Q: Question to people with bad battery life on iPhone 4S

I had a release day iPhone 4S 64 GB with a DN serial number (week 40). The phone sim pin did not work, if I turned it on I would lose network. I changed my O2 sim (UK) and things were better but I still had big phantom usage issues and the network kept dropping. My iPhone started to crash with panic.plist in the logs after 3 weeks to a month or so, Apple decided this was hardware problem in the end, so replaced my iPhone, this was not a refurbished phone I believe, as it was built in November (week 46) and I had this exchange just after Christmas. The new phone has a C3 serial number. I have no phantom usage issues, sim pin works as it should I still have sim pin Applications in the menu (O2 cards seem to have this hard coded into them) with extremely light usage, I achieved 4 days but only just. I have no 3G signal in my area, as of now I have 1 hour 41 minutes of usage, 1 day 7 hours standby and 78% battery life. I restored from a back up from my old 4S which I did everything with to try and reset, including setting up as new and downloading the latest 5.0.1 version and adding my contacts by hand. On my new phone I just updated via wifi using the delta update.

DN is the Foxconn Factory, I have no idea where the C3 units are from though. I will keep monitoring my phone but the C3 is much better than the DN unit, After a full charge if I leave it for an hour (and I have no calls or texts) it will show 0 minutes usage, where as my old phone, the usage would be almost identical to the standby time to start with, and I always ended up with about 10-11 hours of phantom usage. This could be coincidence, or maybe some, not saying all, but some early DN units had faulty sim readers. I should point out I have locations on but iads and diagnostics disabled also send diagnostics is disabled, wifi is on Siri is on but set to not use when the handset is lifted. I dont have facebook notifications on in fact most of my apps have location off, just a few have it on and they are either phone based ones or ones like my weather app, yell etc. I also have local weather turned off as I dont really need that on, also I dont use iCloud. Everyhing is backed up to my iMac.

I am glad that I am not the only one feeling this.  Since I upgraded to the 4s 64gb, I had nothing but trouble.  Firstily the new handset arrived but the sim provided was not pre-cut out.  I used my previous sim card as a temporary measure until the new one arrived and during that time I had no sim or battery issues whatsoever.

Once I received my new sim, I placed it in the 4s, updated and then it was all downhill after that.  Battery drained and sim card kept coming up with "invalid sim" or "sim card error".  I could not make or receive calls, emails, msg etc.

I then received a new handset via Orange but no sim card.  This was sent later in the week.  Put sim card in, this was find overnight, but when I got outside, the sim card "failed".  Put the sim card in another iphone 4 and it worked perfectly.

Saw the Genius who just did a restore on the 4s, said I would have no prob but as soon as I got home, the sim card "failed".  Got back in my car and drove back to Apple who immediately replaced the handset.  So far so good with regards to the sim working.  As the for the battery life, this is still draining but not as fast and I have made sure updates/emails etc are turned to manual.

I can't save anymore to preserve the battery otherwise it seems to defeat the object of having an iphone that does all these things.  I am on my 3rd handset and 3rd sim card over a 2 week period!  I love Apple stuff, but just no sure about the 4s.....

@Marc-man you're now in the very same boat as me and it will be very interesting to see if your experience matches mine and bright raven's. I really hope you're continuing to get better life from your battery, either way an update would be welcome once you've had time to let it settle in.

Well, phase 1 of my test was finished on Saturday morning. I still had 8% battery left but needed to recharge so I could take the 4S out with me for the day:

As you can see, it would have made it to 4 Days on that first charge. The usage is not a reflection of how much I really used the phone. I only made/received a small handful of calls/txts, amounting to no more than 20 mins, BUT doing the maths shows that there was 4.3 mins usage for every hour of Standby, so I would assume this is completely normal with the phone doing network pings etc.

I'm REALLY satisfied with this result. Remember, phase1 of the test is the phone with no Apps installed, locations off, Siri off, BT and Wifi off and no Contacts, Calendars or Mail set-up - basically the phone is completely virgin.

I'm now halfway through my phase2 test, where I've set up an Exchange account for my Contacts, Calendars and Mail (all done with a Google account), set to fetch manual, and then fully charged. The phone is getting minimal use, as in phase1, with a few trips here and there covering a number of miles per day etc.

Battery remaining: 42%
Usage: 4 Hours, 33 Mins

Standby: 2 Days, 15 Hours

Thats comparible, maybe even better than phase1, so it seems the Exchange account (Google) isn't affecting anything. The usage is the same as phase1 - 4.3 mins per hour.

phase3 will be setting up Wifi, using BT in the car, turning on certain Location settings and turning Siri on. phase4 will be installing some apps.

Back soon with further update.

Hi @marc-man.

Well, so far so good for your set-up. Congratulations; that is pretty a decent set of stats. I'd certainly have few complaints if I could achieve those.

Thanks for taking the time and effort to do all of this steadily and carefully. I would love to be able to carry out such an exercise but my phone is my office and I need to have it up and functioning to be able to do business.

It's interesting and encouraging that early indications show Google as exchange isn't a culpret for you. I hope that continues to be the case.

It will be really interesting to see what apps might foul things up, if any. I'm still suspicious that time may be a factor as well, in that I'm wondering if certain apps have any bearing once they've been opened and used. I don't mean when they're in the task bar but after a user thinks they've closed them. I'm wondering if some apps persist in system use even when they appear closed, for example. This could be app specific, or faults in the way iPhone 'multi-tasks' in itself. If not that then perhaps if an app crashes or causes a glitch, it may be that the phone doesn't clear the issue but brushes it under the carpet, thus taxing the system.

I wish there was a proper reset function that cleared all the memory and removed all running processes. Pressing and holding on/off & Home doesn't seem to go far enough... [this is mere layman speculation I really don't know enough about the innards of these things to say if any of this is valid or not.]

Will you be able to give enough time to all this to add apps at least few days apart?

I guess we'll never really know what the faulty component was in your previous handset. It seems viable to look to the sim handling in some way but anything could be different from one serial number to another and it could have just been sheer luck on your part in getting a hanset that behaved better. Only Apple can determine this and I don't imagine they will ellude to it if it implicates their hardware.

Hopefully your efforts here might help users in a similar situation and possibly give them amunition to get units returned/replaced.

Look forward to the next update from you; keep up the sterling work.

Thanks

@bleepingApple and @marc-man

I know you guys seem to still experience some phantom usage so I wanted to let you know what I have observed lately. I know it may sound crazy but believe me these are genuine observations.

After upgrading to build 9A406 of 5.0.1 (in Dec 2011) my Phantom usage in standby appeared to happen less frequently (therby improving battery life). However, I did notice that there were periods when the Phantom Usage seemed a little high so I decided to monitor it. 

I noticed that during the working day I would have little or no usage being registered on my phone. I would typically get between 11-15 minutes usage in an 8 hour period. However, what I noticed was that during my cycle to and from work there would be a dramitc rise in usage.  I would see an additional 40 mins usage during the 1 hour cycle. I also noticed that during the night I would get approx. 3 hours usuage over the 8 hours that the phone was on my bedside locker. At first I thought that this maybe due to poor signal strength but my 3G signal at home had 5 bars so it didn't look like this was the problem. Then one day last week I happened to be in an all day training session at work. I had left my phone on my desk througout the day and when I was packing it away ready for the cycle home I took a quick look and to my horror it had racked up over 3 hours of usuage time (the kind of usuage I was seeing at night). A crazy thought hit me, the only differnce between this and other days was that the phone wasn't in my jeans pockect all day. So for the last week I have been carrying out tests. It appears that when the phone is in my pocket the phantom usuage is low but if I leave it out on the desk I get 20-30mins usage for every hour it sits there. I know how crazy this sounds and I have been reluctant to make this post but for me there is a definite correlation.

I went back to build 9A405 and have verified that the phantom usuage is there constantly (regardless of where the phone is) but when I load 9A406 it seems that I only get phantom usage when the phone is not in my pocket.

I think there are many issues to this whole phantom usage/battery drain issue and many people may not observe the same phenomena that I am seeing but if those of you with phantom usage want to experiment with what I have observed I would appreciate your feedback.

Note: I have no apps, music etc installed on my phone so this is not phantom usuage from a misbehaving third party app. Location Service Off, Auto Date time off, Bluetooth off, No email configured, No iCloud configured

Hey @bright raven

Well that is an interesting set of findings. It does sound a little wacky but what the ****, anything well tested is worth exploring!

[edit: Apple Mods auto censored the 4 letter word used for the opposite of heaven? really? Sigh...]

Sorry if I'm not reading your post correctly but can I clarify a little?

• When you are at work do you normally keep your phone in your pocket?
• When you are cycling home where is the phone then?
• Is the phone facing upwards at night?

I'm trying to ascertain if the ambient light levels equate to any aspect of the phantom usage... The phone's sensor may well be taxing the system [?]

Two things that I know of that will relate to the light sensor would be:

• Screen Brightness set to auto-sensor
• Siri on raise to speak [or as some indicate in other posts, Siri on at all]

You didn't mention these settings, what are they please?

As far as I know the sensor is just to the right of the speaker, like the front camera but on the other side. If we wanted to rule this out, you could try sticking something over this for a few days of testing...? [You may have read much that was discussed on the other post about the IR sensor being stubbornly on for some users, despite not being 'needed'?]

My other thought, that may rule out your journey on the bike, is that you're seeing two distinct factors at play here. The journey home is likely to tax the system as you'll be moving from mast to mast as you travel. As the phone hunts for the next mast, it will create usage. I definitely find that travelling around ramps up my usage as I would expect it to. When stationary, the phone's behavior will be different and usage would likely come from internal activity rather than antenna activity [up to a point of course].

The correlation between your home usage and workplace usage is worth exploring, in an attempt to see what other differences may be a factor: WiFi use, signal strength, and, of course how you use the phone differently in your free time as opposed to your work time. As you say you have no apps loaded, that helps cut the variables a lot. So it's not the case that your running certain apps in the evening, and others before work and that simple difference is why you see daily and nightly usage discrepancies.

I think the difference in usage you see at work compared to that you get at home is well worth looking into.

Message was edited by: bleepingApple to add a comment on censorship!

Hey @bleepingApple

The wackyness of it is why I held back so long from mentioning it. To answer some of your questions:

At work the Phone is always in my pocket.

When cycling it is in a backpack

I can't say whether the phone is facing up or down (I have it in a leather case). I will check this out.

Screen brightness has auto-sensor on (I will disable this and see if it makes a difference)

Siri is off

Location Services On but all Siri, Find My Phone, System Services etc turned Off - (simialr results with Location Services Off)

iCloufd off

Sire off

Mobile Data On (but similar results with it off)

Data Roaming Off

Bluetooth Off

Wifi On (but similar results with it off)

No Apps Added

No Music

I agree regarding the journey on the bike. Some of this will be due to trying to search for masts. I think this is why it registers 40 mins/hour rather then the usual 20 mins/hour when on the desk or on the bedside locker.

During the tests I carried out I was not using the phone for anything at all. Just checked the usage every hour. I am going to run a test where I capture images throughout the day. (I have been manually taking nte up to now)

At the weekends when I am at home and the phone is in my pocket my usage is also low (very much correlates to the work scenario)

Hi @bright raven

So... Is the phone always in a case that covers the screen [and therefore the IR sensor] whether in your pocket, on a desk, a bedside table or in a rucksack?

If we can isloate IR sensor as a non-factor it means we can focus on other things...

Hi @bleepingApple

Yes the phone is always in the case. Last night I downloaded a System Status app that allows me to log some usage details. I played round with it a little and was able to capture the following (I intend to carry out a more controlled experiment at the weekend). I alternated the phone from my pocket to a table every 45 minutes. After taking it from my pocket I would check the logs. All looked pretty normal. The phone recorded going to sleep, doing various checks every 15 minutes or so and eventually recorded me waking up the phone (there's quite a bit of info in these logs so I didn't want to clutter the post). After taking the phone off the table and before putting it back in my pocket I would again take a look at the log. Everytime I took it from the table the log had overflowed because there was activity every minute!!! Here is a 5 minute snapshot of the type of stuff that was going on:

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysUSBEHCI[0xc1336c00]::UIMInitialize - HSIC ports enabled

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 1, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 1, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): No fBus, deferring reconnect bus...

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableDetect 0

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableType Detached

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBaseband::resetDetectInterrupt with 0

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOnSystem() : Powering On

24 Jan 2012 21:23:38 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOn(): stateFlags(24821)

24 Jan 2012 21:23:37 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to exit low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:23:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): pmu wake events: baseband

24 Jan 2012 21:23:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 1 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to go low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 0, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOffSystem() : Powering Off and sleeping

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff(): fStateFlags(24820)

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff Ready to power off

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 0 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 0, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:23:06 - kernel [0] (Debug): (null)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 1 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysUSBEHCI[0xc0b5a000]::UIMInitialize - HSIC ports enabled

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 1, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 1, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): No fBus, deferring reconnect bus...

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableDetect 0

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableType Detached

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBaseband::resetDetectInterrupt with 0

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOnSystem() : Powering On

24 Jan 2012 21:22:37 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOn(): stateFlags(24821)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:36 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to exit low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 0, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOffSystem() : Powering Off and sleeping

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff(): fStateFlags(24820)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff Ready to power off

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 0 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 0, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): (null)

24 Jan 2012 21:22:04 - kernel [0] (Debug): pmu wake events: baseband

24 Jan 2012 21:22:03 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to go low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 1 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysUSBEHCI[0xc10bc400]::UIMInitialize - HSIC ports enabled

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 1, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 1, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): No fBus, deferring reconnect bus...

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableDetect 0

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableType Detached

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBaseband::resetDetectInterrupt with 0

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOnSystem() : Powering On

24 Jan 2012 21:21:34 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOn(): stateFlags(24821)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:33 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to exit low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 0, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOffSystem() : Powering Off and sleeping

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff(): fStateFlags(24820)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff Ready to power off

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 0 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 0, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): (null)

24 Jan 2012 21:21:03 - kernel [0] (Debug): pmu wake events: baseband

24 Jan 2012 21:21:02 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to go low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): pmu wake events: baseband

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 1 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysUSBEHCI[0xc1052400]::UIMInitialize - HSIC ports enabled

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 1, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 1, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): No fBus, deferring reconnect bus...

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableDetect 0

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableType Detached

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBaseband::resetDetectInterrupt with 0

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOnSystem() : Powering On

24 Jan 2012 21:20:33 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOn(): stateFlags(24821)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:32 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to exit low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 0, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOffSystem() : Powering Off and sleeping

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff(): fStateFlags(24820)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff Ready to power off

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 0 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 0, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:01 - kernel [0] (Debug): (null)

24 Jan 2012 21:20:00 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to go low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:19:31 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOnSystem() : Powering On

24 Jan 2012 21:19:31 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOn(): stateFlags(24821)

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to exit low power.

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): pmu wake events: baseband

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 1 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysUSBEHCI[0xc0b5ac00]::UIMInitialize - HSIC ports enabled

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 1, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 1, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): No fBus, deferring reconnect bus...

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableDetect 0

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleD1881PMUPowerSource: AppleUSBCableType Detached

24 Jan 2012 21:19:30 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBaseband::resetDetectInterrupt with 0

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateWillChangeToGated(): cap 0x8000, stateNum 0, dev 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOffSystem() : Powering Off and sleeping

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff(): fStateFlags(24820)

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerOff Ready to power off

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): virtual void AppleRGBOUT::do_power_state_change(): fSoft: 0 fHard: 0 swapBusy: 0  fController: 0 -> 0

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleEmbeddedUSBArbitrator::setPowerState: calling handleUSBCableTypeChange from setPowerState

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleSynopsysOTGDevice::handleUSBCableDisconnect

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): AppleBCMWLANCore::powerStateDidChangeToGated(): stateNum 0, pol 0x81633e00 (this 0, provider 1)

24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 - kernel [0] (Debug): (null)

24 Jan 2012 21:18:59 - CommCenter [216] (Notice): Telling CSI to go low power.

@bleepingApple,

I forgot to mention that I now also intend to do some 'left of field' types of experimentation over the next few days to try and understand why my pocket is so iPhone 4s friendly. Is it temperature related? Am I applying subtle pressure on the screen (which you would assume would have the inverse effect to what I am seeing) or am I acting as my own personal cellular mast ;-) 

@bright raven

Am I applying subtle pressure on the screen (which you would assume would have the inverse effect to what I am seeing) or am I acting as my own personal cellular mast ;-)

Love it. iPhone testing has now entered the surreal zone...

Ok so that looks damning on the IR sensor theory.... unless... some light gets in under your case which is gone in the darkness of a pocket? Can you indulge me and put it in a trouser pocket that you're not wearing that's on a table?! I promise to give up on the idea after that!

Rationally, you'd think it would be the other way around. Moving the phone will no doubt activate the clever sensors and there's a greater chance of moving between masts, even by moving within a building. So the fact that yours is seeming to be more active when it's actually passive is very screwy.

I'm using System Status App [that's what you have, right?] I do occasionally check the log but frankly I don't really understand it enough to draw any useful conclusions. When got mine swapped by Apple, the Genius said of my old handset that it passed the hardware test but that there were an alarming number of crash logs and the like. That helped me get a replacement apparently.

If you do have that App have you clocked your CPU usage at these times too? What are your 1, 5 & 15 minute load-averages? [I'm at 1.0; 0.79; 0.71 right now and the phone is pretty busy as I'm on instagram].

Also what memory are you showing as free? Does this change maybe between table and pocket use? As your phone is uncluttered these facts alone could be very revealing, pocket swapping or not.

Am now fascinated to know what your next tests throw up. Do keep us posted.

[You can always hire yourself out if it transpires you are a human transmitter...]

@bleepingApple

I will try out your IR test to ease your curiousity and I will also try and check CPU details(I Promise). However , last night I perfromed temperature related tests and I believe I found the smoking gun (at least in my case). At temperatures above 24 degrees centigrade I get little or no phatom usuage and the system logs show low activity. When I go below 24 degrees centgirade I see an increase in phantom usuage and the logs start showing the phone is powering on to do some checks while in standby mode. When below 20 degrees centigrade the phantom usuage increase significantly (30 minutes for every hour) and the log files show that the phone is powering on every minute to do checks when in standby.

As an overnight test I placed the phone in the hot press/airing cupboard overnight  (24 degress centigrade). After 8 hours the battery had droped 4% (as per spec) and the log files where relatively clean. I usually have my phone on my bedside locker which is 4 Metres away from the hot press and would usually be around 18 degress at night. In this scenario I normally see 15% battery drop.

@bright raven

How interesting, to say the least. There's little to fault in your testing and method, so these findings should be valid in some way, even if they are a bit surprising.

I can see why a lithium-ion battery would prefer the warmth, as I understand it they work much better when warm. However in terms of CPU usage these results are counterintuitive; CPUs like to be cool.

It will be interesting to see what else your tests throw up. I assume you have factored any other variable here? I can't think what, off the top of my head, but maybe there's a hidden factor at play? Not doubting your methodology or train of thought at all, just curious.

Now then, where's my thermometer...

Good luck.

And stay warm.

@bleepingApple

I am wondering if this may be a software/firmware bug. If for some reason the phone is storing the temp in centigrade (due to region settings) but some internal checks are seeing the value and assuming it is fahrenheit. e.g If it reads 23 from memory and assumes this to be a figure in fahrenheit then it would equate to -5 degrees centigrade. Maybe this triggers some internal logic to wake the phone to do checks.

@bright raven

That is an interesting train of thought...

Does the iPhone monitor it's internal temp that accurately, do you think? I saw one last month that some fool left in the sun in Sydney, Aus, and that showed a warning screen saying that it had gone into a safety mode as it was slowly cooking. He had to cool it down for an hour before it would play again.

So I guess it does measure temperature. As for misunderstanding C and F, I really wouldn't know. It sounds a bit far fetched but then what do I know...?

If I was doing your tests, I'd want to remove location as a variable. So I guess I'd be looking for a way to warm and cool the phone whilst keeping it in the same exact spot. That way I'd hope to eliminate certain variables, like cell coverage for example.

Perhaps it's time for a hot water bottle and a bag of ice?

By the way, are you closing down System Status between test periods? That running in itself may skew your results. In your shoes, I'd close that app on each test period and also do a reset [on/off & Home held together] in an attempt to empty the RAM.