Momopi, ok to leave cell phone charger plugged in?

[Winston]

Momopi,
How come cell phone reps in Taiwan say that if you leave your cell phone plugged in while it's fully charged, that it will cause damage to your phone? Several here have said that.

I thought they were designed not to be damaged by continual charging? Everyone leaves their cell phone plugged in even after it's fully charged right? I mean, if you charge your phone while you are asleep for example, and leave it all night, it's going to be plugged in for hours after it's fully charged, right?

Does leaving it plugged in after being fully charged really damage it? Why do Taiwanese cell phone reps say that?

[momopi]

Momopi,
How come cell phone reps in Taiwan say that if you leave your cell phone plugged in while it's fully charged, that it will cause damage to your phone? Several here have said that.
I thought they were designed not to be damaged by continual charging? Everyone leaves their cell phone plugged in even after it's fully charged right? I mean, if you charge your phone while you are asleep for example, and leave it all night, it's going to be plugged in for hours after it's fully charged, right?
Does leaving it plugged in after being fully charged really damage it? Why do Taiwanese cell phone reps say that?

There's a small negative effect on the lifespan of the battery, same with laptops. But if you're going to replace your cell phone every couple years, then it's irreverent.

[Winston]

So the worst that could happen is that it wears out the life of the battery? Then you could just replace the battery right? I don't replace my cell phone unless it's broken or doesn't work. I'm more practical about those things, not trendy.

I have to leave my laptop plugged in all the time. Otherwise I'd get warnings every 30 minutes that my battery was running out.

[momopi]

So the worst that could happen is that it wears out the life of the battery? Then you could just replace the battery right? I don't replace my cell phone unless it's broken or doesn't work. I'm more practical about those things, not trendy.

I have to leave my laptop plugged in all the time. Otherwise I'd get warnings every 30 minutes that my battery was running out.

Rechargeable batteries in your cell phone and laptop is designed for several hundred charge cycles before degrading. High temperatures will also degrade the battery. If you put the same battery in a golf cart with plenty of space and air cooling, the battery might last 500 charge cycles before degrading to 80% capability. But the same battery in the small confines of a "hot" laptop, it might only last 200-300 charge cycles before degrading to 80% capability. It's debatable if laptop coolers would help in extending the battery life by significant margin.

http://guides.macrumors.com/Laptop_Battery_Guide
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9700201-1.html