Facebook Aware of iOS App Battery Life Drain Issue and Working on a Fix

[gijoeinla]

But But But it's it's the iPhone 9.02 update, ever since I updated... My battery drains!!!! This sucks. Apple you suck. Can't you get it right? All your software sucks! sucks! sucks!!! of course it's s/

Oops. I just now *realized* that IT'S THE APPS STUPID!

My bet is like .0000009% of people that bitch and moan don't even EVER look to see that things like LOCATION SERVICES are engaged on apps like EVERYTHING.

People, listen and listen good. Go into "your" settings -- not Apple's and spend 10 minutes of your precious time investigating YOUR APPS that YOU DOWNLOADED and verify the settings that can and probably are overly draining your battery!

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Facebook free since 2013.

 

[MentalFloss]

Wow, chill out. I never blamed FB, I just simply said it was getting old and I was thinking about removing my account. Sheez, way to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Yes, let's ignore the part where you said how "all people use FB for is to brag about what they just bought or where they're going. Basically, who has the bigger wallet." I don't know how a statement about how people who use Facebook only use it as a wallet-comparision app translates into "it was getting old". Do you always insult people, and when someone calls you out on it, you go "Sheez, way to make a mountain out of a mole hill"?

Why don't you post a status update on Facebook saying "All updates by my Facebook friends are about comparing who has the bigger wallet" and let's see how they react to it.

 

[GreyOS]

My bet is like .0000009% of people that bitch and moan don't even EVER look to see that things like LOCATION SERVICES are engaged on apps like EVERYTHING.

Duh!

nothing to do with this issue. Facebook hasn't even requested location services for me, so doesn't appear in the location services list. background app refresh is disabled. yet it can run for hours in the background with just a few minutes of use.

 

[Mike MA]

Unfortunately ...everyone.

Wrong

 

[asleep]

Too late, already uninstalled it.

 

[imran5720]

I just check it after seeing the article and a surprise was waiting for me

 

[CPx]

Facebook app is a repeat battery-life abuser since forever ago. Nice to see they can't hide anymore with the new battery statistics.

 

[kcirtap00]

But if background app refresh is turned off, why is this even an issue? I see this being just as much Apple's problem as it is Facebook's

 

[zweigand]

Wrong

Cheers

 

[stevemiller]

I gave the Facebook app the boot after the separate messenger app nonsense. I can't see any value to it over the mobile site, beyond the invasive, always running value it adds for them.

 

[longofest]

Not only will Facebook use a ton of battery, but I had it use up all of my data plan when uploading a video. It got into some kind of retry loop when I was on a poor cell signal (NOT the iOS 9 Wifi->cell thing). I think it would fail to upload, try again, fail, try again, and all of the sudden I was getting messages from AT&T saying I was at 90% of plan usage, and I looked at iOS and it said Facebook had used 3.9 GB of data!

So for me, facebook app is also in the doghouse. The battery usage also used to be really bad, but ever since I prevented it from using cell data and stopped background app refresh, it stays tame - though useless unless on wifi.

 

[Gudi]

Two years late, but John Siracusa's "Energy Shaming" finally is a thing.

 

[doboy]

People were complaining bad battery life due to Samsung chip while all along the culprit was Facebook.

 

[agsystems]

But if background app refresh is turned off, why is this even an issue? I see this being just as much Apple's problem as it is Facebook's

The problem is that Facebook garbage is not obeying the settings - possible forever and now they were caught

 

[ehmjay]

And the best part is, with their bull-**** generic app update notes we'll have no idea if it's *actually* been addressed.

 

[gadgetmonster]

I wont be installing any facebook app updates until they start doing a real change log to tell me what they are doing.....not the b.s.. statement they post........

 

[rigormortis]

i thought this was a feature!!!!! when you go to settings -> facebook -> settings , background app refresh is tuned on and greyed out

i always have background off, mine says last 7 days , 5.8 hours screen and 9.6 hours background @ 28%

 

[Mercenary]

The problem with Facebook is you say "No, don't run the background" and Facebook thinks "I know you said no, but you really meant yes and its the best thing".

Facebook, I know your reading this. NO MEANS NO!!!! Respect our choices and just live with it.

 

[GreyOS]

But if background app refresh is turned off, why is this even an issue? I see this being just as much Apple's problem as it is Facebook's

background app refresh is not the only way an app can run in the background. other examples include audio (mentioned as a possible cause in the article) and VoIP apps, which can run their service to listen for calls. so there are 'legit' ways to run in background without BAR but whether Facebook are playing by the rules is in doubt.

you're right that it could also or alternatively be an iOS bug that Apple need to sort. mostly likely Apple and Facebook will be liasing about this

 

[gadgetmonster]

And the best part is, with their bull-**** generic app update notes we'll have no idea if it's *actually* been addressed.

Hilarious, we posted the same thing............

 

[holyrita]

nvm!

 

[kiranmk2]

The Facebook app really needs rewriting. It takes an age to load on my 5S (not a new phone by any means, but shoudl this open in <5 seconds?). Am seriously considering using the mobile web version instead.

 

[Hedwigg]

Facebook today acknowledged its awareness of an issue raised by a few iOS users last week, who saw large amounts of battery drain on their iPhones while the social networking app ran in the background, even with background app refresh toggled off. Speaking with TechCrunch, a Facebook spokesperson confirmed the company's awareness of the bug and promised a fix would be in place "soon."

Yet another reason (among many others) to use Paper for Facebook instead of the official Facebook app itself: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paper-stories-from-facebook/id794163692?mt=8

 

[kayloh20]

But if background app refresh is turned off, why is this even an issue? I see this being just as much Apple's problem as it is Facebook's

Background app refresh is different than the traditional background services. When you use background app refresh, it's only for quick updates like refreshing Facebook or Twitter feed. It's periodic and usually small. The traditional background services, however, is for stuff like VOIP, location services, music, etc. This uses up a lot more battery. As the article says, several sites speculate that Facebook is keeping an audio track open in the background.