPhones shut down completely when it’s cold outside. Sometimes it can occur when the iPhone battery level says you have more than enough juice left.
On Apple’s support page the company lists its acceptable operating temperatures for iPhones and other devices.
“Using an iOS device in very cold conditions outside of its operating range might temporarily shorten battery life and could cause the device to turn off.” (Finally, some recognition that this doesn’t happen to only you!) Apple adds, “Battery life will return to normal when you bring the device back to higher ambient temperatures.”
According to Apple, their mobile devices work best at temperatures in the range of 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Because many people carry their iPhones and other mobile devices at all times, we might forget that the small mobile devices that seem to have control over our lives can be extremely sensitive to adverse weather conditions.
Why does my iPhone battery die when it’s cold outside?
While there could be several contributing factors to cause your iPhone to die when the weather is cold, one of the reasons is because of the battery it uses.
Apple iPhones use lithium-ion batteries which contain an electrolyte liquid inside the cells of it. When the weather becomes extremely cold, the liquid begins to crystallize or change density. When this happens, the liquid loses its ability to allow electricity to flow properly. This causes the battery to lose power quickly.
This explains why sometimes when you’re outside in the cold weather and your phone may shut off completely even if your battery meter is at a normal level.
Fortunately, your iPhone returns back to “normal” when the device temperature warms back up, but it can be highly frustrating if you are in the middle of making a call, snapping a photo, or trying to figure out when your Uber is arriving and suddenly your phone shuts down unexpectedly.
