Time can be an issue connecting to Wi-Fi. Devices who've lost track of time often can't properly negotiate access to then get NTP updates to their time. Perhaps this could be solved, but it's a common problem for devices left for the batteries to go dry.
It is a bit sensationalist to say this is reviving it though, which makes this sound like some wild issue.
It is a bit sensationalist to say this is reviving it though, which makes this sound like some wild issue.