 Meet Jerry. He's a lucky little boy who gets to use his iPad in school. Jerry's iPad used to last all school day, so he could do things like practice spelling words, study vocabulary, and make movies. But now he barely makes it to lunch before having to recharge his device. Is this normal? If not, what can we do to fix it? Apple says the lithium polymer battery that's glued inside each iPad is designed to retain 80% of its original capacity, even after 1,000 full charge-discharge cycles. Jerry's battery is getting less than 50% of its original 10 hours, so what's gone wrong? There are several things that Jerry might have done to permanently decrease the battery's lifespan. The worst thing you can do for your battery is subject it to heat. Heat degrades a battery's performance, so don't leave your iPad in a hot car. You should know that charging your device while it's inside a thick case may cause excessive heating too. Some people take off the cases before charging to keep their iPads cool. Jerry always keeps his iPad near room temperature, so heat didn't damage his battery. What else might have caused it? Well, neglecting your iPad can decrease its battery lifespan. Believe it or not, lithium polymer batteries need exercise to stay healthy. Not going through a charge-discharge cycle monthly can make for an unhealthy iPad. Jerry uses his iPad every day and sleeps with it at night. He charges and discharges his iPad's battery many times a month. He's not neglecting his iPad. Batteries can be harmed if they are stored fully discharged. If an iPad isn't going to be used for days or weeks, it's recommended to store it at between 40 and 80% charge. Jerry could not bear storing his iPad for that long. He uses it every day, often passed when his iPad warns him that the battery is low. So what's the cause of Jerry's decrease in battery capacity? Well, it's his habit of using his device until the battery is below 5%. Completely discharging a battery can cause irreversible harm to it. To keep from diminishing his battery's lifespan further, Jerry should charge his iPad when he notices his battery has dropped below 15%. Unfortunately, the damage done to Jerry's iPad cannot be reversed unless he has an Apple, Technician, or some other technician replace the battery which costs about $100. Jerry's plan is to save his allowance and buy a new device. He'll remember these tips for keeping his battery in tip-top shape.