Apple iPhone Software Update Teases Neat New Feature For Millions Of Users

Apple will release the next major iPhone software update, iOS 18.2, in Dec. 2024 (here are full details of exactly when). There’s a lot in it but clever analysis of the code has revealed that Apple may be about to add a feature that tells you exactly how long it’ll take to recharge your iPhone. In turn, this could help your iPhone battery last longer, which is of interest to, well, everybody.

And unlike some of the new iOS 18 features like Apple Intelligence, which only work with some of the most recent iPhones, this looks set to be compatible with iPhones stretching back several years.

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The code for iOS 18.2 includes a framework called BatteryIntelligence which “will calculate the estimated time to recharge the phone, most likely based on the amount of energy being received by the device.

Users will have the option of receiving a notification with an estimate of how long it will take for the charge to reach 80%, for example,” according to 9to5Mac who saw it in the code.

This is a neat extra. While plenty of Android phones tell you on the lock screen how long it will take to reach 100% battery charge, the preferences to set a charge limit are nuanced on the iPhone, offering choices between 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% and 100% options.

As you may know, charging the battery to 100% all the time can damage the lifespan of the cell, with smart charging options on the iPhone learning your behavior and automatically stopping the charge below 100% until just before you wake up, for instance, before completing the charge.

If you opt to set the maximum charge level below 100% at one of the levels suggested by Apple, it can help the battery last longer, is the theory.

The iPhone already notifies you if you’re using a slow charger, so this new feature builds on that with added convenience.

The fact that it’s in the beta but not activated yet may indicate it’s coming later, but iOS 18.2 still seems a strong possibility. There’s a lot more to the update than this, including the capability for some users to download the Apple App Store.

If you can’t wait until December, there are betas. The first developer beta landed on Oct. 25, the second version of the developer beta on Monday, Nov. 4, and the public beta went live on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

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