A function that optimises charging for times when local electrical networks use greener energy sources will soon be available for iPhones.
Apple has unveiled an unexpected new battery charging function with the introduction of iOS 16 for all iPhone owners that may assist consumers reduce the environmental impact of their devices.
The many capabilities Apple did reveal during the year-long iOS 16 beta, including satellite emergency calls and the ability to delete or reverse a text that has already been received in Messages, are not included in this new charging capability.
Apple cites a “Clean Energy Charging” feature that will appear in an iOS version later this year at the bottom of the release.
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According to Apple, “Clean Energy Charging optimises charging periods for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources, aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of the iPhone.” Users in the US will be able to use the function.
How Apple will adjust charging schedules to favour times when the grid is utilising cleaner energy sources is unclear.
However, 9to5Mac discovered that iOS 16 features a new background process, or a daemon, that gathers CO2 emissions statistics from nearby local load-balancing authority.
The Energy Information Administration, a statistical analysis and data exchange division of the US Department of Energy, might provide this information (EIA).
According to EIA data from 2015, smartphones are among the consumer electronics (TVs, PCs, and gaming consoles) that account for nearly 21% of all household energy use. Homes utilise more than half of their energy for heating and cooling.
Unknown how much of a difference Apple’s Clean Energy Charging feature actually makes, it arrives at a time when renewable energy sources—primarily wind and solar sources—are making up a larger portion of the country’s mix of electricity output.
This month, the EIA released a report showing that 24% of utility-scale power production in the US came from renewable sources in the first half of 2022, up from 21% in the same period in 2017 and 11% in 2010. Additionally, the US’s fastest-growing source of electricity generation was renewable energy. Geothermal, biomass, and hydropower are further renewable energy sources.
Optimized Battery Charging is a feature of the current Apple iPhone battery settings in Battery Health. However, this shortens the amount of time an iPhone is fully charged in order to slow down battery ageing. When enabled, the iPhone will occasionally stop charging after 80%.
However, the Clean Energy Charging function is in line with Apple’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality in its supply chain and manufacturing by 2030. According to Apple, the iPhone 14 consumes 57% less energy than the standards set by the US Department of Energy for battery charger systems. This is an increase from the iPhone 13’s 54% and the iPhone 12’s 53%.
