Why do iPhones often break down in low temperatures? It turns out it’s not Apple’s fault

Why do iPhones often break down in low temperatures? It turns out it’s not Apple’s fault

Recently, there have been many discussions about the iPhone 6s automatically shutting down. Although Apple has taken certain measures to deal with it, such as informing users to use their iPhones at suitable temperatures and providing battery replacement services for designated batches of iPhones, things are often more complicated than imagined. Users still complain about their iPhones, especially with the coming of winter, when the outdoor temperature is getting lower and lower, and the phenomenon of automatic shutdown of mobile phones is becoming more and more frequent. Even the Android phone in my hand has experienced a similar phenomenon. It can be seen that low temperature has indeed become one of the reasons for the automatic shutdown of mobile phones, and questions have also arisen. Why do smartphones made of precision electronic components repeatedly shut down at low temperatures?

It's all the fault of the battery In fact, it is difficult for smart devices to work properly at low temperatures. Merchants often specify the normal operating temperature of the device in the packaging, and make certain explanations for the low temperature shutdown phenomenon. Taking the iPhone as an example, the official recommendation is that users run the device between 0℃-35℃. In an environment below 0℃, the battery life may be temporarily shortened and the device may shut down automatically. It can be seen that the battery problem is the culprit behind the phenomenon. To expand, most of the batteries in smart devices are lithium-ion batteries. The charging and discharging principle of this type of battery is actually still a chemical reaction. Through a simple diagram, it can be seen that in the discharge state, the lithium ions at the negative electrode pass through the electrolyte and the diaphragm to the positive electrode. This movement of lithium ions realizes the transfer of charge, thereby realizing the conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Under low temperature conditions, the activity of the above electrochemical reaction deteriorates, which is mainly reflected in two aspects. The first is the ion diffusion rate. The lower the temperature, the slower the ion diffusion rate. In other words, the transfer rate of ions between the two electrodes is slower, resulting in low energy conversion efficiency, which is manifested in a significant reduction in the amount of electricity provided by the battery. Secondly, the properties of the electrolyte and diaphragm inside the battery change, and the permeability of both to charged particles decreases at low temperatures. In particular, the permeability of the battery diaphragm deteriorates, which increases the resistance to the shuttling of lithium ions in it, which is reflected in the increase in the internal resistance of the battery. The increased internal resistance plays a certain role in voltage division, which reduces the voltage provided by the battery to the external circuit. Therefore, low temperatures often cause the battery's power and voltage to become unstable. When the power management chip of the mobile phone detects that the battery output is lower than normal operation, it will automatically shut down for the purpose of protecting the device. In other words, low temperature shutdown is actually a device protection measure designed by manufacturers. Of course, the triggering conditions for this measure are different for each manufacturer, which also leads to different performances of different mobile phones in low temperature environments. The iPhone may be relatively "sensitive". There is a mystery behind the "Shutdown Gate" Back to Apple's problem, the "Shutdown Gate" that broke out this time cannot be denied to have weather reasons, but according to feedback from different users, in the south where the temperature is higher, there are cases where the iPhone automatically shuts down when there is 30% battery left, and even 50%-60% battery will automatically shut down. It can be seen that the iPhone "Shutdown Gate" still has certain hardware problems. From the final solution of Apple, the so-called hardware problem should still be on the battery. Since Apple has not given a certain explanation, it is speculated that it is very likely that the quality of the corresponding batch of iPhone batteries is not up to standard. After all, the substances in lithium batteries are highly active and it is difficult to control the consistency of quality. It is very likely that after a year of charging and discharging, the life span will drop sharply and cannot meet the requirements of daily use. In addition, the recent sudden drop in temperature in the north, the further destruction of the low temperature on the battery, makes the iPhone power management chip sensitively capture this change, and the automatic shutdown incidents have erupted in a blowout, becoming the "Shutdown Gate". How can mobile phones survive in low temperatures? It should be said that after the Samsung Note 7 "explosion gate", the iPhone's "Shutdown Gate" has once again aroused people's attention to mobile phone batteries. The rapid development of semiconductor technology and communication technology has greatly improved the functions and performance of mobile phones, but the slow development of battery technology often becomes the key obstacle to further development of mobile phones. According to the current situation, there will be no major breakthrough in battery technology in the short term. All we can do is to pay more attention when using mobile phones. It is recommended that you keep your mobile phone fully charged when outdoors in winter, reduce the use of mobile phones outdoors, and use headphones for calls if conditions permit. Of course, put the mobile phone in the inner pocket of your clothes and heat it with body temperature to give the mobile phone a warm winter to avoid it going out of service.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.

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