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Guide

What to Do if You Dropped Your Phone in Water

From the beach to the boat, wherever we go to enjoy warmer weather, our phones are usually right along for the fun and keeping them above water can be a challenging task.
No matter how much you bought your phone, seeing it get damaged is not a pleasing moment at all – even if it’s just a slight crack on the screen.One of the frustrating situations is when your phone falls into the water – either in the toilet or in a pool of water. You may feel terrified and tense at the same time to the extent of not knowing what to do.
In case your device does take a plunge, here are tips for getting water out of your phone that you’ll need to know.

How to get water out of your phone

Here’s what to do if you drop your phone in water or get it wet:

  1. Remove it from the liquid immediately. The longer it stays there, the more liquid will seep into various inlets.
  2. Turn the phone off and leave it off.
  3. Remove the protective case.
  4. If possible, open the back and remove the battery, SIM card, and microSD card (if you have one).
  5. Use a cloth or paper towel to dab your phone dry. Do not rub the phone, as doing so could accidentally push liquid into the phone’s more sensitive parts. If the phone was completely submerged, you might try (very) gently vacuuming around the phone’s creases and openings to suck more water out.
  6. Resist the urge to bake your phone in the sun. Keep it in a cool, dry place.
  7. You’ve probably heard the suggestion to put your phone in rice if it gets wet, but we do not recommend this method. Instead, try silica gel packets, like the ones that often come with new products such as a pair of shoes, as they’ve proven to be much more effective. Fill a plastic zip-top bag with silica gel packets and bury the phone in the bag. Leave your phone in the bag for 24–48 hours.
  8. After you’ve allowed your phone to fully dry, switch it on. If it doesn’t turn on right away, charge it fully and try again.

If your phone turns back on, great! Still, keep an eye on it over the next week or so, as sometimes certain features won’t work the way they used to.

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News

AirPods and Powerbeats Pro 2: Apple’s new health strategy

Apple has placed a lot of emphasis on health and fitness features in recent years, particularly visible in the Apple Watch . Now the company seems to want to take the next step by introducing similar health features to the world of headphones. Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple could integrate health-related technologies into future AirPods models, and the Powerbeats Pro 2 may be a first indication of this. These headphones could not only set new standards in terms of sound and comfort, but could also be particularly interesting for sports and health.

Heart beat monitor pulse line art icon for medical apps and websites. breathing and alive sign red love heart. Red Medic blood pressure , cardiogram, health EKG, ECG logo. Heart in flat outline style.

Heart rate monitoring during training

A key new feature of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is heart rate monitoring. During your workout, you can use these headphones to continuously monitor your heart rate without having to wear additional devices, as MacRumors now reports based on iOS 18 code. The data is recorded directly and can be transferred to your iPhone. In the Health app and other supported fitness apps, you get a central overview of your health data, which allows you to track your training progress precisely. This heart rate monitoring should be of interest to a wide range of users – from competitive athletes who want to accurately measure their performance to people who simply want to track their health and fitness. The advantage here is that the Powerbeats Pro 2 sit firmly in the ear and thus offer a stable and reliable measurement that optimally complements your training.

Connection to fitness equipment and other features

Based on the iOS 18 code, it is clear that the Powerbeats Pro 2 can be connected to fitness equipment such as treadmills. This means that the headphones automatically exchange data with your fitness equipment during training, giving you a more precise measurement of your heart rate and other relevant training data. This integration into the Apple ecosystem makes it particularly easy to manage all your health data in one place. The connection to fitness equipment extends the functionality of the Powerbeats Pro 2 and can significantly improve your training experience. All data is seamlessly synchronized and stored so that you can access a detailed analysis in the Health app even after training. This is a significant step as it allows you to comprehensively record your training data and track it over the long term.

Potential for future AirPods models

There has been speculation for some time that the AirPods Pro 3 could also be equipped with heart rate monitoring. However, this function has not yet been implemented. However, the launch of the Powerbeats Pro 2 and its heart rate measurement could mark the start of the development of this technology in the AirPods. Analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo assume that the third generation of the AirPods Pro – expected to be on the market next year – could also have a health function such as heart rate monitoring integrated. This would be a big step, as the AirPods would then be more than just headphones; they would become a mobile health monitoring tool and could expand the entire user experience in Apple’s ecosystem.

Body temperature measurement for AirPods in the pipeline?

Another exciting rumor revolves around the possibility that future AirPods models could also offer body temperature measurement. Temperature measurement via the wrist was already introduced in the Apple Watch Series 8. The AirPods could theoretically also take on such a function, which would open up many new application possibilities, especially in the health and fitness sector. This would mean that the AirPods could not only improve your music enjoyment but also provide you with valuable health data.

Release and availability of the Powerbeats Pro 2

Apple has confirmed that the Powerbeats Pro 2 is expected to be launched in 2025. For users, this means that they will need a little patience before the new functions are available in the headphones. However, the delay suggests that Apple is working hard to optimize the technology and ensure that heart rate monitoring and device connection work seamlessly and reliably.

Apple sets new standards: headphones with health features

The Powerbeats Pro 2 have the potential to take the use of headphones to a new level by combining sound, comfort and health functions. They are an exciting choice, especially for fitness and health-conscious people, and could become the ideal companion for your workout thanks to heart rate monitoring and integration into the Apple ecosystem. It remains to be seen whether these functions will also find their way into the AirPods. But the development shows that Apple remains innovative and is increasingly oriented towards the needs of users in the health and fitness sector. 

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News

Baidu Announces I-RAG, Miaoda and New Smart Glass

China’s Baidu Inc, opens new tab unveiled a slew of new applications for its artificial intelligence technology on Tuesday, including an enhanced text-to-image generation technology and a tool that enables users to develop software applications without coding expertise.

The country’s leading search engine company is among tech firms shifting their focus to the commercialization of large language model (LLM) applications after nearly two years of heavy investment in research and development in models that they tout as alternatives to OpenAI’s GPT.

At the annual Baidu World Conference, CEO Robin Li introduced I-RAG, a text-to-image technology that leverages Baidu’s search capabilities to address the “hallucination” issue, referring to the generation of images that deviate from the input text or contain non-existent elements.

These interactions include tasks such as generating text, answering questions, and assisting with various applications utilizing AI.The company integrate the technology into its existing product lineup and offering it to external users via its cloud services.

Baidu also unveiled a pair of glasses featuring a built-in AI assistant, developed by it hardware division, Xiaodu. The device will run on the company’s ERNIE generative AI technology and was designed to “become a private assistant”.Users will be able to interact with the device using their voice and ask it questions about what it sees in their current environment. They can also tell it to play music and even track their calories consumption. And since the glasses are equipped with cameras, they can ask it to snap photos or take videos.

The company is not aiming to create a “super app” based on AI, Li said, signalling a divergence in strategy from other companies such as ByteDance, which has launched multiple standalone AI apps this year.

Baidu also introduced Miaoda,the no-code platform, will allow users who don’t have coding knowledge to create app prototypes. The company says the platform will use Ernie’s LLM to generate code that can be easily modified and edited.

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Guide

Risks – is wireless charging harmful to your phone battery?

The immediate pros of wireless charging are apparent for all to see. Smartphones and smartwatches can be easily rejuvenated when plopped onto charging pads, eliminating the need for rummaging through messy tables and drawers for cables. As long as there’s a wireless charging pad at your destination, bringing along your device is all you need.

How does wireless charging work?

Tightly-coupled electromagnetic induction

Wireless charging occurs when electricity is transferred from the charging pad to device via a process known as electromagnetic induction, where a magnetic field is produced between the wireless charging transmitter and receiver. Electricity is generated when the generated magnetic field interacts with copper coils in the receiving device, thereby charging the battery.

The most common form of wireless charging today is a sub-category known as tightly-coupled electromagnetic inductive charging, where the transmitting and receiving copper coils must be aligned and within close proximity for effective charging. Any misalignment will significantly slow down charging or cause the process to cease altogether.

Is Wireless Charging Bad For Your Phone?

Heat generated From Wireless Charging

Wireless charging is commonly misunderstood to be harmful for phone batteries due to the heat it generates. While it’s true that electromagnetic induction produces more heat than conventional wired charging, effects from the produced heat can be mitigated with careful management.

Furthermore, phone batteries are typically separated from copper charging coils by a layer of thermal insulation. The result is that smartphone battery temperatures can typically be contained within safe limits under normal circumstances.

Does wireless charging impact battery charge cycles?

Battery charge cycles refer to the number of times a rechargeable battery can undergo complete charging before losing their ability to hold a charge. One charging cycle is completed when a battery goes from being completely charged to completely discharged. Charging a battery from 50% to 100% will therefore only use up half of a battery cycle. Because battery charge cycles are influenced by the number of times they are charged rather than the charging method, wireless charging will not harm a device’s battery.

The only thing that consumers have to worry about is constant charging throughout the day, or charging a device even after it reaches maximum charge carrying capacity. Whenever a battery is charged, energy released will cause lithium ions to move from the graphite layer to the lithium cobalt oxide later. Overcharging can cause damage in the long run by pulling out 100% more lithium ions and messing up the internal battery structure. Most smartphone battery management systems prevent this by blocking current from entering fully charged batteries even while they are connected to a charger.

Does wireless charging pose a safety hazard?

There have been reported instances of wireless chargers being recalled due to safety concerns. Reported risks include fire, electric shock, injuries, or damage to phone and surrounding property. As a result, manufacturers have also warned consumers about sleeping beside charging devices or placing them in poorly ventilated areas, such as beneath a blanket or pillow.

What precautions should be taken during wireless charging?

Safety can be compromised whenever foreign objects such as coins, credit cards, or other metal objects obstruct the space between transmitter and receiver. These foreign objects receive power from the generated magnetic field and dissipate it in the form of heat, which can create damage to both device and user.

For manufacturers and consumers, the most foolproof way to minimize risk is to ensure that their devices comply with recognized charging standards so that the necessary safeguard mechanisms are in place to shut down the charging process before things get out of hand.

3 Tips for a Longer Battery Life

A long-lasting smartphone battery life can improve your overall user experience, minimize device interruptions and prolong your device’s lifespan. Here’s how you can ensure your smartphone’s battery life is efficiently optimized:

Keep Your Battery Level Balanced

At all cost, try to maintain your phone’s battery level between 20% and 80%. This range is considered the optimal battery lifespan zone. It’s advisable not to repeatedly let your phone’s battery drop below 20% as this puts a strain on it. On the contrary, charging your smartphone 100% isn’t a healthy practice either.

Practice Cautious Wireless Charging

If you’re a fan of wireless charging, ensure not to always keep your phone on the charging pad. Just like wired chargers, leaving your phone on a wireless charging pad for extended periods can lead to overcharging and possible battery degradation.

Minimize Fast Charging

hough convenient, fast charging can negatively impact your smartphone battery’s health. The heat generated from fast charging might degrade your battery very quickly. Thus, it’s wise to minimize the use of fast charging and resort to it only when it’s absolutely crucial.

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Android 15 introduces Wi-Fi ranging for precise indoor navigation

Android 15 now supports the Wi-Fi Ranging feature for precise indoor tracking and navigation of less than one meter (about forty inches), but that doesn’t mean you can use it today.

Also known as the IEEE 802.11az protocol, Wi-Fi Ranging has the potential to replace indoor GPS tracking, which uses satellites orbiting the Earth to pinpoint our location. But the problem with GPS tracking is that it doesn’t work reliably in places that obstruct the signal, like malls.

Android actually added support for Wi-Fi RTT with the release of Android 9 in 2018, and many mobile devices today have Wi-Fi chips that support the positioning technology. Google even created a demo app to showcase Wi-Fi RTT with FTM, though because there aren’t many AP deployments that support it, you’ll have trouble finding a place to actually try it out in. 

While Wi-Fi RTT with FTM is already fairly accurate, the IEEE SA was able to improve upon it even further with the 802.11az standard, also known as Wi-Fi Ranging. 

The IEEE SA published the 802.11az standard in March 2023, making it too late to support in 2023’s Android 14 release. However, Google was able to add hardware abstraction layer (HAL) support for the standard in the second quarterly platform release of Android 14. The HAL APIs for Wi-Fi Ranging can be implemented by devices running Android 15 or later, as mentioned by Google in its documentation for Wi-Fi RTT. 

You might be wondering why you should care about Wi-Fi Ranging when UWB already exists and Bluetooth 6.0 with Channel Sounding is almost here. Wi-Fi-based positioning offers a superior link budget, has lots of available spectrum to meet growing demand, is compatible with previous generations of Wi-Fi, is scalable to a large number of clients, is adaptive to traffic conditions, is robust to multipath through MIMO, is secure, and is cost effective. Sure compared with UWB and Bluetooth 6’s Channel Sounding, the Wi-Fi Ranging feature is slightly less accurate. On the upside, it has a longer range than either UWB or Bluetooth 6.

Most Android phones don’t have hardware support for Wi-Fi Ranging just yet, but that’s set to change within a couple of years. Qualcomm’s new FastConnect 7900 connectivity chip supports Wi-Fi Ranging, for example, so any upcoming phones that use that chip will be ready. However, many Wi-Fi APs that support Wi-Fi 6 or later will need to receive a firmware update to support 802.11az, so even if your phone were to support it today, you’d need to wait to use it.

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News

iOS 18.2 upgrade —New AirTag Location Sharing Feature Coming to These 15+ Airlines

As part of the iOS 18.2 public beta, Apple just introduced a big upgrade to the Find My feature that lets you share an Air Tag location with others. The new feature, called Share Item Location, could let you share the location of lost luggage with an airline.

“Find My is an essential tool for users around the world to keep track of and find their belongings,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy.”

Apple said more than 15 airlines will offer the feature “in the coming months,” including Delta, United, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and Vueling. More airlines will follow “over time.”

United is aiming to implement the feature systemwide in “early 2025,” according to a quote the airline provided in Apple’s press release.

The feature will be integrated into each airline’s customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed baggage, according to Apple. This will make it easier for the airline to help find lost bags with an AirTag attached to them.

Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to “privately and securely” accept the “Share Item Location” links. Access to each link will be “limited to a small number of people,” and recipients will be required to “authenticate” to view the link through either their Apple Account or partner email address. The item’s location will stop being shared “as soon as a user is reunited with their item,” or at any time that the item’s owner decides. An item’s shared location will automatically expire after seven days.

In addition to items equipped with an AirTag, the feature also works with third-party accessories and item trackers that support the Find My network.

According to Apple’s announcement, for those who have iOS 18.2 beta access, Share Item Location is available “in most regions worldwide.” However, if you have an iPhone X or later, Apple says that the update will come out “soon.”

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Guide

How to Take Care of Your Phone’s Battery

Batteries are an essential component of almost every device. However, it is widely known that it tends to be the first one to lose its power after being used extensively. Even the most reliable devices such as laptops and phones lose their capability to charge at some point because their battery’s life cycle is already used up.

But don’t fret because there are a lot of ways that you can do to prolong the life of your battery, all it takes is proper care and the knowledge on how to maintain them correctly. By doing this, your battery will surely last for a long time.

Here’s what you can do:

Avoid Using The Device In Extreme Temperatures

Most of the devices are made to be portable nowadays, making them convenient to be used wherever you are. But, you have to take note that there are certain limitations when exposing it to extreme temperatures in an extended period of time.

The Ideal temperature zones are 16° to 22° C and it’s crucial not to use it when the temperature is higher than 35° C, due to the fact that it can damage your battery permanently. Also, charging the batteries in a room that exceeded the recommended temperature will disrupt the battery’s performance even further. 

Save Your Battery’s Life Cycle

This may be difficult to do especially if you often rely on your device to accomplish your day-to-day tasks. However, if it’s really your goal to prolong the lifespan of your battery, turning it off once a week can help it to perform longer by saving its life cycle.

Normally, a battery can survive up to 500 charge cycles and each cycle lessens its capacity to perform efficiently. If you can’t turn off your device for a day, some devices allow you to change the power settings that will benefit the battery’s life in the long run.

Removing Your Battery When Not In Use

This has been one of the most asked questions by people .Is it really necessary to remove your battery when the device is not in use?

Well, every brand has a different opinion regarding this matter— with Apple telling customers not to take their batteries out and Acer which recommends that you should take it out if you don’t plan to use it for more than a week. 

But generally, if you are planning not to use the device for a couple of days or more it is advised to have it charged between 40 to 80 percent and must be stored at room temperature. This way, it will be ready to use again when needed rather than discharging it completely before storing it somewhere else. Never store a fully discharged battery, they should always be charged for maximum longevity.

Only use ultra-fast charging when necessary

Fast charging is convenient, but don’t use it every time you charge your phone. Fast charging puts more stress on the battery than necessary, so battery performance can suffer over time. Opt for a standard “slow” charge more often than not to preserve battery longevity.

Use your phone sparingly while it’s charging

To avoid parasitic load, don’t play games or stream videos while charging your phone. Parasitic load is what happens while a battery is being drained during charging. Parasitic load adds higher voltage stress to the battery, increases heat, and can cause parts of the battery to continually cycle and deteriorate faster than the rest of the cell. While you can take calls or browse the web during a charging session, avoid heavy tasks.

Keep track of your phone’s battery health  

Both iPhones and Androids have built-in tools for battery health tracking. You can use these tools to find out more information about your battery’s performance and life span using these tools.

iPhone: Open your Settings and go to Battery > Battery Health.

Samsung Galaxy: Open the Samsung Members app and go to Get Help > Interactive checks (or View tests) > Battery status (or Battery).

Other Androids: Open the Phone app and dial *#*#4636#*#*. When the menu appears, select Battery information (it may be buried in another menu).

You can also try other Android battery health apps, such as CPU-Z, Battery by MacroPinch, and AccuBattery by Digibites.  

But You Have To Remember…

Eventually, batteries will lose their power and will hold less charge over time. What makes proper care beneficial is it will enable you to use the battery longer and will save you time and money from replacing it earlier than expected.

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New iOS feature complicates iPhone access for police and thieves

There is an apparently new iOS 18 security feature that reboots iPhones that haven’t been unlocked in a few days, frustrating police by making it harder to break into suspects’ iPhones, according to 404 Media.

After the mysterious reboots, the devices supposedly enter what is called the Before First Unlock (BFU) state. This makes cracking them to get data about criminal activity much harder.

The document seen by 404 Media theorized that the iPhones rebooted in “a short amount of time” when removed from a cellular network, potentially around 24 hours. According to the document, one of the iPhones was even in Airplane mode and one was inside what is called a Faraday box, a type of container that blocks electronic signals from reaching the iPhone, stopping them from accessing telecom coverage, as well as things like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. 

The police speculate that the mysterious reboot may have been because of “an iOS 18.0 security feature addition.” The document also theorizes that iPhones with iOS 18.0 brought into the lab communicated with the other iPhones, sending a signal to the phones to reboot.

However, Jiska Naehrdine, an independent cybersecurity researcher, claimed that Apple did introduce an “inactivity reboot” in iOS 18.1, citing code hosted on GitHub.

She commented on the design choice: “This is a cheap & great mitigation!”

“While most people won’t have their phone forensically analyzed, many more will have their devices stolen,” she added. “It protects user data in both cases.”

The company has steadily made iPhones harder to compromise over the years, putting it at odds with law enforcement and raising the specter of government regulations requiring encryption backdoors. Apple has repeatedly resisted authorities’ requests to create backdoors, although that hasn’t stopped law enforcement from finding its own workarounds.

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Apple Vision Pro 2 might arrive sooner than expected

Apple’s foray into the XR wearable segment may not have stirred the same kind of success that it tasted with the likes of theiPhoneor theApple Watch, but the company is still moving ahead with future iterations. While plans of a cheaper headset may have been pushed, the Vision Pro could get a successor within a year, or so.

In the latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reported that the 2nd generation of Apple Vision Pro is expected to hit the market between fall of 2025 and spring of 2026.That window puts the official reveal in roughly the same frame as the launch of updated iPhones and the sporadic Mac hardware.

As far as changes go, Apple is reportedly experimenting with multiple ideas. But Gurman claims that one of the design candidates for the Vision Pro 2 would look exactly like its predecessor. That won’t be out of character for Apple, as the company regularly iterates on internal hardware without changing the external aesthetics of its gear across the iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch portfolio.

It sounds like a sane strategy Vision Pro successor because it’s a product with arguably the most sophisticated engineering work that Apple has delivered in years. It would make sense — especially from an R&D investment perspective — to maintain the fundamental architecture and make upgrades where it’s needed, which is added processing firepower and a refined software experience.

As a refresher, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported last week that Apple had seriously delayed its plans for a cheaper Apple Vision headset, and would instead be focusing on a second generation Apple Vision Pro to release next year.

Apple plans to upgrade the Vision Pro 2 from the M2 chip to the upcoming M5 chip, delivering a massive performance boost. Apple unveiled the first gen Vision Pro with the then-latest M2 chip, but the quick release of the M3 and M4 chips soon after made the $3,500 spatial computer feel a bit dated.

At least this time around, Apple Vision Pro should be getting M5 around the same time as the first Macs will get M5, so it shouldn’t feel as dated, hopefully.

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Guide

Can I replace my iPhone battery myself?

YOU MIGHT BE in the habit of replacing your smartphone every couple of years, but most phones can last a lot longer than that. Like your car, they might just need a new part every now and then, and the best repair you can do on your phone to make it last longer is a battery replacement. But most batteries aren’t user-replaceable. So how do you actually get one?

Unfortunately, user-replaceable batteries are becoming increasingly rare, and most smartphone manufacturers don’t go too far out of their way to let you know that you can get a battery replacement at all. In fact, when Apple briefly lowered the cost of iPhone battery replacements, it resulted in about 10 times as many people replacing their batteries as usual (and, coincidentally, far fewer new iPhones sold that year). However, even if your battery is locked inside your phone, you can get a new one and keep your phone lasting longer.

Some Things to Consider Before Replacing the Battery

Even though battery replacements are very useful, they can also be a hassle to get done. In fact it’s not unlike getting work done on your car: You might be able to do it yourself, but it’s probably easier to pay someone else to do it, and you should expect to be without your phone for a while as you wait for the repair to finish.
Many places offer same-day repairs, as long as the battery for your device is in stock. That is, for repair places with physical locations near you. If you have a local Apple store near you, they might have what you need. But in some cases you’ll need to mail in your phone to get a repair, which could leave you without it for days. And while you may be able to get a loaner phone from some places, it can still be a hassle. On the other hand, it’s a lot better for the environment, not to mention your wallet, if you replace the battery rather than buy a new phone.

When You Should Replace the Battery

As a general rule, if you’ve had your phone for a couple years and it’s starting to show its age, that’s a pretty good time to look into a battery replacement. That’s right around the time you might be thinking about getting a new phone anyway–many carriers still offer upgrades or payment plans that renew every two years to entice you–but you can also check your battery’s health manually if you want to see if you need an upgrade sooner.

On iPhones, you can navigate to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to find a Maximum Capacity value that will show what percentage of your battery’s initial charge capacity is left. This isn’t how full your battery is right now but rather how much charge it can hold relative to how much it could hold when it was new. If this gets down to 80 percent (especially if it’s still under warranty), get a new battery.

As always, Android phones are a little more complicated; there are many different models and they don’t all work the same. Instead, you can use an app like AccuBattery to get detailed stats on the health of your battery. The app uses an estimate, not an official report, and it may take a few days to get a full picture of your battery’s health. But if it’s below 80 percent of its original capacity, it might be time to take a look at a replacement battery.

Take Your iPhone Into an Apple Store

If you have an iPhone and you want a battery replacement, you’re probably in the best position. If you’re still under warranty or AppleCare+, you can get a free battery replacement on most phones from the last several years. If you’re outside of coverage, the fees range from $49 to $69, depending on which phone you have.

If you can bring your phone into an Apple store, they can often repair your phone the same day and have it back to you in a few hours. If the repair job is more complicated, the store may need to send it off to an Apple Repair Center, which can take up to 3 to 5 days to complete the repair. However, this is how long it would take to get a repair job if you mailed the phone in yourself anyway, so it makes sense to try an in-store repair first.

Try Third-Party Repair Shops for Android Phones

For Android phones, there’s no single manufacturer that also handles all repairs, like there is with Apple, but you can still get same-day repairs done with third-party repair shops. The most prominent of these is uBreakiFix, which has locations in most US states. Some major manufacturers like Google and Samsung give uBreakiFix access to OEM parts, which means they can repair your phone with the same materials those companies would use if you send them in directly.

Prices on Android battery repairs can vary, but usually are around or below $100, but you might need to call in to get an estimate. In some places, the company can even send a rep out to you to repair your phone on-site, in addition to the usual options of either going into a store or mailing in your device.

When All Else Fails, Do It Yourself

In some cases, it might not be feasible (or even possible) to bring your phone into a store or mail it in somewhere. If you really want to keep your existing phone, and you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can try replacing the battery yourself. Repair site iFixit has guides for replacing batteries on most major phones that will explain in detail what tools you need and how to take apart your phone, with pictures for every step.

You might need a specialized toolkit that has the proprietary screwheads and other tools that might be required for opening up your phone. Also keep in mind, while you can replace a part without voiding your warranty (and in fact those warranty-voiding stickers are illegal!), the manufacturer still might try to fight you on the warranty if you break anything while doing so. And potentially even if you don’t. If you’re comfortable with that–or if you’re already out of coverage anyway–then order a replacement battery for your phone online and give it a whirl.