iOS 4.x camera high cpu usage bug

Ever since upgrading to iOS 4, I've noticed that periodically my 3GS's CPU usage is higher than normal. Instead of 97% of the CPU or higher being idle, only 85% is higher. This causes the battery to drain at about the same rate as if I'm constantly playing music, so the phone won't last the day. This problem persists under iOS 4.1. The CPU usage can be seen by any number of free apps in the App store, simply search for CPU.

Using an app that uses the location services or turning airplane mode on and off will temporarily drop the CPU back to the normal idle rates, but the problem will return within a few minutes. The only permanent fix is to reboot the phone.

For the longest time I thought it was related to using location services, but I've finally tracked down the problem to using the camera. If any app uses the camera (camera app or 3rd party app), the problem has a high probability of occurring within the next few minutes. If I never use the camera, the problem never occurs. I've pretty much confirmed this by having weeks go by without seeing the issue, then immediately seeing the issue after using an app that enables the camera (such as a bar code reader).

I've reported this to Apple a number of times and they keep either ignoring it or asking my for log files over and over again. Either they can't reproduce it or they're not even trying to reproduce it. Considering how easy it is to reproduce and the fact that I've seen someone post in the battery life thread reporting the same exact thing, the later seems more likely.

iPhone 3GS 16 GB, iOS 4

Posted on Sep 27, 2010 6:49 PM

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2 replies

Sep 27, 2010 8:15 PM in response to Morac

Assume you've read threads on draining batteries and random shutdowns. You may be on to something.

My 3GS shuts down now randomly but usually once the battery hits about 30%...the part that sets it off every single time is opening any app that uses the camera!

Once this happens it won't usually come back on without power tethered.

Would love to see Aplle acknowledge this issue and put to rest all the moronic responses on here telling people to stop using their phones as they have been for the last year and turn everything off to save battery.

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iOS 4.x camera high cpu usage bug

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