Does this update slow the phone down and shorten battery life again?

NOT apparently a rumour! We are using a 7 and before the update the regular battery status at end of day was 85%. As of today the same 7 gets to 53% with previous attempts to find what apparently is deliberately draining the same battery with what should be lower consumption. It is allegedly claimed that Apple are deliberately changing current demand to degrade the performance of previous models. A 12 was not affected by the same alleged upgrade. All batteries are a perfect built in obsolescence target especially when they are nearly impossible to change. Mobiles used to have replaceable batteries for obvious reasons. Apple appear to now have the alleged worst repair ability index on the planet! Apple appear not to have realised that precious metals are a finite resource? Will I buy Apple again; probably not.

Updated my iPhone 7 to 14.4.2 last night and recharged to 100%.

Just checked it today and it’s down to 25% with virtually no use whatsoever.

In the last hour it’s dropped to 13%.

Most definitely this update is affecting battery life, and before you say it, prior to update there was no issue at all with battery life.

Truth has no relevance as this is what has actually occurred. A 19 month old iPhone 7, I have the receipt, purchased 14 Oct 2019 did exactly what I described an 85 to 53% jump synchronised to the update! Why should a battery suddenly go inefficient? If the update has improved the performance of many of the apps then it is likely that more power would be necessary but users should be warned that there is a cost i.e battery life! Also there is a level of obsolescence making the apps more performance hungry so customers will have to upgrade as the earlier models will be slower and will need better batteries. At this rate the 7 will be a phone only where the smart is dead in not many years. UK sale of goods act had 7 years for a merchantable product. Does Apple have this 7 year target as I hope the products are not designed for land fill much earlier?

No. Don’t listen to rumours.

Well it has definitely affected mine my battery was good for at least two days but now it only lasts about four hours

So an Apple definition of an old iPhone is 19 months and a battery that needs replacement is 94% or worse. Do all level 10 advisors/experts assume that all information provided is false that does not fit their perfect view of Apple product? You have also stated that the data is not true; wrong again!

Attached is some evidence that you may consider to be a fake screen save from the old 19 month iPhone 7?

Perhaps someone needs to reevaluate their approach when criticising feedback?

None of what you posted is true.

What is the battery health on that old device? It probably needs a replacement.