The age-old debate of whether or not to close iPhone apps. It seems like everyone has an opinion on this topic, and yet no one can seem to agree on what the best course of action is. Some people swear by constantly closing out their apps, while others insist that leaving them open is the way to go. So, what’s the truth? Is there a definitive answer to this question? Well, I’m here to tell you that there is. And the answer is a resounding no, you should not be closing your iPhone apps. Now, I know that might sound counterintuitive, but hear me out.
First of all, let’s talk about what happens when you close out an app on your iPhone. When you bring up the app switcher and swipe up on an app to close it, you’re essentially telling your phone to stop running that app entirely. That means that any processes or background tasks that the app was performing will be halted, and the app will no longer be able to receive notifications or updates until you manually reopen it.
At first glance, this might seem like a good thing. After all, if an app isn’t actively being used, why should it be running in the background and using up valuable resources? Well, here’s the thing – your iPhone is actually designed to manage its own resources in a way that maximizes performance and battery life. That means that when an app isn’t actively being used, your phone will automatically scale back its usage and put it into a sort of “sleep mode”.
So, why do so many people believe that closing iPhone apps is necessary? One reason might be that it gives them a sense of control over their device. They feel like they are actively managing their phone and making it run better. Another reason might be that it is a habit that has been passed down from the early days of smartphones, when closing apps was necessary to conserve battery life and processing power. But times have changed, and so have our phones.
So, if you’re constantly closing out your apps, you’re actually disrupting this natural process and forcing your phone to work harder than it needs to. When you reopen the app, your phone has to go through the entire process of restarting it from scratch, which can take up even more resources than simply leaving it open in the background.
But wait, you might be thinking – what about battery life? Surely leaving apps running in the background all the time is going to drain my battery faster, right? Well, not necessarily. As I mentioned earlier, your iPhone is designed to manage its resources in a way that maximizes battery life. That means that even if an app is running in the background, it’s not necessarily using up a significant amount of battery. In fact, closing out apps and then reopening them can actually be more taxing on your battery than just leaving them open.
Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule. Certain apps, such as GPS navigation or music streaming apps, might use more resources and drain your battery faster than others. But in general, there’s no need to constantly be closing out your apps in an attempt to save battery life. Your iPhone is already doing that for you behind the scenes.
Another reason why you shouldn’t be closing out your iPhone apps has to do with the way iOS manages its multitasking capabilities. Unlike some other mobile operating systems, iOS is designed to allow for seamless multitasking without sacrificing performance. That means that even if you have multiple apps running in the background, your iPhone should still be able to operate smoothly and quickly.
But here’s the catch – in order for iOS to manage its multitasking capabilities effectively, it needs to have a certain level of control over which apps are running and when. When you constantly close out your apps, you’re essentially taking away that control from iOS and forcing it to work harder to manage its resources. This can lead to slower performance, longer load times, and even the occasional crash or freeze.
Now, I know that some of you might be thinking that this all sounds well and good in theory, but what about in practice? How can you know for sure that leaving your apps open is actually better for your iPhone’s performance and battery life? Well, the good news is that there have been plenty of studies and experiments conducted on this very topic. And the results are pretty clear – closing out your iPhone apps doesn’t really do much to improve performance or battery life.
For example, back in 2016, a developer named Craig Hockenberry conducted an experiment to test the impact of closing out apps on battery life. He found that, in most cases, leaving apps open in the background had no noticeable impact on battery life whatsoever. In fact, in some cases, closing out apps and then reopening them actually used more battery than just leaving them open.
Similarly, a study conducted by Business Insider found that closing out apps on an iPhone can actually make the phone run slower and use up more battery in the long run. The reason for this is that constantly closing out apps can cause your iPhone to use more resources than it needs to when reopening those apps later on.
Of course, there are some situations where closing out apps might be necessary. For example, if an app has frozen or crashed, closing it out and then reopening it can often resolve the issue. And if you’re experiencing severe battery drain or performance issues, it might be worth closing out all of your apps and then restarting your phone to give it a fresh start. But in general, there’s no need to be constantly swiping up on apps to close them out.
But what about those apps that are constantly running in the background, like social media and messaging apps? Don’t they consume a lot of battery life and processing power? Yes, they do. But here’s the thing: closing those apps won’t necessarily solve the problem.
When you close an app, you are only preventing it from refreshing in the background. But that doesn’t mean that it won’t refresh when you reopen it. In fact, some apps are designed to refresh as soon as you open them, which means that closing them in the app switcher won’t make a difference.
So, what can you do to conserve battery life and optimize your iPhone’s performance? Here are a few tips:
- Use Low Power Mode: When your iPhone’s battery level drops below 20%, you will be prompted to turn on Low Power Mode. This mode reduces the amount of processing power and battery life used by your device, allowing you to use it for longer periods of time.
- Disable Background App Refresh: Some apps, like social media and messaging apps, can be set to refresh in the background even when you’re not using them. To disable this feature, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn off the toggle switch.
- Use Airplane Mode: When you’re in an area with poor reception or no Wi-Fi, your iPhone will constantly search for a signal. This can drain your battery life quickly. To conserve battery life in these situations, turn on Airplane Mode, which disables all wireless connections on your iPhone.
- Close apps only when necessary: While closing apps doesn’t necessarily improve performance or battery life, there may be instances where it is necessary to do so. For example, if an app is frozen or unresponsive, you may need to close it and reopen it. Or if an app is consuming an unusually high amount of battery or processing power, you may need to close it to conserve resources.
- Update your apps and software: Keeping your apps and software up to date can improve performance and fix any bugs or issues that may be causing problems. To update your apps, go to the App Store and tap on the your profile at the top right of the screen. To update your iPhone’s software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
In conclusion, the next time someone tells you that you should be constantly closing out your iPhone apps, you can confidently tell them that they’re wrong. Closing out apps doesn’t improve performance or battery life, and can actually cause more harm than good in some cases. Instead, let iOS do its job and manage your phone’s resources for you. Your iPhone will thank you for it.
Read Next:
Leave a Comment