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Ezra923

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 8, 2012
255
90
I got my Iphone 5 on release and i realized that recently it has been losing power rather quickly so i took it the apple store. They ran a test and my battery came up "worn, 75%" because it's not defective exchanging it under warranty was not an option. I would have to pay $80 for a new one.
Is this normal? Would everyone who bought the iphone on the same day as me have the same result? I work on a computer 8 hrs a day my iphone is always plugged into the usb all day long. Would this be the problem?
Not sure why i always thought after 100% charge the iphone wouldnt be affected even if its plugged in.
 

Merkie

macrumors 68020
Oct 23, 2008
2,119
734
My iPhone 5 battery capacity was down to 80% and they replaced the battery for free under warranty. The Apple website states the following:
A properly maintained iPhone battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 400 full charge and discharge cycles.
Source.

I highly doubt you're already at 400 cycles within 9 months.
 

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
My iPhone 5 battery capacity was down to 80% and they replaced the battery for free under warranty. The Apple website states the following:

Source.

I highly doubt you're already at 400 cycles within 9 months.

400 cycles is easy to hit if your charging twice a day. I hate to think what my ip4s is at tho battery life is very good for me at least.
 

Ezra923

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 8, 2012
255
90
Wow so should i try a different apple store? Also is there an app that helps control your battery?
 

Merkie

macrumors 68020
Oct 23, 2008
2,119
734
400 cycles is easy to hit if your charging twice a day. I hate to think what my ip4s is at tho battery life is very good for me at least.
It's even easier to hit 400 cycles if you charge it three times a day. I can do math as well. But most people only charge it once a day.

----------

Wow so should i try a different apple store? Also is there an app that helps control your battery?

You shouldn't try a different store, you should try a different "Genius" (which they are not, most of them don't know anything). 75% after less than a year is not normal.

You can check the battery capacity yourself using iBackupBot by the way: http://www.icopybot.com/itunes-backup-manager.htm

Connect your phone to your computer, click on your phone in the bottom left dialog and then click on "More Informations" (yeah, informations). Then you can see the full charge capacity and the number of cycles.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
400 cycles is easy to hit if your charging twice a day. I hate to think what my ip4s is at tho battery life is very good for me at least.

It is but keep in mind not many people do a full cycle. I charge my phone when its around 50%. So 2 charges = 1 cycle.

I don't think I could use it enough to get to 0% in twice a day.

Even if the OP did he's at 75% original capacity.

There was another thread where users were using a Mac program to display remain capacity in mAh and the results were a little disappointing.
 

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
It's even easier to hit 400 cycles if you charge it three times a day. I can do math as well. But most people only charge it once a day.

----------

.

It is but keep in mind not many people do a full cycle. I charge my phone when its around 50%. So 2 charges = 1 cycle.

I don't think I could use it enough to get to 0% in twice a day.

Even if the OP did he's at 75% original capacity.

There was another thread where users were using a Mac program to display remain capacity in mAh and the results were a little disappointing.

'Most people' is a big assumption...

I can drain my battery very quickly using hotspot or iTunes Match. I just regulate my use. Assuming people will charge once a day is a bad assumption. I'm sure if we could get an honest view on the subject most people would be topping up during the day.
 

Merkie

macrumors 68020
Oct 23, 2008
2,119
734
'Most people' is a big assumption...

I can drain my battery very quickly using hotspot or iTunes Match. I just regulate my use. Assuming people will charge once a day is a bad assumption. I'm sure if we could get an honest view on the subject most people would be topping up during the day.
Why is it a bad assumption? I've looked through the battery capacity comparison tests, one cycle a day seemed to be the case for most people.

You're talking nonsens. Just because you charge it more than once a day shouldn't mean that assuming most people don't is a bad assumption. You're not thinking straight.
 

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
I have to charge twice a day because the battery is so crap.

Going from an iPhone 4 to iPhone 5 I noticed a huge difference in battery, and that was a 2 year old iPhone 4. I have a charger in my office at work otherwise the battery would be dead by the time I got home.

Whenever I use it, it goes down 1% every minute. Really not impressed. I've owned two iPhone 5's and both sucked, first one was exchanged after 3 months because the lock button stopped working.

I'd be fuming if Apple refused to service my battery because I've had so many cycles like the OP - the battery has been complained about since day 1, so they should only expect people to have higher battery cycles.
 

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
Why is it a bad assumption? I've looked through the battery capacity comparison tests, one cycle a day seemed to be the case for most people.

You're talking nonsens. Just because you charge it more than once a day shouldn't mean that assuming most people don't is a bad assumption. You're not thinking straight.

Yep I'm not thinking straight but look at the above post ;)
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
'Most people' is a big assumption...

I can drain my battery very quickly using hotspot or iTunes Match. I just regulate my use. Assuming people will charge once a day is a bad assumption. I'm sure if we could get an honest view on the subject most people would be topping up during the day.

That's my point. Topping up isn't a cycle. Top up from 90% a day is 10x = 1 cycle.

Granted I agree with you its not impossible and I'm sure a lot of people do it. Its just pretty tough. I consider myself to get average to below average battery life on my 4S. I generally get 6-7 hours of usage. For me to drain it twice a day would be 12-14 hours of use plus the 1-2 hours it takes to charge, so 13-16 hours....every single day of being on my phone. While not impossible it just seems unlikely.

Your hotspot example is a good one because you may not be using your phone directly. But everything else that is reasonable is a little out of the question, I can get 10+ hours using iTunes Match and even more from locally saved music. Charging from twice a day from flat can be more hours then are in a day while doing that stuff.

I replaced that battery in my 4S using ifixit tools and battery.

a8y8a9ev.jpg


There was no improvement and the original battery was a year older then the iPhone 5. However those people that replace the 5 battery experience significant improvement.
 

Ezra923

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 8, 2012
255
90
So its not a cycle unless i charge from 0%? If thats the case then i barely have any cycles. My iphone is always plugged in. It barely ever hits 0% but when its not plugged in im losing 1.5% a minute and thats horrible.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
So its not a cycle unless i charge from 0%? If thats the case then i barely have any cycles. My iphone is always plugged in. It barely ever hits 0% but when its not plugged in im losing 1.5% a minute and thats horrible.

No. A complete cycle is from 0-100%, if you charge from 50-100% that's 1/2 cycle. There is more too it due to battery meter calibration and overhead loss but that's the general idea.
 

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
That's my point. Topping up isn't a cycle. Top up from 90% a day is 10x = 1 cycle.

Granted I agree with you its not impossible and I'm sure a lot of people do it. Its just pretty tough. I consider myself to get average to below average battery life on my 4S. I generally get 6-7 hours of usage. For me to drain it twice a day would be 12-14 hours of use plus the 1-2 hours it takes to charge, so 13-16 hours....every single day of being on my phone. While not impossible it just seems unlikely.

Your hotspot example is a good one because you may not be using your phone directly. But everything else that is reasonable is a little out of the question, I can get 10+ hours using iTunes Match and even more from locally saved music. Charging from twice a day from flat can be more hours then are in a day while doing that stuff.

I replaced that battery in my 4S using ifixit tools and battery.

Image

There was no improvement and the original battery was a year older then the iPhone 5. However those people that replace the 5 battery experience significant improvement.

Unfortunately my average day is 18-20 hours 5 days a weeks. I admit in a high use user so to speak 2 battery cycles a day for me is easy to chew through. I'd say closer to 2.5x.
 

Bacong

macrumors 68030
Mar 7, 2009
2,605
1,100
Westland, Michigan
I got my Iphone 5 on release and i realized that recently it has been losing power rather quickly so i took it the apple store. They ran a test and my battery came up "worn, 75%" because it's not defective exchanging it under warranty was not an option. I would have to pay $80 for a new one.
Is this normal? Would everyone who bought the iphone on the same day as me have the same result? I work on a computer 8 hrs a day my iphone is always plugged into the usb all day long. Would this be the problem?
Not sure why i always thought after 100% charge the iphone wouldnt be affected even if its plugged in.

there's no reason to have your phone plugged in all day. This is why laptop batteries die so quickly when people leave them plugged in.
 

DiCaprioAngel

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2013
589
422
New York
Keeping a phone plugged in all day does destroy battery usage since you're overloading the battery so it tends to die faster. You're not supposed to keep it plugged in 24/7. Only when it needs to be charged. Like the person above me said, that's why laptop batteries die so fast - everyone keeps it plugged in all day.
 

Cx38

macrumors member
Jul 14, 2013
48
0
London
Keeping a phone plugged in all day does destroy battery usage since you're overloading the battery so it tends to die faster. You're not supposed to keep it plugged in 24/7. Only when it needs to be charged. Like the person above me said, that's why laptop batteries die so fast - everyone keeps it plugged in all day.

This is actually a myth, laptops and phones have lithium batteries. It's true for old style batteries but not for lithium.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
This is actually a myth, laptops and phones have lithium batteries. It's true for old style batteries but not for lithium.

This.

Lithium ion will start and stop the current flow from the charger.

However its better for a battery to keep the electrons moving by not leaving it plugged in constantly. Apple recommends this on there webpage.
 

Cx38

macrumors member
Jul 14, 2013
48
0
London
In any case, why would anyone need to keep a device plugged in all day to charge, lithium battery or not? Just makes no sense.

It's isn't always for charge. Where I work I have to have my phone plugged in constantly. First three hours I'm there I take photos to upload for our website, so it gets plugged in for that, afterwards there I keep it in to top up as it is usually at 60-70%. I then need my phone to play the radio for the shop which using constant 3G drains my battery right down in two hours so leaving it on a constant charge is a necessity for me. You don't know how everyone uses their phones, and therefore whilst yours might not be plugged in always, others may need to.
 

Ezra923

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 8, 2012
255
90
Why do i have to have my device plugged in at all times?
My office is a dead zone but there is wifi and thr only way to stay connected is to leave the phone on once it goes on sleep mode it disconnects UNLESS i am plugged in.
Also i use my phone for many reasons at work if i dont keep it plugged in by time i leave then ill be without music at the gym, i hate that. So it comes down to either I pay for a new battery or get a morphie juice pack that costs the same but wouldnt a juice pack continue to wear my battery out?
 

bjb.butler

macrumors 6502a
Aug 18, 2008
938
81
Southern California
In any case, why would anyone need to keep a device plugged in all day to charge, lithium battery or not? Just makes no sense.

I use an iHome to play music all throughout the day, so the phone is constantly plugged in the entire time. It's also plugged in when I'm driving to/from work so I can listen to podcasts via my car's speakers.
 

Lucille Carter

Suspended
Jul 3, 2013
1,266
4
Keeping a phone plugged in all day does destroy battery usage since you're overloading the battery so it tends to die faster. You're not supposed to keep it plugged in 24/7. Only when it needs to be charged. Like the person above me said, that's why laptop batteries die so fast - everyone keeps it plugged in all day.

Overloading?

You do not know what you are talking about.

:p
 

Jimmy James

macrumors 603
Oct 26, 2008
5,488
4,067
Magicland
Keeping a phone plugged in all day does destroy battery usage since you're overloading the battery so it tends to die faster. You're not supposed to keep it plugged in 24/7. Only when it needs to be charged. Like the person above me said, that's why laptop batteries die so fast - everyone keeps it plugged in all day.

Overloading? Incorrect.
 
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