Blog 04 – Battery tips 1 - Saving Your Precious Memories on Your Phones Part 3

Adriel Bong
Dec 21, 2022
5 min read

Updated: Mar 26

Here's a quick summary of my journey thus far,

Personal Wireless Charging Experience

[Updated *Mar 2025] -

** means Update since last time

*** means Top Tips

**My iPhone is has currently

87% total capacity after *~31 months of use.

Previously, 88% total capacity after *~15 months of use

( *Starting using since Aug 2022).

So I got a Belkin Wireless Magnetic Charger and you can read up more technical information about it here. (Links checked *Mar 2025)

TLDR/ Summary: The Belkin Powerbank is still worth it for me

after *~ 28 months of using it. (Nov 2022 to Mar 2025),

That said, With 5G becoming more mainstream now, I’d suggest getting a 10K mAH wireless powerbank or more mAh for when you need more battery power on the go

(if you like the wireless ability).

**Apple Magsafe Battery Pack which costs more now may be outdated.

More info listed closer to the bottom below.

Here are my thoughts on the Belkin.

Recommendations

1. Try to charge in stand mode / standing up mode to reduce heat and allow for more continuous charging.

2. Use a Magsafe Case. It helps the battery pack to stay on so much better,

**[ I use a Magsafe Case now after using a non-Magsafe case. It's a big difference. That said, Icurrently don't have enough personal data so I'm not currently recommending a case even. ]

3. Charging Tips :

A. Charging Tips 1:

i. While wireless charging. avoid charging while in pocket / bag / enclosed space with less ventilation where possible and avoid using in hot environments. Leaving out of pocket in Air-conditioned areas are good enough usually. Leaving in pocket while in the mall will mean slow charging unless you're using a cable to charge.

***ii. Using a cable to charge will give you a faster charge.

This comes from less power loss from heat.

***iii. Avoid to updating apps while using Zoom (while wirelessly charging the powerbank and your phone at the same time while on 4G)

(It may affect other power / battery intensive apps too)

This could cause your phone to overheat and shut down. (It happened to me.)

**B. Charging Tips 2 : The Belkin Powerbank charges faster in 20 degrees in a smaller hotel room.

In a bigger space it may require a lower temperature.

(I’m not willing for now due to the additional cost to the environment and climate change.)

Current Test Environments

Usually Kuching , Malaysia : 25 - 31 Degrees | Humidity around 60

Pros?

1. Don't need to use cable(s).

[If you need more power on the go, please use wired charging. More info here.]

Something about not having my iPhone not connected via cable makes it so much more convenient for me and I can save the cable for when I need direct charging.

A. This is very helpful for me too since it's kid friendly and I don't need to leave my iPhone connected to a power outlet.

B. Since it's not stuck there, my child would have a lower chance of accidentally pulling and accidentally destroying my phone.

And I've bought a MFi UGREEN USBC to LIghtning Cable after using a UGREEN USB-A to Lightning one for a few years but I like going wireless. It's almost like going from LAN (Wired Internet) to Wireless Internet for me.

2. It acts as a stand so I can watch my phone on a table.

Yes, an expensive stand but at least it's a stand that charges while being connected.

Also, I don't need to bring my power outlet dependent charger and cable out.

3. I get to prolong my iPhone's battery life.

Long story short, I'm currently charging at 80-85%.
80% is the ideal depth of discharge (DoD) for Lithium batteries, found in current mainstream phones and powerbanks, before you start charging it again. For more info, please look at Battery University's Table 2 here.

4. Able to charge iPhone and Belkin Wireless Powerbank at the same time. (This is very helpful for me as I have less things to carry while travelling with Family.)

5. Charging it separately may help too.

Currently I"m using a lower wattage Belkin Charger to split the load. (It's discontinued now but you may be able to find something similiar through the link.)
This ensures lower change of overheating through magnetic charge as my phone has not been fully charged a few times when I needed it with wireless charging while I sleep.
Maybe it will help prolong the life of the Belkin Wireless Charger too

6. Able to keep hands warm. Useful for colder situations like malls.

Cons?

*1. Costs ~RM200 in 2025 [Bought at ~RM 197 (~USD 42) in 2022]

The Wireless Charger is ~RM200 and you need a Magnetic Case so that it works well.
Yes, currently and possibly eventually, it maybe cheaper to do a iPhone battery replacement but I'd rather reduce the downtime for a battery swap for my main phone.
So it's a time save for me as I get to delay the day I need to battery swap and leave my phone at the shop for a day.

(Currently, Apple has finally arrived in Malaysia in June 2024 after waiting since 2022. I've had a very good experience when they moved into Perth, Western Australia, years ago.)

2. The Phone doesn't charge if it's hot

(which is self monitored so amazingly well by the iPhone.

Wireless charging creates more heat than wired charging.
So sometimes, if your phone is hot while charging (and I speculate that it affects all wireless charging with Magnetic Wireless Charger), then you won't get a full charge so sometimes it's a time consuming process to make sure that.

A. Your iPhone is cool enough. Usually 15-30 mins of letting the phone rest/ not using, then trying charging outside of pocket-like/ confined spaces, works for me in a 25-31 degress celsius area like Kuching/ Malaysia.

B. Managing your Wireless Charger so that the DoD isn't reaching below 20% so that you can use it more times. (Ideal DoD explanation above). [ Pros? - Point No3 ]

3. Can't simultaneously charge with the wireless and wired mode at the same time.

(So if you only have one USBC Charging point, charge your Powerbank.

If the temperature is cool enough (less than (<)20 degrees Celcius), charge your Belkin Powerbank and your phone at the same time.

4. Power supply unit not included. So you need to get a USB-C Charger of your choice.

5. Not working as well after ~31 months ( ~2.5 years of use). So now it's more of a Magsafe Charger for me while I run another higher capacity powerbank to it.

Apple Magsafe Battery Pack Thoughts

I'd only get an Apple Magsafe Battery Pack if it comes back in USBC Form.

The interesting features (for me) are:

"Once the iPhone reaches 90%, the battery pack will stop charging to maintain efficiency."
"Testing shows that MagSafe can charge at a much higher efficiency, around 70%. This means Apple's 2,920mAh equivalent battery can charge an iPhone about 2,000mAh before being exhausted.""

More info about the Apple Magsafe Battery Pack here.