Common phone myths that everyone believes

1. It’s better to let the battery completely drain

One of the biggest myths surrounding cell phone use is that it is always better to let the battery drain down completely before recharging it again, as this makes the battery life last longer. This used to be the case, but modern batteries lack the cell memory of the older-style ones, so trying this with a modern phone is not going to preserve battery life.

2. Charging overnight kills the battery

Something else that you might have heard a lot over time is that charging the battery overnight can kill it. This is another common myth that tends to do the rounds. Yes, back in the day this used to be the case, but with batteries evolving in recent times, this is no longer an issue. Once your phone is fully charged it stops drawing electricity, so there are no issues here.

3. Apps running in the background drains battery life

One of the biggest myths for a lot of smartphone users is that running a lot of apps in the background is going to drain battery life. However, this is actually something that is a myth, because your operating system will limit how much these apps actually do in the background, and this means that the drain on your battery is going to be minimal anyway.

4. Bluetooth kills your battery

It might seem as though using Bluetooth is a battery drainer, but actually, tests show that this really isn’t the case. There are a ton of things that can drain your battery life when using a cellphone, and it’s actually the process of enabling another device and starting to transfer data that can eat away at the battery life, instead of the actual Bluetooth function itself.

5. Higher specs means better performance

Whilst there is a degree of truth to this, it is no guarantee that higher specs will make a phone great. Cell phone cameras are one of the worst offenders when it comes to perpetuating this myth, and it is entirely possible for a 32-megapixel camera to be inferior to an 8-megapixel camera. Specs are far less relevant compared with operating system and user behavior.

6. You should only use the charger specific to your phone

Another of the cell phone myths that you need to ignore is that one that suggests you should only be using the charger that is specific to your phone. It’s to fall into this trap, but it’s actually not something that really has any degree of truth to it. You can use pretty much any charger that is compatible with your cell phone in order to charge the battery up.

7. Apps downloaded from the official store are totally safe

Whilst it can be tempting to feel as though downloading Android or iPhone apps from the App Store of Google Play is a guarantee of safety, this is, unfortunately, not the case. Because of how a lot of these apps work, it is possible that they can transmit malware to your phone, and this is why you need to make sure you stick with apps from trusted developers.

8. Turning your phone off prevents you from being tracked

Despite what a lot of people might have you believe, the authorities really have very little interest in tracking your movements and what you might be doing at any given moment. Now, whilst it is true to a point that turning your phone off (and removing the battery) can prevent you from being tracked, this isn’t always the case. If your phone has malware, this can lead to your device being tracked.

9. Automatic brightness saves battery

Using the onboard light sensor on your smartphone to calibrate the brightness of your phone does not actually save power. In reality, this might save you a tiny bit of battery life because of the fact that it dims the screen, but over the course of a day this sensor is still going to use plenty of power. Overall, this doesn’t make a whole load of difference to the battery life.

10. You can dry your phone with a bowl of rice

You probably heard this one a lot when you were a kid, and this is one of the classic phone myths. Many modern cell phones are incredibly water resistant, but the panic of dropping a phone in water is understandable. But, extensive research has found that rice has pretty much no impact, so there’s no need to go digging out the basmati next time.

11. Smartphones emit harmful radiation

Remember the panic and scaremongering for a couple of years when everyone thought this was true? Even today it lingers as a worry in a lot of people’s minds, when in reality it is not actually true. Significant research has gone into this, and determined that using a cell phone is actually no more dangerous than listening to the radio.

12. Using your phone in the hospital interferes with the equipment

Something else you might have heard when it comes to cell phone usage is that you cannot use your cell in a hospital because it interferes with the equipment. Fortunately, this is actually a myth that originated at the beginning of the smartphone boom because people were unsure what would happen.

13. 4G uses more data than 3G

Okay, so this one is a little bit tricky because although 4G speeds up download times, it doesn’t change the amount of data used. However, 4G users also tend to get through their data faster, so what gives? Well, the reason for this is that the amount of consumable content goes up because of the faster speeds that 4G can provide.

14. Keep your phone away from credit cards

One of the myths about cell phones that has continued to endure is the idea that phones can erase or damage a credit card. In fact, you may know somebody who puts their cell phone and their credit card in opposite pockets because of this. In reality, the magnetic field from cell phones is too weak to have any impact on a credit card.

15. A magnet will wipe your phone

Okay, so this is a bit of a Hollywood myth, but one that has no basis in reality. For starters, you would require a hugely powerful magnet, and secondly, modern phones don’t really work like this. The worst a magnet is going to do is mess with your smartphone’s compass; if you want to wipe, do it manually, and perform a factory reset.

16. A cell phone can cook an egg

Possibly the most bizarre of all the myths on this list is that your phone could actually cook an egg. The idea behind this one was that the energy and waves emitted by your phone were strong enough to be able to cook an egg. A ludicrous myth, but one used to push the point that cell phones could be hazardous for your brain.

17. Your phone is watching you

Much like when we use computers or laptops that have a camera, many people believe they are being watched by their smartphone. It is natural to have this concern, but the reality is very different, and this is not something that you need to be worrying about. Besides, covering the camera with some Blu Tack would sort this issue out anyway.

18. Your phone is listening to you

Along similar lines, many people believe this smartphone is listening to them, and eavesdropping on their conversation. When you use the “Hey Siri,” or “Okay Google” functions, your phone will indeed listen to what you have to say. But there isn’t some hooded figure hunched over a laptop somewhere tapping into your breakfast conversation about ultimate superpowers.

19. Your phone can replace your computer

Can your phone replace your computer? Well, one of the biggest myths would say, yes! When you’re looking to replace your computer, a smartphone can do the same job to an extent, but it depends on what you need it to do. If you’re checking and sending emails, or buying and selling products, you’re probably okay, but more in-depth stuff will still need a computer.

20. You can run a business from your phone

A lot of people believe you can run a business from your phone these days, and there is a degree of truth to this. Whilst a smartphone can be used to take care of much of the daily running of a company, it is not the optimal way to be able to actually run a comprehensive modern business effectively.

21. Without a smartphone you can’t lead a normal life

Whilst there is an element of truth to this, it is nowhere near as drastic as a lot of people might like to think. In reality, not having a smartphone is going to restrict or limit your ability to do certain things or to connect in certain ways. But, provided you are an outgoing and communicative person, you should have minimal issues.

22. Your phone gets better reception depending on how you hold it

This is one of those odd myths that actually used to be true. Indeed, the launch of the iPhone 4 in 2010 yielded the no infamous “Antennagate,” where users could not use the phone properly when holding it in their left hand. However, this has never been an issue on any subsequent releases… so stop worrying!

23. Phones attract lightning

This is another myth, and one that has been around for quite some time. Whilst standing on top of a mountain and holding your phone out to take a selfie in the middle of a thunderstorm wouldn’t be recommended, smartphones don’t actually attract lightning as cell phones are low power devices with no characteristics to attract lightning.

24. It’s not safe to hold your phone whilst pumping gas

You shouldn’t worry about this, as it’s not something that is ever going to be a problem. Tests have shown that there are no risks related to pumping gas whilst holding your smartphone, and tests have proven that this is not going to start any fires. Nevertheless, you should be focused and efficient with the pump, so pocket your cell anyway.

25. Dimming the screen will protect your eyes

This is, regrettably, not actually true either, and the reality is that the brightness at which you keep your phone won’t actually damage your eyes. However, keeping it too dim will actually cause you to strain your eyes whilst looking at it, so this can in fact have the reverse effect to what you imagine it was going to have.

26. Using your phone whilst it’s charging is a no-go

Don’t worry, your phone is not going to blow up or damage the battery if you use it whilst it is charging, and it’s actually perfectly fine to do this. Unless you are using a low-quality charger that might pose a fire risk, this is not going to be an issue when it comes to using your phone, so you needn’t worry about this.

27. Airplane mode is essential

This is certainly not the case, and, in fact, your smartphone interfering with airplane systems is bordering on impossible. In modern planes, the systems are well set up to protect against RFI, so this is not going to create a problem here. Despite this, most airlines still prefer you to adhere to the airplane mode guidelines.

28. Planned obsolescence is a thing

There is a lot of weight to the theory of planned obsolescence, and in most cases this does seem to be a genuine thing, though not entirely. For instance, it is possible in some cases to be able to downgrade your operating system on some Android devices and models. So whilst this isn’t really a myth, it is not always the case either.

29. Using private browsers protects your phone

Private browsing is something that a lot of people like to focus on when they are trying to be smarter. However, this is not actually as effective as you might imagine, and your activity can still be tracked and intercepted even in incognito mode. Adding antivirus software to your phone is something that can help a lot with this.

30. Your phone battery can explode

Yes and no. Lithium-ion batteries don’t actually explode, at least not in the traditional sense of the word. What tends to happen instead is that when they are damaged, the chemicals inside smoke or bubble, and the worst case scenario is that they might set on fire. Though this is highly improbable if you are around to manage your phone.

31. You can leave a phone stored without charging it

Again, this is kind of a yes and no answer. The issue is that once lithium-ion batteries run completely out of juice, they will never recharge again. And whilst this is highly unlikely to ever happen, leaving it for a prolonged period without use could result in this. Instead, try to leave it charged to around 50% in order to help maximize its lifespan.

32. Your phone should always be in a protective case

Back in the day, this was likely to be true, when smartphones were new and not much was known about them. These days, as they are more robust, the need for a case is much less than it used to be, and it’s actually a lot to do with your own personal choice as to whether you feel you want one.

33. You don’t need to turn off your phone

Okay, so there is a degree of truth to this in the sense that it is true you don’t NEED to turn off your phone. However, the recommendation is that you should try to turn your phone off once per week; this will help maximize performance and save battery life in the process as well.

34. Germs are a big issue on your phone’s screen

Now, this is something you might have heard conflicting reports over. Yes, it is true that most cell phones carry 10x more bacteria than a lot of toilet seats. However, each phone actually only carries one set of germs, which is not going to make the owner (you) sick; so as long as you aren’t sharing it’s no problem.

35. Changing tariffs is very difficult

Okay, so this one might have been true back in the day, but these days it is incredibly easy for someone to switch to a new cell phone provider. In fact, in a lot of cases, it is actually possible to take on rolling contracts where you are not locked in with a provider, and this makes it simple to switch and change around.

36. Full speed network range gives best internet and call quality

Annoyingly, this is actually not true. In fact, in some cases, you might even see that your calls are dropping out, or your internet is running slow, despite the fact that you have full signal strength. In reality, this actually depends upon the number of users connected to a particular cell tower.

37. Power banks are not safe for your phone

Power banks are actually completely safe… with the caveat that you need to make sure you buy a good quality one. Cheap power banks can become a problem, and this is why you should be looking to get them from a reputable source in order to reduce the risk of anything untoward happening.

38. A hairdryer can help dry your smartphone

A lot of people actually try to dry their phones using a hairdryer when they are looking to keep their phone dry after it has gotten wet. However, this is counterintuitive because the heat from the hairdryer can actually wind up melting some of the small components that are inside your phone.

39. A hot smartphone means something is wrong

Now, there are a lot of factors you need to consider when it comes to improving and looking after your smartphone. One of the biggest myths that you will encounter is that your phone being hot means there is something wrong. Often it simply means the device is having to work too hard and is overheating – turn it off and set it aside until it cools down.

40. You don’t need one

Gone are the days where you could get by without a cell phone; these days they are an integral and inescapable part of modern life, and this makes them super essential. You pretty much cannot function in the world in 2023 without having a cell phone of some description, so it’s time to bite the bullet.