New iPhone 3G - How Long For First Charge?

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Level 2

290 points

New iPhone 3G - How Long For First Charge?

Since this doesn't seem to be in Apple's PDF manual, I'd like to know, how long should you charge your brand new iPhone 3G?

You've just bought it, got it home from the Store. Is it recommended leave it charging overnight? Should you charge it for 12 hours, or simply as long as it takes for the charge indicator to show "full"?

 iMac 17" 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, Mac OS X (10.5.5),  16GB iPhone 3G  40GB Apple TV

Posted on Dec 2, 2008 6:30 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 2, 2008 6:49 AM in response to Reuben Feffer

Charge it until the battery changes from i lightning bolt to a plug. Then your fully charged.

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Answer 2

Dec 2, 2008 6:51 AM in response to Reuben Feffer

Just until it's full, but even that's not really required. The reason it's not discussed in the manual is that lithium-based batteries like the one in the iPhone don't have a 'memory effect' like other battery chemistries (e.g. nickel-based batteries), so the first charge is the same as the 100th charge, partial charges are fine, etc.

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Answer 3

Reuben Feffer Author

Level 2

290 points

Dec 2, 2008 6:57 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Ok, thanks for clearing that up.

The O2 Stores, here in the UK, are telling iPhone 3G buyers that the initial charge should be between 16 and 24 hours. So, they're giving out bad advice, basically.

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Answer 4

Dec 10, 2008 4:08 AM in response to Reuben Feffer

You have to love o2 and their inconsistency.

I myself just got back from the store with one. The girl (who I used to work with) said "sadly the iphone needs 8 hours, its not like other mobiles". But having worked in the link for 7 years I know that most people in phone shops have no idea at all!!!

Thanks for the advice!

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Answer 5

Dec 10, 2008 11:50 AM in response to Reuben Feffer

one other note regarding the response to charge it until lightning bolt changes to plug... add this to the list. When you go to SETTINGS>GENERAL>USAGE... make sure your times are reset to "0"
If you are still seeing some form of "time" shown (new phone or not), your battery isn't fully charged. Remember, you need to "re calibrate" our iPhone once a month (drain iPhone down until it blacks-out" then recharge fully). Didn't ask, but it is also recommended by APPLE CARE techs that you turn your phone off overnight at least twice a week... this is another form of "reset" your phone requires.

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