Other Why fast charging is still promoted as superior?

[snipr125]

What physics on charging? Do tell with proof and data to back it up.

In simple thermodynamics, More work = more heat, More heat = more degradation. Im sure you know this already.

 

[TokyoKiller]

Dear Macrumors readers!

Today in the morning I stumbled across a post on reddit where a person got this:
View attachment 2413347 View attachment 2413346

It is said that this happened during charging while playing some game.

And I though, "Wait, isn't this original Apple 20W charger?".

We sure can speculate that it was fake Aliexpress charger, or that the charger case (lol) overheated the brick and melted everything, but the problem is still here: fast chargers generate more heat. You cannot cancel it, those are laws of physics.

It would be good if Apple started warning users against using their devices while charging since a lot of heat is generated both on the charger and phone.

It is laughable Qualcomm and some Chinese manufacturers even lauched 100W charging and some even brag about 200W to pump into smartphones. I mean, for what? Modern batteries have 3000 mAh+ life. With just enough system optimizations it can run a phone thru whole day and up to three days with light to moderate usage and no social networks.

It is also a fact battery dies faster with fast chargers. I also thought it was a myth and used 20W charger all the time with my phone until I saw that battery health started decreasing way too fast, backed down to 5W charger and it magically slowed down.

There should be some proportion of "acceptable" power to total capacity of the battery. It seems there is absolutely no need to charge at 100W with 5000 mAh batteries.

And imagine someone tries to play PUBG on some new iPhone in future, put it on 100W charger in some poorly ventilated room with a charging case on charger, a thick UAG rubber/kevlar case on the phone and all of that at high brightness. It is basically a homebrewed C4!

What do you think about all this "fast charge pandemic"? Should manufacturers warn users of potential safety hazards? Safe charging or fast charging?

You're literally referencing a post about someone who put a CASE over their charger and if you look the post, they are completely clueless as to why that would cause an issue when others pointed it out. In my 5 years of working at Apple, I can confirm that most burns, fires and issues caused by charging are due to misuse and improper use and lack of complete awareness on how charging, heat and electricity works. The amount of idiots who plugged their devices into power immediately after getting them wet is insane.

 

[JuicyGoomba]

OP posted clickbait and it worked a treat.

Sadly it wont make the front page though, sorry bro.

 

[JuicyGoomba]

You're literally referencing a post about someone who put a CASE over their charger and if you look the post, they are completely clueless as to why that would cause an issue when others pointed it out. In my 5 years of working at Apple, I can confirm that most burns, fires and issues caused by charging are due to misuse and improper use and lack of complete awareness on how charging, heat and electricity works. The amount of idiots who plugged their devices into power immediately after getting them wet is insane.

How many times do you get the good ole "but I put it in rice to dry it out"?

It's actually scary how many people still think that putting a wet device in rice will save it because it's no longer gonna be wet. Generally not worth the brain power to explain to them that once wet it's already done for.

 

[TechnoMonk]

In simple thermodynamics, More work = more heat, More heat = more degradation. Im sure you know this already.

Battery isn’t anything but simple thermodynamics. I guess you read all thermodynamics laws, all 4 of them. It’s basic physics 101. If it was so simple, there would be plenty of data. Obsession with batteries here is off the chart.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the actual regulation happens in iPhone at software and hardware level.

It probable does, I see it happen with the MagSafe battery pack attached when things get warm-ish.

 

[AppliedMicro]

I can’t quite comprehend the fuss here.

Yes, fast charging will degrade battery faster - but it’s practically useful. A trade-off that can and is left to the user. An iPhone will only charge at speeds deemed safe by Apple.

As for the charger depicted in the original post (or on Reddit), from what I can see sure it looks like a cheap knock-off of Apple’s original. The give-away is the light grey plastic part on the side where the prongs fold out. It’s flush with the white encasing encasing on Apple’s original charger (and would feel more smooth to the touch, if you rubbed your finger over it). Whereas cheap knock-offs depicted online (here when looking at user pictures instead of the listings renderings, here or here) show higher manufacturing tolerances and tiny uneven gaps where it’s glued into the white encasing - more in line with what I can make out from the pictures on Reddit. Also, the Reddit user doesn’t mention having used a genuine Apple charger when advised to do so.

Bottom line: use a high-quality charger.

 

[toobravetosave]

i’m not sure if apple does this because it’s near impossible to keep up with their settings changes but on android you can disable/enable both fast and super fast charging from the battery settings

 

[shadowboi]

How many times do you get the good ole "but I put it in rice to dry it out"?

It's actually scary how many people still think that putting a wet device in rice will save it because it's no longer gonna be wet. Generally not worth the brain power to explain to them that once wet it's already done for.

Well, I saved few devices this way. One old Samsung phone that decided to sip some boiling hot mint tea (and bootlooped out of pleasure) – it was in rice for two days and another two days on top of electric heater, still works great, and another newer Samsung that got drowned in a toilet (well, technically it does not function as new, but apart from dead power button everything seems to work fine)

 

[shadowboi]

OP posted clickbait and it worked a treat.

Sadly it wont make the front page though, sorry bro.

It IS on the front page but that wasn’t my intent tbh

After all here there is no point of promoting some topics over others since there is no karma system like on reddit, neither my account serves any selfPR-related purpose😄

Sorry for clickbait-like title, just a bad habit after few years in SMM. I wanted to have more of a topic for general discussion, turned out I didn’t check forum postings and there was almost identical thread a day ago from another user

 

[Andeddu]

Battery isn’t anything but simple thermodynamics. I guess you read all thermodynamics laws, all 4 of them. It’s basic physics 101. If it was so simple, there would be plenty of data. Obsession with batteries here is off the chart.

More heat does equal more degradation however I believe the difference between fast and slow charging in relation to battery health is almost imperceptible or marginal at best.

I have mentioned before I used an iPhone 6S and charged it with an OEM 5w charger each night for 2 years and ended up with 82% battery health.

I did the same with my 8 for 2.5 years and ended with 84% battery health.

My iPhone 13 is getting charged via MagSafe each night and is at 89%. It’ll be 2 years old in Jan 2025. I guess it’ll likely be sitting with 83-84% battery health by then.

I’ll get it a fresh battery via Apple at that point, like I did with my 6S & 8.

 

[Cirillo Gherardo]

Wireless charging, fast charging, and charging while using, mean the battery is at an elevated temperature. Heat causes acceleration of battery wear, which is a scientific fact. They meaningfully contribute to degradation of the battery whether you want to believe it or not, and are very much noticeable over the life of the phone.

Completely and totally false. I need to point this out so that other uninformed visitors don't mistake your comment for truth.

 

[rulymammoth]

Completely and totally false. I need to point this out so that other uninformed visitors don't mistake your comment for truth.

Well, sure, but where are you getting your information from?

 

[TechnoMonk]

More heat does equal more degradation however I believe the difference between fast and slow charging in relation to battery health is almost imperceptible or marginal at best.

I have mentioned before I used an iPhone 6S and charged it with an OEM 5w charger each night for 2 years and ended up with 82% battery health.

I did the same with my 8 for 2.5 years and ended with 84% battery health.

My iPhone 13 is getting charged via MagSafe each night and is at 89%. It’ll be 2 years old in Jan 2025. I guess it’ll likely be sitting with 83-84% battery health by then.

I’ll get it a fresh battery via Apple at that point, like I did with my 6S & 8.

It depends on the tolerance range of the battery. iPhone is very conservative and Apple plays it safe even with fast charger. My 13 PM after 3 years is at 87%, despite using the phone in steam and sauna at very high temperatures than a charger. iPhone at times shuts down in sauna. It’s a myth that for normal temp range iPhone battery degrades faster. There are lot more factors that aren’t user or environmental controlled.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Completely and totally false. I need to point this out so that other uninformed visitors don't mistake your comment for truth.

This 100%. I need to see real data that includes temperature ranges and tolerance limits before buying in to bro science as fact posted here by people who have battery heat obsession.

 

[Drosera]

iPhone regulates itself, if only people could regulate the anxiety over batteries. You don’t have to baby sit to this level.

I get where you're coming from, but this is a super simple change to make, so why not. Doesn't take any thinking once an accurate answer has been supplied. And I did already say this was getting into the weeds... no anxiety here, just curiosity

 

[Cirillo Gherardo]

Well, sure, but where are you getting your information from?

Reality. I don't play these games, sorry.

 

[SactoGuy18]

THIS is why all my USB-C chargers are Anker models (plus an older Baseus charger). At least these brands are generally way more reliable.