You can overcharge your iPhone (and other smartphone myths)

Apple's smaller handset will look similar to the iPhone 5s introduced in 2013 and come with updated components, including the company's speedier A9 processor that's currently in the iPhone 6s. Photo / Bloomberg

There are some myths surrounding smartphones, the devices that rule the lives of many people. According to the Global Web Index 2015, 80 per cent of internet users have a smartphone. Here's the truth behind five common smartphone myths.

1. Charging overnight will ruin your smartphone's battery

Your phone really is smart, and knows when it is fully charged and when to stop charging. Pretty much all modern devices have lithium ion batteries that have an in-built capability to cut off current when the battery is fully charged. There's a concern that non-stop charging will make the phone overheat, but it won't happen.

2. Running your phone to flat before charging improves battery performance

This was a common belief before lithium ion batteries, which are now used in smartphones, were developed. The advice no longer applies and people can charge their phones whenever they like.

3. Closing down apps running in the background makes your iPhone run faster

The apps you see in your list of recent apps when you double-tap the home button aren't actually using processing power because they are consuming RAM. So, the game you closed recently is not actually running in the background when you're not using it. Some apps do run in the background with an update to iOS allowing a feature called "background app refresh" to check for updates in the background. To stop an app from running in the background disable background refresh in Settings.

4. A screen protector will protect your smartphone from scratches

Modern smartphones have advanced screen protection built in, making screen protectors largely unnecessary. Most smartphones you'll buy use Corning's Gorilla Glass. This is a toughened, hard glass with high scratch resistance. So, assuming you have a recent smartphone you don't need the extra screen protection a stick-on protector will provide.

5. Putting your phone in a microwave will charge it

As Cronulla Sharks NRL player Fa'amanu Brown discovered putting your smartphone in a microwave will only do one thing -- destroy it. His phone was running flat and he thought he could charge the phone by putting it in the microwave. Instead the phone caught fire and had to be replaced.