iPhone 3GS Battery Issue (iOS 5)

I met with a Genius yesterday, and got nowhere. He denied ever having heard of any iOS 5 issues, ran a diagnostic, disabled all aspects of Spotlight Search, cleaned my 3GS, and sent me on my way. I'm underwhelmed.

Finally found this topic. I've been having the same problem with my 3Gs. I don't intend on changing it to 4S as I'm waiting for the release of 5. My 3Gs keeps switching itself on and off after a few minutes, especially when I try to charge it. The battery life also has decreased tremendously after I updated it to iOS 5.0.1. I really don't know whether the iOS 5 is causing the problem or I have to replace my battery. I've been using this phone for almost 2 years already.

Has anyone replaced the battery and solved this issue? I went to Apple store and asked for their opinion. Their mere answer was, Get a new one.

No! Per the t-shirted Genius at the Apple store, it's "impossible" to downgrade the iPhone OS.

This "impossibility" is also impossible, unless you can demonstrate how software can update hardware! This is a conscious choice on Apple's part, and a bad one, in my opinion (since my phone's been reduced to a flip-phone, at this point). I'm leaving the iPhone for a new 2-year stint with a droid phone (probably this Samsung Galaxy II blah-blah-blah that won the love of all of Europe) after my Genius appointment, and watching this forum thread; I expect so much more of Apple, but it's reeking of Microsoft at this point.

I strongly recommend that any of you iPhone users try something else before going around touting the benefits of the iPhone; support competitive markets! Do some comparison shopping! Refuse to be the robotic mouthpieces of anyone! Paying more does not make a thing "better"!

Good luck...

Don't bother with putting in a new battery. That is not it. I replaced mine and it did nothing to help. I would really like some answers.

If you deactivate icloud, and stop notifications to apple, and close all background apps, dont use apps, ignore phone calls, dont play music or send texts - then the battery is proven to last longer

Alternatively if you switch the iphone completely off this will prolonge the battery life.

I've had the exact same issue after upgrading to IOS5. I just called Telus and they told me that the IOS5 is not compatible with the 3GS, and told me to just get the new phone for the low price of $500 (I have to pay off my current non-working phone) plus another 3 year contract. I guess Apple just thinks these phones are disposable items and we're supposed to get a new one every 2 years? We don't have an Apple Store here so I have to pay to talk to someone on the phone, but it seems like it won't be of any use anyway. I just bought a brand new Mac Book Pro, but I'm going to return it so I have money to buy a new phone (which definitely will not by an iPhone). BTW, here's an article on how to downgrade, but I'm not sure if it works. http://www.redmondpie.com/downgrade-ios-5-to-4.3.3-4.3.5-on-iphone-4-3gs-ipad-2- ipad-1-ipod-touch-how-to-tutorial/

I'm having a similar issue. If I my allow the battery in the 3gs to drain to zero, it gets wacked out. Once I place in the charger, it boots about every 3-5 minutes. I'm unable to make calls and the only way is to restore the phone and it then starts to work just fine. I have restore the **** thing 5 times. I replaced the battery and was not able to get out the battery logo. Swapped back to the old batt, restored. I have to keep it charged. Oh well, I guess its time to invest in droidware. I have spent my money on Apple and will not give them anymore!

I had all of these problems, but fixed it by upgrading my iTunes. As soon as I did that, it started working again (no battery draining or shutting off randomly). I just upgraded, restarted my computer, and plugged in my phone to sync.

Sorry for bashing you Apple - let's never fight again.

wait a couple of days and let the apple bashing begin. you will be dissapointed.

same exact problem , on my 5th restore just to make calls. Walked into store , guy at door tells me common problem , "genius" guy says never heard of it. Solution , NEW phone. personally ios5 is to increase bottom line by destroying 3gs. Thank God I have apple shares.

Hello all,

I have an iPhone 3GS since November 2009. Before upgrading to iOS5 was having little problems at the time of battery life, but after upgrading to the new version 5.0 the percentage of the battery was out of calibration, when it was around 30% to 40% my iPhone turn off.

I always used my iPhone with all features turned on, 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all this time and it was no longer possible, that's when I found this topic and replacing the battery with a new one as some others here have.

Fortunately my problems were over, I paid $ 10 for a new battery and I can say that the time use in relation to the iPhone 4S is almost the same.

Both devices run iOS 5.0.1 and I'm already about 2 weeks testing the battery life and everything is going very well here to both models.

Same to me, after 1 month of iOS 5 on my 3GS with no issue, it suddenly drains all the battery in 3-4 hours, while locked, and with GPS off ... Now I have to charge the ****** phone several times a day, it makes it completly unusable and worst : unreliable. Last time I was at 50%, went in a meeting, less than one hour, come out of the meeting to make a call : the phone was OFF ! Totally battery less.

And yes, it is warm while in sleep mode, really really strange. Apple should release a kind of analyser to help people find out the issue.

Just to add to the plea to Apple. SOMETHING IS BROKE!!!!!!!!

I’m having the exact same issue with my 3GS. Not sure if Apple is just convinced that everyone will just mindlessly upgrade to the 4 or 5.

I will tell you we are leaving. I've had enough.

Is it really too much to expect good customer service from them? My house has 3 iPhones and countless iPods, Apple has gotten hundreds of $ from my family, I don't think asking for an iPhone that doesn’t shutdown 3-4 times a day is too much to ask.

My upgrade is available from my carrier and I bet I leave there without an iPhone!!!!!!!

If anybody form Apple is reading this, you all are blowing this!!!!

OK, So I have the same issues with my 3Gs.

Where do we go from here?

Clearly there is an issue with our 3Gs iPhone and the new operating system!

Any FIX for it? Will anyone from APPLE read these posts and come up with a magic solution to save our incredibly expensive phones and thank us for keeping them employed?

I was just about to push the button and purchase an iPhone 4s, thinking my phone was dead. Just about to drop another $450.00, but I'm hitting the breaks on this one!

APPLE! Yeah I'm calling you guys out!!

FIX THIS!!!!!

Really need a fix for this sooner than later. My phone is unreliable at best now. I feel like I am using a land line cause I can not go anywhere without my cord. I had thoguht about upgrading my phone to the iphone4, but it isn't likely after some thinking. What are the chances they will "update" that phone and render it useless as well. If you can't fix this update, at least make it so we can downgrade back to the other version so our phones can be useful again.