Protest against the War in Ukraine, Lisbon, April 2022
During a geopolitical crisis, factors such as weak signal, network congestion and GPS interference can force smartphones to work harder. Here’s how to save battery.
In times of crisis, cell phone batteries run out faster — and it’s not just because people are spending more time online.
When the mobile network antennas are damaged or overloaded, cell phones they have to try harder to keep the connectionconsuming more energy. Weak signal, frequent reconnections and increased activity modem of the device are among the main reasons why the battery lasts less in these situations.
The main factor is the weakness or instability of the signal. When cell phones have difficulty connecting to an antenna, increase transmission power. The power amplifier inside the device is one of the components that consume the most energy, and works much harder when the signal is weak.
A signal strength worsens during emergencieswhen networks are overloaded or damaged, meaning cell phones use more energy simply to stay connected.
These networks can become congested when many people make calls, send messages and use data at the same time to contact others, explains .
Heavy traffic can cause slower calls and repeated transmissions of data, keeping both the radio system and the cell phone processor active for longer.
Even when not being actively used, the modem of the cell phone is constantly in communication with nearby antennas, checking the connection and synchronizing data. During data download, the modem is responsible for 40% of the total power consumption of a mobile device.
When the network is unstable, cell phones switch between antennas or between network types in the search for a better connection. They have to reconnect and sync more frequently, which increases energy consumption.
When the network is weak or unstable, cell phones also do more work in the background, such as resend data or perform additional checksto maintain the connection. This extra effort makes the radio system and processor busier than usual, further accelerating battery wear.
As GPS interference can also have an impact. In the United Arab Emirates, several people reported GPS systems for indicate wrong locations or simply not being able to charge.
When a device has difficulty finding an accurate satellite signal, the GPS chip continues to search and recalculate the positionwhich keeps the sensor and processor active and consumes more battery.
How to save battery
Simple measures, such as reduce screen brightness and shorten the time until the screen turns off automatically, they can reduce energy consumption. Power saving mode limits background activity and closes unnecessary applications.
Reduce frequency how email and social media synchronize Updates help save energy, as frequent syncs keep your device active even when it’s not in use.
In areas with poor coverage, turn off mobile data when they are not necessary and disable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS can help conserve battery power. All of these functions regularly look for signals in the background.
Keep your device software up to date can improve energy efficiency, and using the correct charger, in addition to avoiding extreme heat and cold, helps preserve long-term battery health.
According to Samsung, modern smartphone batteries also work better when are not downloaded completelyso keeping the charge above around 20% can help extend its lifespan.
