Almost everything in the world of technology and gadgets has been at the center of some or the other rumor at some point. The rumors just don’t seem to stop, especially when we are talking about mobile devices.
So, today we are going to bust 10 common misconceptions about mobile devices. Read on.
Background apps can drain your battery faster
Okay, let’s settle this once and for all. Background apps do not drain your battery faster. For both Android and iOS platforms, the operating system limits the app usage when they are running in the background. If you are doing some serious multitasking and if the device needs more memory, the background apps are terminated to free up memory. So, you might as well get rid of those ‘task cleaners’ that you might have installed on your devices.
Wi-Fi & Bluetooth drain your battery faster
In reality, only when you use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to transfer files, they start draining your battery. In other cases when Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are just switched on, they consume very little or no battery at all. This has been made possible to some extent by the newer generation of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies as well.
You should only use the charger that came with your phone
Now, this myth is at times promoted by the phone manufactures as they want you to pay a premium for the original accessories. However, third-party OEMs who manufacture accessories as per the original manufacturing standards are completely safe to use. You need to make sure that you stay away from those poor-quality Chinese knock-offs though!
Drain your battery completely before recharging
Although this rumor was actually true for the older NiCad and NiMH batteries, it does not hold good for the modern Lithium-ion batteries and they actually charge better when they are not 100% drained.
Charging your phone overnight kills the battery
Modern Smartphones are smart enough to stop drawing power when the phone’s battery is completely charged, unlike the older batteries that continued overcharging. So, this is another myth that you should be aware of.
Mobile phones can cause fire at fuel stations
There was an experiment conducted recently in the US where a Smartphone was exposed to an open area containing fuel. Numerous calls were made to the phone apart from running various apps in order to heat up the phone. Of course, all of this was done remotely and it did not cause any fire. Myth busted.
Larger battery means more battery life
Battery life depends on the amount of power that your device consumes. So, if you have a device with energy efficient screen and better electronics, it will consume less battery and might last even longer on the same amount of charge, irrespective of the battery size. On comparing various phones, I found that Samsung phones offer an extended battery life irrespective of the network (3G/4G) used.
Mobile phone emit radiation
This is probably the most widely spread rumor about the ill effects of a mobile device. In all honesty, this does not make sense. Mobile phone companies have to pass a strict Specific Absorption Rating (SAR) test which guarantees that the phone does not emit enough radiation that can cause harm to the user.
So, next time when you are buying a phone, look out for that SAR rating. I recently compared a bunch of Samsung phones to zero in on the one I wanted to buy. The site also gave me a comprehensive list of similar products such as Motorola, Lenovo, Micromax, etc., its features as well as pricing from various e-commerce websites.
Even in Airplane mode, mobile phones interrupt with navigation
Modern avionics are pretty sophisticated. A bunch of mobile phones cannot cause any harm to navigation or guidance systems. If that was not the case, we all would be asked to keep our phones inside the check-in baggage and would not be allowed to carry it on board.
Don’t make calls while charging the phone as it might explode
There have been cases of mobile phones exploding while people were making calls when charging the phone. These were a result of faulty batteries and not the phone.
These are the 10 common misconceptions about mobile devices that you should be aware of. Do you have anything else to add to this? Do let us know in the comment section below.