Q: iPhone 4s Battery Life?

You're definition of light usage isn't the same as my definition. How about scientific tests where the iP4S does display good battery life?

So far the iP4S behaves about the same as the iP4 that it replaced.

snif123 wrote:

 

Your 4S goes more than a day with light usage! So do other smartphones for half the price, as I said, the 4S has no edge over other competitor products on the market.

With your light usage, do you think you should be able to get atleast 2-3 days without charge? The 4S is supposed to be an improvement to the IP4 but in the battery category it's a big loss.

I use my phone lightly I believe, and it has never hit the 2 Days mark, many times it has died on me during the day when I have forgotten to charge overnight, I think this is not value for money. The 4S should be able to easily go 2.5~3 Days with my usage pattern, I KNOW this.

Every 2-3 times a month, I have to reset all settings/content when the phantom usage somehow creeps up again.

I have the static issue, this is my 2nd 4S.

Overall, the 4S battery is poor and the APPLE advertising/marketing is misleading and false, most consumers/owners don't realise this because they believe "it's a smartphone, smartphones use a lot of power, they must be charged atleast daily".

ricky_tang wrote:

 

[...]

 

So far the iP4S behaves about the same as the iP4 that it replaced.

 

Unfortunately, you cannot claim that - at least because it's rated for 200 standby hrs vs. 300 hrs for the 4. That simply means the phone uses more juice when on standby - in fact 33% more, which is not "about the same". The marketing didn't say "picking up where amazing left off except for battery life" - it said it was entirely better so people expect at least what the 4 yields.  Furthermore, tests show for instance that where you could play Epic Citadel for 3:45 hrs on the 4, you can only play the same game for 3:00 on the 4S (Anandtech) because at peak usage the GPU is simply more hungry. To be fair you'll get almost twice the framerate but that weighs less than battery life for a "mobile" device.

I know about the standby time. However, most of the time I use my phone heavily and the standby time won't matter much. Why? When is the last time you didn't use your phone for that long? Yeah, I thought so.

You really want to use a benchmark where the iP4S has a much higher frame rate compared to a iP4? Lets see, almost twice the framerate for 3:00 vs 3:45 usage. Yeah, that's a lot to complain about.

To be fair you should know I don't use a smartphone at all, so I have no cravings to hold it and touch every 5 mins like a toddler has for his thumb. Even if I had mild cravings, I would still like to have a workable device the day after I forgot for some reason to charge it. You should define what is "heavily" for you. Unfortunately, because of some level of unbalance in iOS 5+, because of iCloud, and very agressive default settings, amongst other things, the advantage the 4S could have is undone for a segment of the user base. It may be down the line when Apple fully optimizes its software and when all apps are fully upgraded and improved upon, that you may be right then. But the time is now.

Insofar as graphics are concerned, well, you should know there's only so much the eye can see. It may be down the line new games won't be playable at all on the 4 and then the 4S will be the king of that. But when a game is fully playable, the advantage goes to mobility. In my opinion it is but one example of the poor choices Apple has done. But then again they had to push the envelope I guess. It is debatable but clearly some people were expecting more in terms of battery life, especially considering the marketing.

Now I fully understand your line of bs. You're trying to troll and you're trying to pass one over on an old master.

You don't use a smartphone at all? Really? Go back to using a landline. I use my phone almost entirely on default settings, with the exception of diagnostics. I compare my heavy usage to benchmarks where a phone is tested and I know the battery is inline to what reviewers are seeing. When it isn't it's immediately obvious.

Regarding the graphics, if you think when a game is fully playable, the advantage goes to mobility, buy the cheapest phone and never upgrade. I'll use Infinity Blade II as an example. It's fully playable on a iP4 and iP4S. Which one would you prefer to play? Oh but you don't use a smartphone at all. You couldn't play neither. You don't use a smartphone and you state that in your opinion Apple is making poor choices concerning graphical performance. Care to comment on the Big Bang theory and enlighten us with your knowledgeable expertise?

If you want a phone with long standby and talk time buy a dumbphone.

1AppleADayNoWay wrote:

 

To be fair you should know I don't use a smartphone at all, so I have no cravings to hold it and touch every 5 mins like a toddler has for his thumb. Even if I had mild cravings, I would still like to have a workable device the day after I forgot for some reason to charge it. You should define what is "heavily" for you. Unfortunately, because of some level of unbalance in iOS 5+, because of iCloud, and very agressive default settings, amongst other things, the advantage the 4S could have is undone for a segment of the user base. It may be down the line when Apple fully optimizes its software and when all apps are fully upgraded and improved upon, that you may be right then. But the time is now.

 

Insofar as graphics are concerned, well, you should know there's only so much the eye can see. It may be down the line new games won't be playable at all on the 4 and then the 4S will be the king of that. But when a game is fully playable, the advantage goes to mobility. In my opinion it is but one example of the poor choices Apple has done. But then again they had to push the envelope I guess. It is debatable but clearly some people were expecting more in terms of battery life, especially considering the marketing.

ricky_tang wrote:

 

Now I fully understand your line of bs. You're trying to troll and you're trying to pass one over on an old master.

 

You don't use a smartphone at all? Really? Go back to using a landline. I use my phone almost entirely on default settings, with the exception of diagnostics. I compare my heavy usage to benchmarks where a phone is tested and I know the battery is inline to what reviewers are seeing. When it isn't it's immediately obvious.

 

Regarding the graphics, if you think when a game is fully playable, the advantage goes to mobility, buy the cheapest phone and never upgrade. I'll use Infinity Blade II as an example. It's fully playable on a iP4 and iP4S. Which one would you prefer to play? Oh but you don't use a smartphone at all. You couldn't play neither. You don't use a smartphone and you state that in your opinion Apple is making poor choices concerning graphical performance. Care to comment on the Big Bang theory and enlighten us with your knowledgeable expertise?

 

If you want a phone with long standby and talk time buy a dumbphone.

You're a bit emotional with this. Seems you share similar traits with a toddler in more than one respect. I made an argument, and you don't like it. Grow up. I use a land line every day, I don't need to go back to it. I don't see the big deal about that. What, you think you have some kind of leverage over me because you use a smartphone? I'm actually considering the Nokia C1-01 as a flip phone. Or maybe you thought smart phones are for smart people and dumb phones are for dumb people?

You compare your usage to benchmarks but you don't reveal nor the usage nor the benchmark - shy boy. The truth is many devices outclass the iP4S in some aspects of smartphone use, like wifi browsing or using it as a hotspot, or do you consider Anandtech to be unscientific - of course scientific would be what, Wired? But I for one dare disclose on what benchmark I make a comparison (http://www.anandtech.com/show/4971/apple-iphone-4s-review-att-verizon/15). As far as graphics vs battery life is concerned, you haven't made an argument, you've simply used your little condescending ploy to obscure what I said because you think maybe I'm making this up. I don't need to play those games on a postage stamp device, because other serious people did play them so that I can make the analysis without wasting lots of time just to undo your argument.

The Big Bang theory, quite a good show indeed. The Big Bang, well there might be 11 or 21 dimensions, it's possible to imagine it somewhat as intersecting soap bubbles, tons of big bangs occur as surges spike out of sheer time-space and such. Don't know much more, astrophysics is not my field but you wanted to be enlightened. So be. Surely you'll be able to uncover much more about it on your device... so enjoy it while the battery lasts - heavily as you put it - before someone tucks you in! And no I'm not singing "Soft Kitty".

Just posting my 4S stat (1 and half month old) Last night result.

- 2x battery drain from the first day.

- No iCloud (i Dont need it.)

- Location On all the time. iAds and time zone is off

- 3G 2hours ON (Im on prepaid so I need to turn it off when I dont need it.)

- Wifi ON about 3hours when its available (office). and turned it Off when not available.

- Bluetooth always Off (i Nver used it.)

- iMessage ON always.

- No mail. Im using Gmail apps.

- Siri ON. raise:OFF

- Brightness: 55-60% autobirghtness: ON

-Some txt and games..

With almost 2days of standby and 10hours of usage, Im super happy with my 4S.

I wonder if I could get similar results from an iPod Touch? Anyone...? I look at the specs and they only show 7 hours video playback and 40 hrs music - how much standby and wifi usage can one get out of those on iOS 5? At 199$ for the 8GB model, seems like the price is right... so I can afford that and my Nokia phone for dummies and a new netbook for the price of more expensive devices! And have a mini computer, a  phone, and a pretty wifi device/app/media player...

Can anyone expound on the possibility of the drain being SIM related? It's the only possibility I haven't investigated on my phone. Is there anything I can turn off that would solve it? Except, of course, taking out the sim or going into Airplane Mode. By the way I had already gotten my sim replaced, too :| So this is a second sim, on a third phone.

sbailey4 wrote:

 

Nice one. BTW all I have stated is that not 80% of the iPhone's produce have problems. I have no idea how many do, I openly admit I do not have any inside info on that number, but I can logically assume that its not 80% of 37 million. enx23 on the other hand seems to have other knowledge from somewhere that I am not aware of.  He cant say how because of his NDA I suppose other than the 8 out of 10 folks interviewed in the Korean newspaper that said they had issues , hence 80%.

 

I just hate it when a user come to a support forum (yes support not complaint) already upset and all they hear instead of helpful advice is how device they just purchased are all broken, hasnt been fixed, will never be fixed, and Apple cant fix the phone or iOS (it even though they developed it from the beginning) Verses some information that could actually help them get a better experience.

 

Its really sad that this forum had degraded from support and help to as you say PR and namecalling. Somehow I have been named as Apple lover, fanboy, mindless, worshipper, etc due to my efforts of trying to remain positive and supply information to folks that help with battery. Its turned into I now have to defend myself at every turn and deal with name calling. That's ok as I am a big boy and will not loose sleep over it for sure. But being in IT support I much rather help folks solve problems while trying to remain positive than to scatter rederick about dooms day and how the iPhone 4s has destroyed lives. But at this point, my work here is done. I guess any new users can read back  through or look through some of the other more positive threads or take back their phones or become Apple haters or whatever they want. As for me, I will enjoy my iPhone 4s, and will remain hopeful that iOS 5.1 will bring some relief for most, exchanged devices will help others, and actually resetting,removing bad apps and optimizing as per Apple stated documentation will help even more.

 

I will 1000% agree with all here who say Apple is wrong in being so silent and not providing ANY information on their plans to address the remaining issues with  the 4s. Oh no, does that statement mean I loose my Apple fanboy-worshiper-lover status? Dang it! Oh well I do still like my iPhone over any other phone Iever had. even if I have to actually plug it in once in a while.

1AppleADayNoWay wrote:

 

[...] They deserve total respect.

I hear you. Numbers are just numbers and many things are put forward here to elicit a response or out of discontent or unabashed enthusiasm. I truly hope the number of affected users is minimal. That shouldn't detract from the lesson Apple had with the 4S. Nothing will really impact their results and all but it doesn't take a genius to imagine that internally this was like a slap in the face and they'll be hungry to deliver on the next device, as I'm sure they're working very hard on the current OS. Only a segment of their user base has felt alienated to varying degrees and I haven't been there when they launched the 3GS or 4 but I can't believe it was such a mess as this was, despite many many devices deployed and working. Yet they have lots going for them with this iPhone device, irrespective of its iteration, but in my opinion the business model has to change a little bit. I was happy to see Tim Cook's stance on charities and working conditions and all. For me it's very hard to like someone who makes a third of a billion a year, but I may learn to respect such a person, and I hope he can renew Apple's vision - a less elitist and more caring vision maybe. This might translate into the tech itself. I would hope for that. Because personally I can never buy Steve's device, as a matter of principle, because it's a statement, something almost political - for me it's a class and status device - even though I can acknowledge all its qualities and like it for what it is.

As far as what the thread has become, well, I can't claim I'm without reproach in that department. In the end it's all trivial and I still believe the few users who come here can get some level of help, despite the flaming. I think your support contribution was outstanding and I can't remember someone here supporting more the user base than you did. I also believe your stance on this whole ordeal is different from when you joined. It's black or white only for people with a small vision and I've seen you acknowledge that on many occasions. I can only hope you come back for 5.1 to take the pulse of what's happening. I myself have an IT support history, and I believe it's important to fight for the user and not for the product, as this is the responsability of marketing, yet in some ways some Apple lovers have become "bumvertisers" for the device, peddling and hyping everything that comes from Apple. It's wrong. Apple users have to be consumers first and foremost, and push Apple further up. These devices are mainstream now and we're past who copied who and it's time to work on the experience, quality control and value. Those devices are made for people, and devices have to be thought differently for different people and not the other way around. I hope you can enjoy your iPhone, especially since it meets your expectations. I personally never found it so wrong that Apple doesn't openly address the remaining issues as long as they act - I believe in some respect, the elitist part of the user base settled for that. It's really SSDD. Which is why I believe those who settle for anything  and who would have the consumer bear the burden have to be undone, to allow for the new kind of Apple user, an intelligent consumer who understands the smartphone industry and chooses Apple not because of some charismatic's leader's PR stunt who distorts reality, but because they know the device and they choose it because they know it suits them, because they like either the object or the OS, its stylish integration, or the ecosystem or because they support the commitments Apple undertakes as a responsible business, knowing they can contribute in their own way, beyond activating a diagnostic tool on their handset. And from many discussions I've had over 600 pages with people here there's only a few of those around - how unfortunate. I think someone like you can be among those. I would expect Apple users to be informed of the competition and to be able to give credit to others when it's due and to have an open mind. In the end none of this is so important, people requiring help will get it, people looking to be slapped will be, and we're speculating on tech sometimes as it it were a matter of life and death. It's just fast food tech. Soon all our adamant statements  will be forgotten, it will  all turn to digital dust...

In so many protracted words, take care!

Duckgirl722 wrote:

 

Can anyone expound on the possibility of the drain being SIM related? It's the only possibility I haven't investigated on my phone. Is there anything I can turn off that would solve it? Except, of course, taking out the sim or going into Airplane Mode. By the way I had already gotten my sim replaced, too :| So this is a second sim, on a third phone.

I don't have the knowledge as to the why. But what has been alluded to here is:

-The origin of the SIM i.e. the one that comes with the device vs. other ones - half ones vs full ones. Mostly some people in the UK and France discussed it some time ago.

-The idea that some carriers might not have provisionned the phone adequatly - a related idea.

-The idea that Apple released a variant of their 5.0.1 build aka 90A406 to address "sim card reader" related issues - (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4148)

-The idea that some people could stop their "phantom usage" by removing the sim. Lately someone stated having 6 days of standby without the SIM. Yet he changed the sim many times and nothing helped and he tried both the 405 and 406 build - EdiMC I think.

-Someone also lately said he contacted his carrier and said he had issues with dropped calls and they did something on their side which helped - although I don't know if it's related.

Hopefully someone else can discuss it in a more intelligent manner.

Good luck!

edit: related info also here http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4994

Hi,

Having been plagued with battery problems on the 9A405 build, I upgraded to 9A406 over the weekend.

Setup the phone as New completely (No restore from backup).

After the first charge cycle, this is what I got:

Now I know it's not the best, but it is much much better as compared to what I was experienceing before (battery drain in 15 hours standby).

Also, I noticed the following things:

1. The battery drain is singificantly higher in Standby when Cellular Data is ON. Whenever cellular data is OFF, the battery drain is as per specifications ( i .e. 1% every 2 hours). Now I dont know HOW is this possible?! Since Apple shouldn't have been that daft so as to give out specs with Data usage OFF. What's the use of the specs then?!
2. The battery stays at 100% for quite a long time, which gives you a really good feeling that all is well in the world But once it enters the 90's, the downward trickle starts at a much higher pace.
3. Whenever I charge the phone with the Power outlet, the phone tends to get hot. And I mean really HOT. However, when I charge the phone through my Laptop's USB, it reaches 100% charge while being as cool as a cucumber.
4. When I am travelling in a train or by road and using Cellular data, or using Wifi for prolonged periods, the phone does start getting a bit warm.
5. I havent yet replaced my Old cut SIM yet with a brand new Micro SIM. I will do so over the weekend and let you all know if I notice any improvements.

snif123 wrote:

 

Your 4S goes more than a day with light usage! So do other smartphones for half the price, as I said, the 4S has no edge over other competitor products on the market.

With your light usage, do you think you should be able to get atleast 2-3 days without charge? The 4S is supposed to be an improvement to the IP4 but in the battery category it's a big loss.

One has to have realisting expectations. My Nokia smartphone used to have battery life of several days, but... that with 2G and everything else off. As soon as I switch on 3G and/or WiFi it dies much faster than the iPhone 4S! (admittably, it's smaller, has smaller battery but also much, much slower CPU and small display etc.)

I had this 'battery drain' when my phone was brand new. Following some comments on this forum, I first reset the network configuration, which improved battry life noticeably, then went and did a Restore in iTunes - this loaded build 9A406, which has new modem microcode by the way. One thing I noted, was when I purchased the phone, the carrier insisted to activate it in the shop on their own computer/iTunes. That might be something.. I can also imagine, that it is so for most people, especially those who buy the phone with subscription.

I now have alsmost everything on, including push e-mail, location services -- except Siri, which I have no use of, because it neither speaks my language, neither provides any services in my country. In addition I have an VoIP application connected and running at all time, thus 3G and WiFi are on all the time on my phone. Yet, I get at lest two days (48 hours) of runtime, with some charge remaining. (at the moment 41% remaning after 1 day 10 hours standby and 2 hours 54 minutes usage). This 'usage' it actually real -- voice calls over VoIP, browsing, e-mail.

In essence, Restore in iTunes and setting up as new resolved the issue for me. When iOS 5.1 is released, with it's ability to disable 3G data, I expect to achieve even better battery life.

I believe, the best advice one can give to a new owner of iPhone 4S is to first Restore in iTunes (thus updating to the latest software), then set it up as you please.

Unfortunately, for most people the setup is done by the sales folk at their carrier, who knows with what settings...

@dkalchev

dkalchev wrote:

 

snif123 wrote:

 

Your 4S goes more than a day with light usage! So do other smartphones for half the price, as I said, the 4S has no edge over other competitor products on the market.

With your light usage, do you think you should be able to get atleast 2-3 days without charge? The 4S is supposed to be an improvement to the IP4 but in the battery category it's a big loss.

 

One has to have realisting expectations.

This has nothing to do with realistic expectations or how one uses the iPhoen 4s. The point is that the battery life of iPhone 4s is horrible compared to iPhone 4 when used in the same conditions and same way. Also here one compares the battery life with iPhone 4 and also with what is written in its specification! I least I suggest that Apple should modify the specification of its iPhone 4s in such a way that it reflects the reality!

My Nokia smartphone used to have battery life of several days, but... that with 2G and everything else off. As soon as I switch on 3G and/or WiFi it dies much faster than the iPhone 4S! (admittably, it's smaller, has smaller battery but also much, much slower CPU and small display etc.)

I have a feeling that here is a confusion between 3G network and Cellular Data. Please, note that 3G network is used also for voice data and not only for data transfer!  Please, rephrase it!

 

I now have alsmost everything on, including push e-mail, location services -- except Siri, which I have no use of, because it neither speaks my language, neither provides any services in my country. In addition I have an VoIP application connected and running at all time, thus 3G and WiFi are on all the time on my phone. Yet, I get at lest two days (48 hours) of runtime, with some charge remaining. (at the moment 41% remaning after 1 day 10 hours standby and 2 hours 54 minutes usage). This 'usage' it actually real -- voice calls over VoIP, browsing, e-mail.

 

In essence, Restore in iTunes and setting up as new resolved the issue for me. When iOS 5.1 is released, with it's ability to disable 3G data, I expect to achieve even better battery life.

 

I believe, the best advice one can give to a new owner of iPhone 4S is to first Restore in iTunes (thus updating to the latest software), then set it up as you please.

Unfortunately, for most people the setup is done by the sales folk at their carrier, who knows with what settings...

This forum has over one million views and it is full of restore/reset/etc. tips and neither of them proved useful! the proof for this is that the posts on this forum is growing as fast as ever!

I strongly suggest that if one has or things that it might have the battery life issue to get a refund or a new replacement! Do not spend your time reseting/reloading/etc. because they do not work! It is not the fault of carrier, it is not the fault of customer that iPhoen 4s has a miserable battery life. It is fault of Apple and Apple should have done something about it yesteryear!

@Gooner90

Gooner90 wrote:

 

Hi,

 

Having been plagued with battery problems on the 9A405 build, I upgraded to 9A406 over the weekend.

Setup the phone as New completely (No restore from backup).

After the first charge cycle, this is what I got:

 

Now I know it's not the best, but it is much much better as compared to what I was experienceing before (battery drain in 15 hours standby).

 

Also, I noticed the following things:

1. The battery drain is singificantly higher in Standby when Cellular Data is ON. Whenever cellular data is OFF, the battery drain is as per specifications ( i .e. 1% every 2 hours). Now I dont know HOW is this possible?! Since Apple shouldn't have been that daft so as to give out specs with Data usage OFF. What's the use of the specs then?!
2. The battery stays at 100% for quite a long time, which gives you a really good feeling that all is well in the world But once it enters the 90's, the downward trickle starts at a much higher pace.
3. Whenever I charge the phone with the Power outlet, the phone tends to get hot. And I mean really HOT. However, when I charge the phone through my Laptop's USB, it reaches 100% charge while being as cool as a cucumber.
4. When I am travelling in a train or by road and using Cellular data, or using Wifi for prolonged periods, the phone does start getting a bit warm.
5. I havent yet replaced my Old cut SIM yet with a brand new Micro SIM. I will do so over the weekend and let you all know if I notice any improvements.

It looks like you are affected by the battery life issue and it looks like it is a hardware issue.

I suggest to get a refund or a new replacement!