My 8 month old iPhone 6s has recently begun shutting down with 20% or sometimes 30% battery life left.
The CHARGE icon comes up telling me it is fully flat when I know it is not. If I start charging it, it shows that it has plenty of life left in it.
I am running the latest iOS and the date/time is set to automatically update. Is my phone faulty? Anyone have any ideas? Should I return the phone?
iPhone 6s, iOS 9.3.2
Try recalibrating your battery gauge:
If the battery is not defective this should fix it.
You can also check the battery using the app Battery Life from the app store.
If the phone is on warranty an Apple Store can test the battery and replace it if necessary. Alternatively you can download the app Battery Life and test it yourself. It should give you a good test but not as comprehensive as the store. Also you could try calibrating the battery as described in this thread by Lawrence Finch. That is often all that is needed.
Gosh, am I reading your mind or are you reading mine? 🙂
Nice to be part of a team. And it's also encouraging to posters when they get two answers that agree 🙂
Thank you Lawrence Finch (and elcpu) for your knowledge and advice.
I thought I would follow up my post with the story of what has happened since, in the hope that it helps others in the same situation as me.
I tried (repeatedly over a number of weeks) to reset the battery as per your advice. Sorry to say, this did not help. I also installed the Battery Life app...the battery would swing wildly from VERY BAD to AVERAGE, so I didn't know really what it was telling me.
My phone continued to shut down and tell me it was flat anywhere from 9% to 32% level (at one stage, strangely, it managed to get down to 1% charge...where it sat for 16 hours before going flat!) so I contacted Apple directly to tell them of the problems I was having, in the hope of getting a new phone as it is still under warranty.
They wanted me to strip the phone back to Factory settings via iTunes. I did this...the battery problem continued. For 1 week, I was without many of the APPs and features that I use for work and home...until I took the phone to an Apple Authorised Service Provider. I have now been without the phone AT ALL for 3 days...only to now be advised by the Service Provider that "We recently received your iPhone with the issue that the battery turns off at 40%. Apple have recently released a software update (iOS 9.3.3) to combat this issue. I have updated your iPhone for you, make sure you iPhone is up to date with the latest software updates as they could address the issues that you are having, if the problem persists feel free to bring the phone back into us for further testing however if it passes our tests then there may be a diagnostics fee. Your iPhone is ready to collect."
Sooooo...it has been over one month of less than full use of my iPhone 6S as well as 1 week of basic functions only, and then 3 days of no phone at all....only to be told it was an Operating System fault (which, frankly, I find hard to believe...but Apple tells me I have to try the phone out to see if the problem is fixed...again, it becomes my responsibility to sort out a faulty phone that is under full warranty).
I have to say that I am LESS than impressed...angry even...and am left evaluating whether to stick with my iPhone 6S.
PS I can find nothing online suggesting that iOS 9.3.2 was a problem for iPhone 6S batteries. Indeed, Apple would not admit to their being a problem with 9.3.2 when I chatted with them. Do I smell a cover-up? Or, obfuscation?
PPS I note that the Service Provider tells me to always make sure my phone is up to date with the latest software updates...but this would appear to be counter-intuitive as by updating my phone to 9.3.2 supposedly CAUSED the issue in the first place.
PPPS Good times...
My understanding is that 9.3.3 was mainly a security update with minor bug fixes which were not specified in the announcement. I would be surprised if it resolves a battery usage issue but I certainly do not know. Good luck.
Yes, I too will be extremely surprised if my battery problem is fixed with 9.3.3.
I don't really enjoy testing software for Apple....I just need my 8 month old phone to work
By the way, I have heard more from the Authorised Service Provider...
"Unfortunately Apple has told us to update the software and give it back, however if the problem persists then you can bring it back into us and I will perform further diagnostics. If the iPhone is in fact faulty and the software update has not fixed the issue then the iPhone may be eligible for a warranty replacement. Sorry for the inconvenience."
So, Apple just seem to be hoping that 9.3.3 will fix my phone.
Meantime, I still have a phone that cannot be confident will work properly for work or at home.
I am still very much less than impressed.......
I understand. Take them up on it. Get a warranty replacement....
I have suggested that a number of times already...to no avail 😠
Hi Lawrence Finch and elcpu.
Final update to my battery issues...after turning my phone back on after a flight last month, the 60% charge it initially indicated was not enough for it to operate, so it shut itself down showing itself as fully flat.
Of course, when an iPhone is fully flat, you can't get it restarted until you manage to get it hooked up to a charger.
Unable to text or phone family picking me up at the airport, this proved to be the final straw in my troubled relationship with my iPhone 6S.
With advice from a consumer advice group, I contacted Apple's representatives in my territory...agreement was reached that the 4 months I had had of very erratic iPhone 6S use was worthy of a refund...essentially a replacement up to a new iPhone 7.
It's been a long and draining battle which, for a 'premium' product I still feel aggrieved about, but it IS finally resolved.
And, I am very happy with my new iPhone...long may that continue.
PS Thank you for your thoughts along the way.
I have had exactly the same problems. I could have written this thread myself.
mine is triggered by using the camera Mostly but says it's flat 30%
mine also swings from good to very bad using that battery app.
mine has been returned to Apple twice to be told battery tests showed my phone was ok and no problem found.
I think apple should replace it. I have had to buy an anker battery case so I have an extra battery for when it plays up.
I am really sorry to hear you have been having exactly the same battery issues I have had...but not entirely surprised.
Since talking with a few work colleagues and friends who also have iPhone 6S phones, I have heard of others with exactly the same problem. One is lucky enough to have purchased hers from a phone company she is still under contract with so she should be able to get hers replaced too.
In one of the last emails I got from an Apple representative, I took from something they said that the problem definitely was a software problem and that other 6S owners were experiencing it too.
Keep note of every time your phone shuts down and start getting in contact with Apple Support online telling them of your problem, and that you are aware of others having the same problem.
Ulitmately, I'd push for a replacement, if I was you...if you are still under warranty, or got it from a phone company that you remain under contract to, or if you live in a country that has really good Consumer Laws that protect you, the Consumer (as in my case).
Good luck!
My 8 month old iPhone 6s has battery problems...
