Whether we like it or not, smartphones have become a necessity to survive modern life. From tapping in on public transport, to answering emails on the move and staying in-touch with friends and family across the globe – it’s incredibly easy to understand why so many have us have developed such an attachment to these ever-controversial devices.
Enabling us to carry constellations of information in our pocket and thus treat the world as our oyster, smartphones have – for better or worse – become glued to the hands of the greater global population. Screen-time concerns and the dangers of social media aside, there’s one significant issue we’re witnessing amongst smart-phone owners – temperature disruption.
With the recent Canadian wildfires carrying smoke all the way to New York, it’s abundantly clear that climate change and rising global temperatures are continuing to affect our lives in deeply concerning ways.
As much as we’d like to think we can separate ourselves from our smartphones, between going to work, communicating with loved ones, managing online finances and staying safe in the evenings - they’ve become more necessary than ever. As such, with increasing global temperatures, we also need to think about how to protect our devices from succumbing to extreme temperatures – both hot and cold – and the potential they have for costing us a hefty replacement fee in the long haul.
The dangers of letting your phone succumb to extreme temperatures
Whether exposing your phone to extremely high or very low temperatures, one thing is for certain – the battery life is going to drain faster than if you were using every single application at once, with your brightness on full.
Both high and low temperatures have the power to disrupt your phone’s operating capacity permanently. This is because most modern smartphones operate with lithium-ion batteries, which work by sending charged molecules through the circuitry to power it.
Colder temperatures inevitably slow this process down, forcing the charged particles to meet more resistance as they move, but warmer temperatures pose a more dangerous risk. Overheating your phone’s battery can lead to short-circuiting, which might damage your phone’s battery beyond repair. In extreme cases, phones have been known to combust.
High phone temperature due to gaming
Avid gamers, live-streamers and social media moguls will know the stresses of an overheated phone all too well. Too much gaming and doom scrolling without regulating the temperature of your phone can lead to permanent data loss or corruption. You know those moments when your phone glitches out and showcases an intimidating black screen – complete with a wheel of death – after you’ve been using it for a while? That’s what we’re referring to.
How to protect your phone in extreme temperatures
Aside from properly managing your screen time and ensuring you don’t have too many applications running at any given moment, the best way to protect your phone against the heat is with phone case that helps to dissipate it.
When it comes to cold weather, your best bet in terms of preventing rapid battery loss and – quite literally – frozen applications, is a thermal insulating pouch. Though not as convenient as your classic round-the-back case, it’ll keep the entire device perfectly regulated no matter how high-up your mountainous treks take you.
We’ve rounded up a selection of the best phone cases to protect your device in extreme temperatures. Keep scrolling whether you’re dealing with temperatures hot or cold.
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Best phone cases for the heat
Spigen Cryo Armor Case Compatible with iPhone 14 Pro - Matte Black
The Spigen Cryo Armor Case protects against overheating thanks to its innovative three-dimensional, cubed honeycomb ventilation casing, which sits atop a specially designed cooling pad, thereby improving airflow and allowing your phone to cool itself during use.
The raised bezel on both the front and the back of the case protects your phone’s camera and screen surface from becoming scratched or damaged. Spigen also offers the Cryo Armor case for Androids.
Buy now £30.99, Amazon
Razer Arctech Pro for iPhone
With a tagline that states ‘for games, by games’, you can be sure that this Arctech case from Razer will keep your phone cool, calm and collected no matter how many hours you spend defending your village in World of Warcraft.
Designed with thermaphene cooling technology to enhance performance, this thermally conductive material redirects heat build-up away from the phone’s surface. This paired with the extra ventilation channels in an efficient honeycomb design helps to dissipate heat quickly.
Not only will the Razer Arctech protect against overheating, but it’ll also keep your phone safe from accidental damage thanks to the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) reinforced corners.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon
Biliz Cooling Case
Though the ventilation system on this model looks slightly different to your usual heat dissipating phone cases, rest-assured the design still does a bang-up job at keeping your phone nice and cool – by at least 2.3 degrees Celsius to be precise.
The ultra-thin and lightweight case is complete with shock-resistant bumpers and a design that wraps around to the front of the phone. This ensures your phone is protected against whatever life has to throw at it. We’re also big fans of the fact that this case is Magsafe compatible, meaning it’ll click right into whatever holder you have on your bike, car or desk.
Buy now £23.99, Benks
Trilink Phone Cooler for Gaming, Universal Phone Cooling Fan
An intriguing alternative to a heat-dissipating phone case, this universal cooling fan will help to rapidly cool down your phone in a pinch.
Buy now £22.99, Amazon
Best phone cases for the cold
Safacus Thermal Phone Case Cellphone Pouch
Though slightly less convenient than a classic phone case, insulated pouches are the way to go in order to keep your phone protected against extremely low temperatures. This one is packed full of 90 per cent goose down and comes complete with a drawstring attachment, as well as a carabiner to clip inside your jacket or backpack.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Fjordalp Insulated Phone Case
Available in an array of stylish colours, this insulated phone case by Fjordalp comes highly approved by mountaineers. With a lightweight and waterproof fabric adorning its outer shell, and a 100 per cent recycled Polartec lining sandwiching a layer of Primaloft synthetic insulation – it’s safe to say the cold won’t be bothering your smartphone during those alpine climbs.
Buy now £30.00, Fjordalp
Mobile Thermal Cell Phone Holder/Carry Bag
This option from Absolute Snow appears to be NASA-approved, but we can’t entirely verify that fact. Nevertheless, we like how this pouch comes with a detachable strap for easy access. The shell is made from 210D nylon rip-stop with a water and snow-resistant PU coating, the insulation is a durable polymer EVA paired with performance synthetic polyester, and the lining is a merino wool blend. Toasty.
Available on the 686 website too.
Buy now £17.45, Absolute Snow
