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Iphone 5s battery drains fast after ios 7.1 update.

Am I the only one who seems to be experiencing this? My iphone 5S battery seem to drain much faster than usual, and charge longer. I heard that the new update is supposed to increase battery life, and read comparison threads regarding other iphones that are capable of a much better battery life than mine.


I've had my phone for 3 months, never have dropped it once or anything of the sort, if that matters. My battery drains to 50% within an hour or so after intense use on the lowest level of brightness, and I seem to lose about 5-7 percents when on standby for 5 hours or so. Is this normal? Is it perhaps due to the fact that I am mostly using 3g, and applications that require more processing such as tumblr (graphics and gifs) as well safari? I'm just worried that my battery may be draining to quick, despite the update which's supposed to make it much better according to many people.


Thanks.

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.1, Battery life

Posted on Mar 11, 2014 8:30 PM

Reply
442 replies

Jul 22, 2014 9:01 AM in response to Rainxwater

I had the same issue - i found out it is the background app refresh. I turned it off since if i simply click on the app it will refresh at that time, so no need for everything to constantly refresh. I have spoken on my phone since 7 am- it is now 5 hours later, and after texting, using the internet and talking on the phone, i still have 91%. Turn of the background app refresh - it is not the location services that is an issue. only background app refresher.

Jul 22, 2014 12:20 PM in response to Horace Hedgehog

If you have been following this thread....turning off background refresh is one of a dozen "tricks" to perserve battery life...most of us have tried them all and they do not work. My battery life is horrible, with a new battery, no matter what i turn off. As a matter of fact, I turn off my phone completely, powered down when i go to bed and it is at 100%, wake up and turn it on and the battery life is at 44%. How does a phone use that much while off?

Jul 22, 2014 12:43 PM in response to sandenscot

I just spoke with Apple support last night. They claim they get very few complaints about this issue, which I find incredibly hard to believe considering the sheer number of posts and the fact that easily 80% of my iPhone friends are experiencing the same problem. They are supposedly going to take the phone and fix it, which will be interesting to see. Last night I went out to a movie with 100% battery, had cellular data turned off as well as background refresh. By the time the movie was over I was down to 30%. I really believe Apple is in denial about this issue and I urge everyone to start calling Apple support with this complaint. Apparently they don't read the forums.

Jul 23, 2014 4:07 PM in response to sandenscot

Well, as I expected; I just heard back from Apple.


I will say they did an thorough analysis using the program they had me install on my phone. Took them several weeks to review.


Of course, there is no problem with the phone.


They did mention they noticed more battery use where LTE is weak (go figure I work for Verizon Wireless blame us) and sometimes wind up turning my phone off in low signal areas.


Very disappointed but not surprised. I asked if it was okay to post this message (I was dealing with the Executive Office) and he said fine. Typical, canned replies and answers.


This ends my 10 year relationship with the iPhone and Samsung here I come! Glad I sold my stock when it was at it's all time high.


Good luck to you all. I'm outta here.

Jul 23, 2014 5:38 PM in response to Sicilian

Unfortunately I expected as much...was certainly waiting and hoping but i assumed they had no better info than the robots at the Apple Genius bar. you go there with months and months of experience with you phone with no battery issue...you upgrade the software, you battery drops like a rock and they say the incredibly bright comment of 'turn your brightness down"..As i mentioned before, when they sell 50 million iphones in a quarter they are not going to really care if a few hundred of us have battery issues.

Jul 24, 2014 6:10 AM in response to Rainxwater

Thanks Sicilian for following through with that.

Typical response: no problem found.


And, yes, those here are just a minority. The little bit more internet connected vocal tip of the iceberg, who use forums etc. But it is a wide complaint that we all used to have regular phones that lasted a week, and now we're using smartphones that need to be charged daily at a minimum. I think the number one request / complaint I hear about every phone is wishing that it had better battery life.


Blame it on the network gives flash backs to the initial iPhones that were locked into the AT&T exclusive and the poor GSM coverage in our area making the phone last just a day initially and then less than that due to the daily battery cycles. Even without use! Switched to VZW iPhone when they came out and we went from lasting a day with a mophie juice pack to a week with low use. Use the phone more often, charge it every few days. Now all of a sudden -- with the same usage and VZW coverage -- with low use we're looking at a single day on 7.1. Where 3hrs takes it down to 45%+ so you will not make it through a second day. 😟


Anyway, as soon as my iPhone 5S uses any data and/or any "smart" service is left on, the phone typically drops 15% per hr of use. Or more. Which is incredibly sad and frustrating for a supposed state of the art phone. And in typical Apple fashion they will want the next ones to be a mm thinner again and again ... so any other space savings never go to higher capacity batteries, which doesn't bode well for all customers longing for better battery life.


Without input from hardware and software engineers, I'm afraid we may never know what's up. What has changed behind the scenes, possibly inadvertently to optimize something else, that either some components use more power, communicate less efficiently, stay on longer, ...

Jul 24, 2014 7:41 AM in response to Rainxwater

And the people who use it as a fashion accessory ...


Ooh it's thinner, lighter & shinier!

It has glass on both sides!

It will slip into my jeans/purse/... easier!

😉

Whereas most practical people have long reached a point of enough is enough. Should have used past space savings to put more battery in. Turn around. Add 2mm already. You don't see other tools become thinner so that they are no longer comfortable, stable in the hand, easy and safe to use. Or carry a 5 minute battery life because people are to weak to lift a regular hammer or a cordless drill.

Anyway ... just trying to add a smile in this sad battery life saga.


Jul 24, 2014 7:49 AM in response to icerabbit

I have no idea why people are obsessed with the thinness of the phone....HELLO..our hands are still the same size!! the Iphone now is too small for me, with a case its perfect....why dont they keep the size, and keep making the battery better and better so you get more capacity in the same size. Not saying I don't want a bigger screen but too thin makes no sense..to me anyway.

Jul 24, 2014 9:52 AM in response to Rainxwater

Well I have noticed a huge drain of battery just updating iOS. I have turned off everything you can one by one just to try to single out the issue. None, I repeat none of it helped. I can go to airplane mode with nothing running and it still drops at the same rate. Something is wrong with the o/s.


I know Apple looks over these forums and I also know they will continue to stay quiet but please work on the problem faster and get us an update.


Thanks,


Scott

Iphone 5s battery drains fast after ios 7.1 update.

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