iPhone 13 Pro Max How to make my iPhone 13 Pro Max last four years or more

[Marswarrior462]

I bought my iPhone 13 Pro Max back in October 15, 2021 for a total of $2558.80 ($1959 for the phone, $249 for the AppleCare, $59 for a crappy 30W charger I sold, $170 for a Belkin charger I replaced with an upgraded version, and the rest for taxes). It was the most expensive thing I've ever bought in my life. Yes it's the 512GB. But in the meantime, I've gotten it replaced due to accidental damage three times, and I've filled almost 400GB of my storage, and I can't afford a new phone. It still works perfectly, and I skipped the 14 because I can't stomach the idea of paying over $2000 for a phone that only feels slightly better than my current one while having a negligible improvement in battery life (if not probably a battery downgrade). Even though I'm a diehard for USB-C, I still can't bring myself to justify buying the 15 Pro Max either, even if I can afford to by then, so I'll likely start subscribing to AppleCare to continue keeping my phone under warranty when it expires. Prices in Canada are even more stomach-churning than what Americans are used to. The fact that the model of phone I have is so astronomically expensive and it won't get any better (if anything, it will get worse) with future generations of it makes me want to hold onto it for longer. To further add incentive to holding on to my phone, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is such a good phone. Even though it's no longer the best iPhone ever made because of the 14 Pro Max obviously, it still feels like it. The screen is the best screen I own (better than my TVs other than the size and resolution, I'd have to spend $5000 or something to get a TV with a screen that good), the cameras are like a mini-DSLR to me, it's plenty fast, and the battery life is still ok (even though iOS 16 kind of ruined it). The only drawback is the lack of a good zoom lens, which is rumoured to be fixed this year on the 15. Any advice for making my phone last long enough until I can justify upgrading again, which is going to be a long time from now?

 

[TorbenIbsen]

But you do not have to do anything. It will keep being a super device. And you don't really need anything better. When it is 5-6 years old you buy a new battery while they still are available. Expect it to be impossible after 7 years.

 

[Splitrail]

The only thing that MAY not last is your battery.................but it might.
With all you've spent already, why worry about the cost of a replacement battery after 3-4 years?
It's probably the only maintenance you'll ever have to do.
Probably the best answer to your question would be to stop DROPPING it, and use a case & screen protector.

 

[Marswarrior462]

The only thing that MAY not last is your battery.................but it might.
With all you've spent already, why worry about the cost of a replacement battery after 3-4 years?
It's probably the only maintenance you'll ever have to do.
Probably the best answer to your question would be to stop DROPPING it, and use a case & screen protector.

I do fear my battery degrading. It's still at 100% health after my phone was replaced in August of last year, but Apple announced a price hike for battery repairs recently, so I'm concerned about the degradation of my battery

 

[Marswarrior462]

The only thing that MAY not last is your battery.................but it might.
With all you've spent already, why worry about the cost of a replacement battery after 3-4 years?
It's probably the only maintenance you'll ever have to do.
Probably the best answer to your question would be to stop DROPPING it, and use a case & screen protector.

I do use a case with my phone. It's a Phone Rebel Gen-3 Frosted case, from EverythingApplePro (God rest his soul, he's absent from YouTube now) and a Belkin screen protector, so my phone is armoured like a tank. I do still drop it from time to time, but most of the time, it's my phone slipping out and landing on the carpet, and I don't drop my phone as frequently as I used to, and I try to avoid dropping it at all whenever possible

 

[FeliApple]

You want it to last a long time in perfect condition? Don’t update iOS, ever. That’s the best advice anyone can give you.

Signed, an iPhone Xʀ user on iOS 12.

 

[Splitrail]

I do use a case with my phone. It's a Phone Rebel Gen-3 Frosted case, from EverythingApplePro (God rest his soul, he's absent from YouTube now) and a Belkin screen protector, so my phone is armoured like a tank. I do still drop it from time to time, but most of the time, it's my phone slipping out and landing on the carpet, and I don't drop my phone as frequently as I used to, and I try to avoid dropping it at all whenever possible

That's GOOD!

 

[Splitrail]

I do fear my battery degrading. It's still at 100% health after my phone was replaced in August of last year, but Apple announced a price hike for battery repairs recently, so I'm concerned about the degradation of my battery

There's only so much you can do. 😐
Batteries are expendable.
A new battery every 4-5 years only amounts to about $20/year.

 

[RokinAmerica]

Paragraphs my man, paragraphs. That is painful for an old guy to read.

To answer your question, case your phone if your damaging it that often. I use a 6 and a 12 PM and neither have any damage, and the 6 still works. Slower than the 12 PM, but still works. The 6 is my work phone, and I actually use it like a phone mostly, so, you know, grain of salt stuff.

I wouldn't worry until something happens that worries me. I think you will be good.

A $40 case has saved my (at the time) maybe a $1000 phone (I don't remember) so many times.

 

[Andeddu]

You want it to last a long time in perfect condition? Don’t update iOS, ever. That’s the best advice anyone can give you.

Signed, an iPhone Xʀ user on iOS 12.

He will need to update iOS after 3-4 years when app support for iOS 16 dries up otherwise his phone will no longer fulfil his needs and then he’ll need to replace it anyway. If he wishes to keep his phone for 7-8 years, he has to protect it, maintain it and update iOS eventually otherwise it’ll become a fancy doorstop.

 

[jagolden]

3x accidental damage?
To make it last many more years put it in a case for protection not looks, and be more careful.

 

[SevLucas]

You want it to last a long time in perfect condition? Don’t update iOS, ever. That’s the best advice anyone can give you.

Signed, an iPhone Xʀ user on iOS 12.

This is the way if you want day 1 performance and battery life. Still rockin iOS 15 on my 13 Pro and I have no real intention of updating. App support will drop here in a couple/few years, but I will likely be ready to upgrade by then.

 

[FeliApple]

He will need to update iOS after 3-4 years when app support for iOS 16 dries up otherwise his phone will no longer fulfil his needs and then he’ll need to replace it anyway. If he wishes to keep his phone for 7-8 years, he has to protect it, maintain it and update iOS eventually otherwise it’ll become a fancy doorstop.

Hopefully, older iOS support improves. iOS 12 is already far better than iOS 10 was two years ago in terms of both Safari compatibility (which is amazing honestly) and app support (perhaps due to iOS 11 dropping support for 32-bit? I’m not really sure). But there is no perfection:

OP has already remarked iOS 16’s battery life drop (one major version in!), and there’s no way it doesn’t end up being abhorrent like it always has been. OP’s best hope is to maintain the earliest possible iOS version (I’d even suggest a still-possible downgrade to iOS 15.6, the original version will never fail), and hope that iOS 16 (or 15)’s app support doesn’t dry up too quickly. Like we discussed earlier, there’s no ideal solution to this as a user. There’s only the hope that iOS support improves.

Regardless, 3x accidental damage in one year doesn’t look too good, so I’d add a bit more care in that regard as well.

If the OP were to update, the phone will be in perpetual need of a power bank and constant battery replacements. Not good. Performance remains to be seen, but I doubt it will be perfect.

I’m not fooled by battery size anymore, the Xʀ was severely affected by iOS 16 and its battery was even touted by Apple back then. You want day 1 performance and battery life? There’s no other way. You can only hope that app support is at least as good as iOS 12 is today.

 

[FeliApple]

This is the way if you want day 1 performance and battery life. Still rockin iOS 15 on my 13 Pro and I have no real intention of updating. App support will drop here in a couple/few years, but I will likely be ready to upgrade by then.

iOS 12 is fine even today, so I reckon you have quite a while to go with iOS 15.

 

[coffeemilktea]

Buy a case with a built-in battery pack, you get protection + extra battery life all at once.

 

[FeliApple]

Also OP, I forgot to mention the most important aspect of keeping the 13 Pro Max specifically on the earliest possible iOS version: it is the iPhone with the largest battery capacity as of now.

I have an iPhone 6s running iOS 10 with 63% health. That translates into a battery with (yes) 1080 mAh. Battery life is like-new, 7 to 8 hours of light use on Wi-Fi, 6 hours of moderate use on LTE with higher brightness.

If an iPhone 6s can do that almost 7 years later with a battery that’s almost 25% the size of your battery, imagine how long can the iPhone 13 Pro Max last! It will probably be something like the iPads: it will never see a battery degraded enough for it to matter. iPads which now are a decade old still give decent runtime, I see no reason to believe that the 13 Pro Max specifically can’t pull off something like that, too!

 

[I7guy]

To make a phone last for a few years, 1st and foremost you have to hope no ill accidents befall our beloved devices. You may have to replace the battery along the way. If you plan on keeping the phone for a few years budget in one battery replacement. Even if you try to skimp on using the phone to save the battery will age all by itself.

As noted above keeping your phone on the original ios version has multiple pitfalls. First and foremost critical vulnerabilities are often patch in succeeding ios releases. Secondly new functionality is often available and app support drops. For example, since ios 12, PIP has become a thing. I use PIP on my iphone every day. An XR on ios 12 doesn't have that functionality. It makes the phone more useful and fun. Remember battery life is not an end-game. It's within a mix of operating parameters on your phone. When I have my bookbag I carry around one of these: https://www.anker.com/products/a1271?variant=37436932554902&ref=collectionBuy I've had it for a while and can still get around 4 to 5 charges from it. When I need a little extra insurance I carry around one of these: https://www.amazon.com/iWALK-Portab...Compatible/dp/B07Y4N6SMC?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

It's up to you of course whether you want to enjoy your phone or obsess over battery life. As the saying goes use your phone "as if you stole" it.

 

[I7guy]

[...]

I’m not fooled by battery size anymore, the Xʀ was severely affected by iOS 16 and its battery was even touted by Apple back then. You want day 1 performance and battery life? There’s no other way. You can only hope that app support is at least as good as iOS 12 is today.

My son has the remaining Xr on ios 16. He bought it in 2018 so it's going on 5 years. He's a heavy user and I expect the battery life to have taken a hit, not because of ios 16, because he has many, many charging cycles on the phone and uses the phone as intended. Not babying it as battery life is not the end game, at least for him. Whether reduced battery life on ios is a thing, a meme, or is anecdotal I can't say. But just use the phone and don't worry about battery.

 

[FeliApple]

My son has the remaining Xr on ios 16. He bought it in 2018 so it's going on 5 years. He's a heavy user and I expect the battery life to have taken a hit, not because of ios 16, because he has many, many charging cycles on the phone and uses the phone as intended. Not babying it as battery life is not the end game, at least for him. Whether reduced battery life on ios is a thing, a meme, or is anecdotal I can't say. But just use the phone and don't worry about battery.

Like I have repeatedly stated, battery health is irrelevant if the device (iPads too) is on its original iOS version. Especially considering that OP has the iPhone with the largest battery ever!

Like you said, functionality, app compatibility and support, and features are all significant drawbacks of staying behind, but like I said earlier, there is a very important fact:

-The only way to maintain perfect performance and battery life is by staying on the original version of iOS, or maybe the second major version like on the iPhone 6s. If OP wants that, they’ll have to adjust, like I adjust. That’s what they asked for, that’s what I gave them.

This may sometimes go directly against usability and always goes against features (like you stated and we agreed earlier), but there is no perfect solution as far as longevity goes. Battery life may not be the endgame for some, but it has been a factor in people upgrading their devices from the beginning. It reduces device longevity, unless the user doesn’t care (you are one example: you’ve stated that battery life isn’t as crucial for you as it is for me. You’ve also stated that you have no problem with carrying a battery pack). OP noted that iOS 16 has already worsened it, so I assume they do care. It’d be naive to think it won’t worsen further as iOS updates go by.

I’d be wrong if I were to say that there are no drawbacks, but my recommendation stands: do you want perfect performance and battery life? Maintain the original iOS version and never update. Does it have significant and perhaps deal-breaking drawbacks? Sure! Is there another way? No. I wish there were.

Tolerating or outright not caring about battery life and performance issues overshadows the advantages (maybe the user isn’t too demanding, maybe they’re light users so if updates halve battery life they don’t care, maybe they are okay with battery packs, and to top it off, maybe they do require updating), but not caring doesn’t mean the disadvantages don’t exist, it just means that they don’t matter to a specific user. In that case, it’s perfect!

Again, as far as sheer device longevity is concerned, the only possible recommendation is never to update. Note that I did not say it was a perfect recommendation: it’s just the only possible (and imperfect) recommendation.

(OP asked: “Any advice for making my phone last long enough until I can justify upgrading again, which is going to be a long time from now?”)

 

[winxmac]

I know it is about a different phone but I have my iPhone 7 Plus bought in November 2020 running iOS 15.6 RC currently 90% battery health... I have not checked the battery cycle so I am not sure if it should be 90% battery health at this time... I don't use a case, well I used to for about less than a month and never used a case again but the screen has tempered glass...

I ordered a matte black and the paint on the back near the Apple logo has faded a bit but most of it is nearly the same when it was new... The glass for the camera has a scratch on the telephoto but it does not seem to affect the photo and video... I heard that on iPhone 6s sapphire glass was used but not on iPhone 7 and maybe iPhone 8, SE 2020, SE 2022, as well...

I have dropped it several times but luckily the display and touch seemed unharmed... It has somewhat became a backup phone ever since I purchased a Galaxy S10+ pre-owned in September 2022... I went to the service center to have the battery replaced and as per Accubattery it is still 100% battery health today...

We use our phones differently so the proper care observed by one user may not apply to you and vice versa... Just take care of it as much as you can and there may be times when the phone gets accidentally dropped but when you think it's time for upgrade and you have the purchasing power then go ahead...

 

[ian87w]

I think the phone will last 3 to 4 years easy. Many people are still using 4 to 5 year old iPhones now without much issues. By the 4th year, you might need to replace the battery, but that's about it. The only wild card is your own personal commitment in actually handling the phone well physically. If you are the type of person who frequently throw/drop your own phone, then invest in a bulky case and screen protector.

All my phones, old and new, are pristine and got the max possible trade-in values whenever I traded them in. I use basic cases and simply hydrogel screen protector, and I simply handle my gadgets carefully. Even my old Moto X is still pristine, and I was using it caseless.

 

[Fred Zed]

I don’t think the battery will last three years. Meaning being optimal. Perhaps invest and get the battery replaced around the two year marker.

 

[mebehere]

Erm, I think just use it like you would any other phone. And like others have said, you may need to replace the battery down the road, but don’t worry about that now.

And yeah, like others have said, try to keep it in your hand as opposed to on the ground. I recommend the kung fu grip.

 

[ericwn]

I do fear my battery degrading. It's still at 100% health after my phone was replaced in August of last year, but Apple announced a price hike for battery repairs recently, so I'm concerned about the degradation of my battery

All batteries degrade and the replacement cost is but a fraction of the cost of a new device. This being apple you probably even get some warranty on the service when performed. If the battery life gets too low for your realistic day to day in a few years get it serviced.

 

[FeliApple]

I don’t think the battery will last three years. Meaning being optimal. Perhaps invest and get the battery replaced around the two year marker.

Battery longevity depends on a million factors:

-The iOS version installed, first and foremost. It’s no coincidence that my 6s on iOS 10 and @eyoungren’s 6s Plus on iOS 9 had great battery life for over 6 years (or was it 5 in their case?)

Assuming the user updates like almost everyone, it still depends on many factors: usage patterns; environment (i.e., heat); charging speed, etc.

There’s no set longevity, but yes, if the user is a moderately heavy one and they update iOS, longevity won’t be amazing. Probably below 90% it starts to suffer if updated. That’s something current 6s users complain about: they have to replace the battery every five minutes because iOS 15 is abhorrent (when they use it reasonably heavily and as a main phone, of course).