The year is 2015. You plug your Android phone in to charge, and a helpful little timer tells you how long it should take. You pop on an episode of Narcos. Life is good. Your friend with an iPhone? Yeah, they plug in their phone too, waiting to fill their tiny, well-optimized cell. The difference? They have no idea how long it’ll take.
Fast-forward to early 2025. You plug in your Pixel 9a and limit its charging to 80% of capacity to preserve battery health. Your friend with an iPhone? They once again plug in, too, again waiting to fill their slightly smaller but still well-optimized battery. Nothing has changed.
