Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

IPhone 5 battery life

I am having a huge issue with the battery life on my Iphone 5. I have reset the settings and calibrated the battery, however I do not feel that I should have to use the default settings on a very expensive piece of equipment in order for the battery to last for more than a few hours. I have had other phones that have lasted at least a full day, why does this phone die so quickly. Please do not tell me to reset the phone, that is unacceptable. I should be able to customize the screen and turn up the brightness and still have adequate battery life. Please help with a more reasonable solution!

iPhone 5

Posted on Jul 15, 2013 4:21 PM

Reply
30 replies

Jul 15, 2013 4:28 PM in response to msteachergray

Here are the specs for the iPhone (from http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html).


  • Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G
  • Standby time: Up to 225 hours
  • Internet use: Up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 8 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
  • Video playback: Up to 10 hours
  • Audio playback: Up to 40 hours


The Standby time, BTW, is meaningless, because, with support for typical background processes that most users have, the phone is never in standby.


If it isn't meeting the battery specs there are things you can do. If it is then the phone does not meet your needs, so you should return it. But you will not find any smart phone that does much better, and most are worse. You shouldn't think of it as a phone; it is a very powerful pocket sized computer that can also make phone calls. And the battery life to expect is the life of a computer, not a cell phone.

Aug 11, 2013 12:31 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

That is not true. I also have a Motorola RAZR MAXX HD and I get an average of 23 hours of usage, and usually recharge the phone every 48 hours. And I use a lot of programs and features like GPS and animated wallpaper.


Apple did a really terrible job on this phone. My iPhone 4 has a better battery life than the 5. They really need to fix this for future releases.

Aug 11, 2013 12:41 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973

Just do some research on the internet to see the huge number of "occasional" hardware defects. The occasional defect was also subject of discussion in several technology forums and magazines. I know several people that upgraded their phones to an iPhone 5 but are having the exact same issues. People shouldn't have to disable everything to get average battery life.


I like my iPhone but will not be changing to 5 any time soon.

Aug 11, 2013 12:46 PM in response to msteachergray

iPhone 5 has great battery life, in terms of keeping it thin and light, Apple only put a 1440 mah battery in iPhone 5 which is only slightly bigger than 4 and 4s, lets compare it to some Android phones that has a battery larger than 1500 mah like S2(it has lower resolution and slightly slower processor compared to 5), iPhone 5 has way way better battery life, iOS is great, unlike Android apps which asks you for permission so it can steal you personal info, iOS is safe and fast, if you have problem with your iPhone, then its your issue not Apple's

Aug 11, 2013 12:55 PM in response to tapumilo

That's not valid research. People that experience problems with a product and service are MUCH more likely to register a public complaint, than people who experience no problems whatsoever are likely to register a public compliment or positive commentary.


When was the last time you posted on Facebook to say that Burger King got your order right at the drive-through? That your cable company experienced no service outages in the previous month? That your television set had a bright, clear picture and worked properly?


Even with the 'numerous' complaints online, it is still not indicative of a wide-spread issue or a design flaw. Apple sold over 25 million iPhone 5s during fourth quarter of 2012. Even if 100,000 customers experiened this issue (and I doubt you've seen 100,000 complaints online), that's 0.4%. I call that a 'rare' defect.


Or do you have numbers & research that shows an approximate of how many customers have reported this issue?

Aug 11, 2013 1:08 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973

A lot of Apple fans only buy the product because they are Apple fans, and no matter how the product performs they will be "always" satisfied, like in Biltech's example. A battery life discussion with those fans can easily go to a stupid "iOS" vs "Android" which is not the case here.


I am not talking only about reported problem statistics but actual phone tests done by several reputable sources. Like I said before you should be able to get good battery life without restraining yourself from features you use.

Aug 11, 2013 2:36 PM in response to tapumilo

tapumilo wrote:


A lot of Apple fans only buy the product because they are Apple fans, and no matter how the product performs they will be "always" satisfied, like in Biltech's example. A battery life discussion with those fans can easily go to a stupid "iOS" vs "Android" which is not the case here.

I also have a Samsung Galaxy S4. The battery life is about the same as my iPhone 5. And I use it less. The Razr Maxx HD, as noted above, does have exceptional battery life, better than most most smart phones, whether iPhone or Android.

Aug 11, 2013 2:48 PM in response to tapumilo

It's funny that you would blame Apple for issues with a battery, considering Apple purchases batteries from a different company. Apple makes devices, not batteries. A defective battery is not an Apple oversight, but an oversight from a battery manufacturer that has a contract with Apple to produce batteries.


As a matter of fact, Samsung SDI (Samsung's battery-producting subsidiary) supplied Apple with batteries for iPads and Macbooks around a year ago.


To sum up, Apple is as much to blame for a defective battery as you would be for buying a defective iPhone.

Aug 11, 2013 8:53 PM in response to tapumilo

You are wrong, iOS vs Android is the case. You need to do some more research. Android use complicated java code which consumes more battery, iOS is less complicated, for example, iPhone 5 can get much more battery life compared to S4 which almost has twice the size of iPhone 5's battery, have you ever wondered why, its because Safari is based on pure html 5 technology, no flash etc. so it uses much less battery, I'm not sure about S4's browser. Never compare devices from benchmark, it only tells what the device is capable of, S4 thrashed iPhone 5 in benchmark, but I don't see a difference in real life use, Android+TouchWiz consumes huge amount of battery. Btw, I'm not a Apple fan, I just like there product. If you don't like iPhone, sell it and buy a phone with the free os, nobody can stop you.

Aug 12, 2013 3:08 PM in response to msteachergray

I really think some of these posts are rude and over the top. How many of you are on the payroll at Apple! I didn't say I didn't like the phone. I'm not stupid for buying it. I'm saying lets be a little more realistic to products and not faint and die because its an Apple product. Thanks to those who say it could be a defect. My friends have the same device with better life and are using it more frequently throughout the day. I just want a product that delivers the hype! I'm not an Apple hater or a freak. I would like a good product for my $. Thanks for the positive input.

IPhone 5 battery life

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.