Smartphones are built to last, though lithium-ion batteries are still chemically degrading from the moment they are first used. This is a result of the fundamental chemistry behind how these batteries work, but there are ways to slow the process down. Not charging your phone to 100% every time you charge it is one such way, and it's often recommended to charge your phone to around 80%-85% for the best battery longevity. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 are getting Samsung's "protect battery" feature that prevents charging above 85% when enabled.

The feature (via SamMobile) is rolling out now as a part of One UI 3.1.1. The feature has only previously been available on Samsung's tablets, and it's unclear if this is a feature that will remain exclusive to foldables and tablets only. To find the "Protect battery" feature, open up the Settings app by accessing Device Care and tapping Battery, followed by More battery settings. It advertises that it can "extend the lifespan of your battery", though will obviously come at the expense of actual battery capacity. The feature has existed on Galaxy tablets for quite a while but doesn't even exist on smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 series.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Flip 3: Which foldable should you get?

OneUI 3.1.1 ships on both of Samsung's newest foldables and is beginning to roll out for the company's other devices too. OneUI 3.1 introduced quite a few changes over OneUI 3.0, but OneUI 3.1.1 is a more minor incremental upgrade. While "protect battery" is a useful feature for some, it might not necessarily be worth the trade-off in battery life to actually use it. You'll probably want to experiment with it as if you upgrade your phone yearly anyway, then you might prefer to just use your phone's entire battery.