Prior to the iPhone 15 launch, there was widespread frustration among iPhone 14 Pro users due to rapid battery degradation compared to previous models. This occurred in mid-August, prompting me to check my own iPhone 14 Pro’s battery health.
Battery Maintenance Measures
Despite reports of other users experiencing a 10% battery health drop in less than a year, my iPhone 14 Pro’s battery health remained at 100%. I attributed this to my consistent usage habits and specific battery care techniques, such as disabling the Always-On display and utilizing optimized charging.
Unintentional Setting Adjustment
In October, I realized that I had unintentionally left a setting unchanged, potentially contributing to my excellent battery performance. About a year prior, I had disabled the ProMotion feature, limiting the refresh rate to 60Hz for testing purposes, and forgot to revert it.
ProMotion Explanation and Comparison
I had previously shared tips to enhance iPhone 14 Pro battery life, including reducing the frame rate to 60Hz. ProMotion dynamically adjusts the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz, but limiting it to 60Hz conserves energy. Rumors suggested earlier iPhones lacked this feature due to battery and display limitations.
A16 Chip and Refresh Rate
While the iPhone 15 series features the efficient A16 chip, they are restricted to a 60Hz refresh rate, likely due to cost considerations for the base models.
Accidental 60Hz Usage
My phone inadvertently remained at 60Hz for a year, potentially extending battery life and preserving battery health by reducing charging frequency.
Revelation and iOS 17 Impact
I only discovered the setting by accident recently, coinciding with a drop in battery life after the iOS 17 update, a topic for another discussion.
ProMotion Consideration
Despite realizing my mistake, I’m hesitant to re-enable ProMotion as I hadn’t noticed the difference and prioritize battery life.
Overheating Incident
An overheating incident during wireless charging caused screen stuttering, initially attributed to the chip but resolved with a restart.
Conclusion
While contemplating reactivating ProMotion, I’m content with the improved battery life resulting from inadvertently using a 60Hz refresh rate for a year.
