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iPod Battery Myths Debunked

by Jon Chase on December 2, 2009 at 06:30 AM


There's a lot of confusion about the best way to treat an iPod's battery (e.g., Is it better to charge it often, or to fully empty it? Is it okay to leave it charging when it's full?), so here's the official word.
  • Because the iPod has lithium-ion batteries, it doesn't matter whether you charge it a little bit at a time, or run it down before recharging fully. The battery will last for several thousand full charges (called charge cycles), and at least a couple years; there are many iPods out there that still hold a decent charge despite being several years old.
  • It doesn't matter if you leave your iPod on a charger after it's fully charged; it has internal circuitry that stops it from overcharging. So leave it on all night and sleep well.
  • If you leave your iPod in a drawer fully charged, it will drain in about a month. That being said, because the batteries do tend to degrade if they aren't charged with some frequency, it's best to give it some juice every few weeks or so -- even if you aren't using it.
  • Charging with an AC charger is faster than doing so via a USB cable and computer.
  • You don't need to instantly charge your iPod's battery upon first purchasing one, nor leave it on a charger for a set period of time. If the battery is full, use it. If it's near empty, charge it if you like, but you don't need to "prime" the battery.

Tags: apple, charging, ipod, ipod battery, IpodBattery, myths, techtip, top

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