How does it damage the PN junction of the panel is open circuit or barely loaded? It doesn’t seem logical that this would damage the panel, but I’m open to being proven wrong.

There are all kinds of follow up questions to ask as well, but I think the main one is how big an effect are we talking?

As the owner of a Fairphone, this is indeed my experience. The only non-standard app is the Fairphone app, which is easily ignored or might even be useful.

I was about to say. Wikipedia has an overview.