This is how to improve your iPhone's battery life

Apple has been accused of 'significantly overstating' the battery life of a number of its iPhones by consumer watchdog Which? (Photo: Shutterstock)Apple has been accused of 'significantly overstating' the battery life of a number of its iPhones by consumer watchdog Which? (Photo: Shutterstock)
Apple has been accused of 'significantly overstating' the battery life of a number of its iPhones by consumer watchdog Which? (Photo: Shutterstock)

Apple has recently been accused of 'significantly overstating' the battery life of a number of its iPhones, following testing carried out by consumer watchdog Which?.

The group tested the battery performance of more than 50 mobile phones from five different brands, and found that all Apple models fell short of the time the tech giant claimed they would last.

According to its results, both Apple and HTC "appeared to overstate the battery life life length" of their gadgets.

"Apple stated that its batteries lasted between 18 per cent and 51 per cent longer than the Which? results", the report said.

The iPhone XR was found to be the worst performer of the nine iPhone models tested, lasting for 16 hours and 32 minutes, when Apple claimed it can last for up to 25 hours in some cases.

Which? said the testing involved charging brand new, independently bought phones to full battery and measuring how long they lasted when making continuous phone calls.

Apple defended its own measurements, saying in a statement: "We rigorously test our products and stand behind our battery life claims.

"Which? have chosen not to share their criteria so it is impossible for us to judge their findings. We share how we test battery life with our customers, which are available here."

An iPhone battery life can be affected by a number of variables, including connection to data networks, apps and temperature (Photo: Shutterstock)

How to improve your iPhone battery life

The battery performance of an iPhone can be affected by a number of variables, including connection to data or Wi-Fi networks, apps in use, or even external factors such as temperature.

To improve the battery life of your iPhone, Apple offers the following top tips:

Update to the latest software - Updates often include advanced energy-saving technologies, so ensure you are using the latest version of iOSAvoid extreme ambient temperatures - iPhones work best at 0C to 35C ambient temperatures, with 16C to 22C as the ideal comfort zone. Exposing it to temperatures higher than 35C can permanently damage the battery capacityRemove certain cases during charging - Certain styles of cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity while chargingOptimise your settings - Dimming your screen, or turning on auto-brightness will extend your battery life. Using a Wi-Fi connection also uses less power than a mobile network, so keep Wi-Fi on at all timesEnable low power mode - This mode reduces display brightness, optimises device performance and minimises system animations. You can still use key functions, such as making and receiving calls, email, messages and the Internet, and when your phone charges up again, this mode automatically switches offView battery usage information - With iOS you can manage the battery life of your device in Settings > Battery, where it will show the proportion of your battery used by each app. To improve performance, you can turn settings such as battery app refresh, location services and push notifications offPlug in and power on your computer to charge your device - Ensure your computer is plugged in and powered on when using it to charge your iPhone via USB. If your device is connected to a computer that is turned off, or in sleep or standby mode, the battery may drain

This article originally appeared on our sister site, The Scotsman