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Life begins at 14% battery

ANDROIDPIT battery 3
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A fully-charged battery is the worst. Keeping a phone charged is such a mundane activity, such an everyday (read: every day) thing, that many of us never stop to think about it. But we've all charged phone batteries literally thousands of times in our lives. I've come to a conclusion about the effect this has on us. It's this: life really begins at 14 percent battery.

nexus 5x nexus 6p usb type c charging
Battery life is a daily journey. / © ANDROIDPIT

100% battery is draining

When your battery is charged to 100 percent, you feel great, right? Things could not be better. But then two minutes later the battery level drops to 99 percent and that good feeling is gone. It's only downhill from here. You browse a little, send a few messages, get your daily AndroidPIT fix and then fall even closer to 14 percent battery.

You have better things to do, but soon enough you start to think about charging your phone. "Where's my cable?" you ask. "Do I have access to a wall socket?" There are occasions when you know, know for certain, that your battery will die and there will be no way to charge it. What's the point of having a phone when it's dead?

androidpit samsung fast charger note 5
We're still searching for more ways to beat a dead battery. / © ANDROIDPIT

The battery death metaphor

If you own an Android phone, life begins at 14 percent battery. This is a point where things change. Whether you're using a phone for work, chatting with friends or simply reading 9GAG, the 14 percent point is when you receive a low battery notification – it's the start of a new beginning. But not with an iPhone.

14 percent battery is a point where things change

With the iPhone, life ends at 40 percent. I don't know how many text messages I've received from iFriends who wrote: "battery is almost dead". These friends should learn to live a little, many of them never even reach 14 percent battery. How can we be internet friends if your phone doesn't work? I'm sorry, but if your phone is dead, you're dead to me.

AndroidPIT Omar loving samsung galaxy Note 5 4
Just texting some iFriends. / © ANDROIDPIT

Life begins at 14%

There is hope. Once your battery hits 14 percent, it's time to charge. Now you've got three options here. The first is to quickly finish what you're doing, to get it all done before you hit zero. The second is to simply stop using your phone and return to the real world. The third is to grab a cable, find a power port and begin the cycle once more. Your day can only get better from here.

Once you've stopped monitoring battery life you can get on with other stuff. You can read 9GAG. You can message iFriends to tell them, "you're dead to me :)". I think it's true that life begins at 14 percent battery.

How do you feel about low battery? Let me know on Twitter and in the comments section.

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Omar Hamwi

Omar Hamwi
Head of Content

Omar has been a dedicated Android user since 2011. He began his career as a print journalist before a move into digital editing. He is passionate about technology and, since relocating from Sydney to Berlin, now shares his passion as part of the AndroidPIT team. His mission now is to help readers of AndroidPIT find the best hardware and software.

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27 comments
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  • Anna S. 31
    Anna S. May 9, 2016 Link to comment

    Such a heart-warming article Omar!
    Until I recently (and my friends would say finally) switched phone, my battery was absolute -pardon me- crap! I already replaced the battery of my S2 with a huge 3500mAh one which made my phone look like it had its own backpack or let's say a missile I could use when walking home alone in the night time to protect myself. But still, my battery was running out all the time! And no, I still don't think it was my behaviour ..
    But even now with 6050mAh to drain - nothing compares to thesse times when you decide not to be dictated by your battery anymore and just switch off your phone to spend the time with the ones that really matter - in real life.

    federicoOmar Hamwi


  • Alex 17
    Alex Apr 26, 2016 Link to comment

    Really a nice article , But the life actually begins at 15% where it shows low battery and the my life only begins at 10 % where in remember all the stuff that I had to do with my Phone and when it reaches 5 % my heart beats like hell and when it reaches 1 % I turn into a Warrior to protect my 1 % charge to use the Phone and it gets switched off,Even though many may say External Battery pack and stuff I would like to say one thing ,You gotta charge the goddamn Phone once again!!!!!!!and the charging war never ends!!!
    Peace...


  • 9
    rick Feb 20, 2016 Link to comment

    I have a 16000 mAh external battery pack, so i dont know what its like to live at 14 % battery. probably sucks if you cant get to a outlet, or if you dont have a charger. But, if you were hanging wiht me, i would give you a boost, i can charge 2 devices at the same time, if i wanted.


  • surya kumar 16
    surya kumar Feb 18, 2016 Link to comment

    For someone like me without non removable battery life begins really when I unplug the charger.I want my removable battery back:'( :'( :'(


    • Pieter Uys 8
      Pieter Uys Feb 18, 2016 Link to comment

      One word: externalbatterypack!

      Dean L.


      • Dean L. 34
        Dean L. Feb 18, 2016 Link to comment

        Agreed. 👍


  • Jeffrey O. 3
    Jeffrey O. Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    For some at the so called third world countries like me it begins at any % cos the power supply is epileptic and you never know when you'd have power. So most devices are like tv-yeah you heard right, tv-always plugged to the electrical socket


  • BruinGuy 20
    BruinGuy Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    On my Note 5, I can put it into ultimate power saver and, at 14%, have 2 days of usage left.


  • 7
    Claudio Gallo Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    I do so love that headline!
    It's gonna be my new Life Moto: "Life begins at 14% Battery"... so true.

    Omar Hamwi


  • Dean L. 34
    Dean L. Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    For me it begins when my external battery pack is @ 0%. That was with my 3k pack. Now I have a 10k pack which not only allows me to charge my phone multiple times, but also keep my tablet up and running when there's no power outlet in sight. Best of all is that battery pack prices have dropped to where they're cheaper than a phones battery.

    Pieter Uys


  • 12
    lianne john Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    Something New! Interesting take!

    Omar Hamwi


    • Omar Hamwi 17
      Omar Hamwi Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

      Glad you think so!


  • 2
    prashanth hegde Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    why bother , carry a 10000mAh battery pack costing less then $15 which can charge your device at least twice .
    now a days they are portable and good looking enough to carry in your pocket

    Dean L.Pieter Uys


    • Dean L. 34
      Dean L. Feb 18, 2016 Link to comment

      Agreed. That's how I handle it now. 👍


  • Andri Novius 2
    Andri Novius Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    Since I got an LG G4 with additional battery, the life begins at 0%. I just need to swap that 0% battery with a new one,no need to worry anymore. Don't know why there is a smartphone product stuck with a non-removable battery

    Omar Hamwi


    • Pieter Uys 8
      Pieter Uys Feb 18, 2016 Link to comment

      Ok, if I understand the article correctly, you admitting that you have NO life.


  • 46
    Deactivated Account Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    It is a problem I never have when I get low, I pop in a new one. One reason I will not buy phones with out removable batteries.


  • Ravindu Thimantha Gamage 8
    Ravindu Thimantha Gamage Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

    For us Huawei users, life begins at 9%!

    Omar Hamwi


  • 2
    Trenton Matthews Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    For me, life begins at "15" percent, as that's when my BLU Life One X 2016 jumps in to "Battery Saver" mode.
    As I'm a blind Android user, I can save a bit more juice since I don't have a need to look at the screen itself, thus "Power Saving" mode, is also turnned on.
    Very great write up here too!


  • Michal Horna 14
    Michal Horna Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    Yep, maybe to ponder
    but I Charging when I have the opportunity and the time


  • A.J. Thrasher 2
    A.J. Thrasher Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    I start to sweat when it goes below 90%.

    Omar Hamwi


    • Omar Hamwi 17
      Omar Hamwi Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

      Haha...


  • 6
    McLaren F1P1 Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    My problem is because of incurable addiction, I need to get hourly simultaneous Androidpit fix, Android authority, phonearena, gsmarena, xda, WhatsApp fixes and because of good battery life it's on 2nd day that I reach 14%, but it's at 4% when life begins for me at least for 1h15min fast charge! Productivity so slow these days. Wished there were no smartphones sometimes!!


  • 49
    storm Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    This presumes that connectivity is all that your phone does for you. And there are careers and leisure choices where that is the dominant paradigm. I actually am more dependent on my phone and use it more heavily in Airplane and related modes. Here in the Western US, I can drive for hours without receiving a cell signal. My phone is still useful for music, media, GPS, navigation and such if I pre-load it with useful things. I'm very much doing things that aren't communication or connectivity focused. I'm living what many would consider disconnected recreation. But my smart phone is still being smart and useful without currently being a phone. A low battery is still a problem and one I rectify in the car, or with a battery charger. Charge when you can in these conditions and enjoy your smart device even if connectivity is not an option.

    Omar Hamwi


  • 19
    Moni Mihailov Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    Fun to read article ^_^ Really enjoyed it :)

    Omar HamwiMcLaren F1P1


  • 10
    Dayle Steele Feb 16, 2016 Link to comment

    Nice article offers food for thought

    Omar Hamwi


    • Omar Hamwi 17
      Omar Hamwi Feb 17, 2016 Link to comment

      Thanks for the comment, Dayle!

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