Apple buffing up "usage" numbers to fool it's users?

[Damolee]

I don't think is done on purpose, but I know exactly what you mean. I have noticed this too.

What we really need is a stat which shows "screen on" time like what Android has, this gives you an idea of how long you were physically using the phone.

 

[Beeplance]

What's wrong with the thread-starter? He seems unable to come to terms with the fact that its his iPhone problem and expect all of us to be in the same boat as him. Bashing people just because we can't find the same problem on our iPhones?

 

[Ashin]

What's wrong with the thread-starter? He seems unable to come to terms with the fact that its his iPhone problem and expect all of us to be in the same boat as him. Bashing people just because we can't find the same problem on our iPhones?

What's your problem though?

Blindly defend Apple without actually trying my test yourself

That's all I ask, that people try it! But I get a torrent of hate because in true MacRumors style if anyone even suggests Apple might not be perfect there will be hell to pay, and all logic and reason goes out the window

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I don't think is done on purpose, but I know exactly what you mean. I have noticed this too.

What we really need is a stat which shows "screen on" time like what Android has, this gives you an idea of how long you were physically using the phone.

Thanks, I would love this too. Android really lets you see the real world usage, not buggy app, services, or foul play occurring

 

[Menel]

Thanks, I would love this too. Android really lets you see the real world usage, not buggy app, services, or foul play occurring

That would be absolutely useless.

Sticking your fingers in your ear going lalalalla and ignoring the reality of buggy apps or services which need to be addressed. Would be dishonest with its users. Thats really sad that Android conceals all that and grossly distorting their battery usage times by only showing screen on, user time.

 

[r.j.s]

Thanks, I would love this too. Android really lets you see the real world usage, not buggy app, services, or foul play occurring

There is nothing buggy about it.

Your definition of usage is wrong.

Go read my previous post.

 

[declandio]

What's your problem though?

Blindly defend Apple without actually trying my test yourself

That's all I ask, that people try it! But I get a torrent of hate because in true MacRumors style if anyone even suggests Apple might not be perfect there will be hell to pay, and all logic and reason goes out the window

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Thanks, I would love this too. Android really lets you see the real world usage, not buggy app, services, or foul play occurring

There's no 'blind defence of apple' in this thread.

You mis-interpreted the way 'usage' is counted. Personally, I think it makes complete sense that usage rises when app's are doing stuff in the background, even if you're asleep.

Instead of highlighting what you think might be a bug, you jump straight into conspiracy theory. Go buy an android phone if that'll make you happier.

 

[cyks]

Why does it matter anyway? Usage stats are meaningless.

I could restore my phone as new, put it on Airplane Mode, set it to play one song on endless loop, and easily get a few days worth of 'Usage' out of it.

Likewise, I could go to an area with limited cell coverage, set Maps to take me somewhere in the background and play Infinity Blade 2 (or any overly intensive game), all while having the phone check 50 emails accounts and twitter feeds every minute...and come up short of an hour of usage.

Since Usage and Standby don't say anything about HOW it was used, both numbers are completely meaningless.

That you believe Apple is fudging the numbers (because you disagree with their definition of usage) is silly.

 

[WeegieMac]

So you've tried it since the last update? I'm sure.

Convinced it's a problem specific to my iPhone without trying it? Have it your way then

You seem more hell bent on convincing both yourself and others that this "issue" exists, as opposed to it actually doing so.

I'll take a screenshot before I go to sleep tonight at 100% charged with the mains charger still in and switched on. I'll unplug the mains charger and leave it overnight. If I wake up I check the time on my iPhone, but I'll take another screenshot when my alarm goes off for work.

So we will see ...

 

[declandio]

You seem more hell bent on convincing both yourself and others that this "issue" exists, as opposed to it actually doing so.

I'll take a screenshot before I go to sleep tonight at 100% charged with the mains charger still in and switched on. I'll unplug the mains charger and leave it overnight. If I wake up I check the time on my iPhone, but I'll take another screenshot when my alarm goes off for work.

So we will see ...

Depending on your settings (push/email/notifications/a bunch of other stuff), you will see overnight 'usage'.

 

[charlituna]

Cool, so you used a time machine to test it, seriously 100% charge it and leave on standby all night, then check your usage... it won't read 0 minutes (iOS5 would stay on 0 minutes over night)

Bad testing. A phone on standby can still be running things. Corrupted software or just bad coding in a third party app can cause it to loop and run in the background. Push email, messages, even voicemail downloading can still be going when a phone is locked.

A real test would be more like turning off all data connections, force quitting all apps, turning off push and setting fetch to manual and so on.

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In my opinion that isn't "usage", and should only equate to several minutes on a charge cycle anyway.

This would be a time when your opinion doesn't matter. The fact of how Apple defines usage would be the issue. And that defination could include such things and more that your opinion says are not usage

 

[WeegieMac]

Depending on your settings (push/email/notifications/a bunch of other stuff), you will see overnight 'usage'.

Yup, agreed ... and all completely normal. I think the OP is getting wound up over nothing.

 

[r.j.s]

Care to address my point?

 

[Ashin]

There is nothing buggy about it.

Your definition of usage is wrong.

Go read my previous post.

Yeah I saw that.

Like I said on iOS5 I'd typically have 0 usage of maybe 2-3 mins over night.

I don't think background tasks can equate to 30+ minutes over night, which adds up to being several hours of "phantom" usage on a whole charge cycle.

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Bad testing. A phone on standby can still be running things. Corrupted software or just bad coding in a third party app can cause it to loop and run in the background. Push email, messages, even voicemail downloading can still be going when a phone is locked.

A real test would be more like turning off all data connections, force quitting all apps, turning off push and setting fetch to manual and so on.

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This would be a time when your opinion doesn't matter. The fact of how Apple defines usage would be the issue. And that defination could include such things and more that your opinion says are not usage

This is a brand new DFU restored iPhone, I don't think there is any "corruption" of the installation.

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There's no 'blind defence of apple' in this thread.

You mis-interpreted the way 'usage' is counted. Personally, I think it makes complete sense that usage rises when app's are doing stuff in the background, even if you're asleep.

Instead of highlighting what you think might be a bug, you jump straight into conspiracy theory. Go buy an android phone if that'll make you happier.

My next phone probably won't be an iPhone actually, compared to my Nexus 7 it just gives me a far better idea of my real usage - screen on time, which quite frankly is the only stat that matters. If all these background tasks count as "usage" an inevitably drain battery surely Apple's standby numbers are bound to be off (300 hours I think it was?)

 

[r.j.s]

Yeah I saw that.

Like I said on iOS5 I'd typically have 0 usage of maybe 2-3 mins over night.

I don't think background tasks can equate to 30+ minutes over night, which adds up to being several hours of "phantom" usage on a whole charge cycle.

Again, your opinion has nothing to do with the definition.

Your phone could be defective, or it just has more to do at night now than iOS 5 - new features, new accounts, etc.

 

[Fatalbert]

Thanks for failing to comprehend my thread and attempt to talk down to me like a child.

Geez, this guy gets offended really easily. I'll try it myself too, but you'll probably ignore me anyway.

By the way, music is not the only thing that runs in the background. Any app can. Try closing everything in the multitasking/recent bar.

 

[r.j.s]

My next phone probably won't be an iPhone actually, compared to my Nexus 7 it just gives me a far better idea of my real usage - screen on time, which quite frankly is the only stat that matters. If all these background tasks count as "usage" an inevitably drain battery surely Apple's standby numbers are bound to be off (300 hours I think it was?)

Android still does things with the screen off, the usage screen just doesn't count it. If that makes you feel better though, go for it.

 

[Fatalbert]

Besides, if apple really wanted to fudge usage numbers, wouldn't it make more sense to alter the battery percentage (which more people would notice and pay attention to), rather than an obscure usage figure which few people will ever notice?

Yeah. I don't know, the OP is starting to sound like a Nexus advertiser, but I won't make any accusations. Then again, Android has better usage statistics ways other than not having this alleged iOS problem.

 

[Ashin]

Just to add some of my ideas into this. I use an app called "System Activity Monitor" to see processes that are running and have noticed there is a lot of processes being restarted constantly... most notably -

ubd.plist
webbookmarksd.plist

Can keep ubd under control by enabling Documents and Data in iCloud (it got to the point where ubd had a process ID in the 10,000 region - meaning it was responsible for creating ALOT of cpu time), but webbookmarksd is just annoying.

Tempted to jailbreak and delete these daemons

 

[Fatalbert]

My next phone probably won't be an iPhone actually, compared to my Nexus 7 it just gives me a far better idea of my real usage - screen on time, which quite frankly is the only stat that matters. If all these background tasks count as "usage" an inevitably drain battery surely Apple's standby numbers are bound to be off (300 hours I think it was?)

Showing a screen time statistic in addition to overall usage would be nice, but I'd like to know for how many hours my iPhone is actually running apps. When a PC goes to what it calls "sleep", it doesn't run any background tasks. Should be the same for an iPhone.

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6 minutes in:
My iPhone has 6 standby minutes, 0 usage minutes. I can try again later with my always-on GPS tracker. This is an iPhone 4 running the latest iOS 6.

 

[Ashin]

Again, your opinion has nothing to do with the definition.

Your phone could be defective, or it just has more to do at night now than iOS 5 - new features, new accounts, etc.

Fair enough. I guess it's just a little dishonest of Apple to include background processes as "usage", most people don't read their description and it is fair to assume "usage" = time YOU have used the device.

 

[Fatalbert]

Definitely can't replicate the bug, so it must be just you (or just me and a few others). You should try closing everything in the multitasking/recent bar.

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Fair enough. I guess it's just a little dishonest of Apple to include background processes as "usage", most people don't read their description and it is fair to assume "usage" = time YOU have used the device.

They're YOUR apps, therefore YOU are using it. If it's sitting in the car playing music or doing navigation in standby, is that not usage? Checking your emails? Anyway, I'm testing this with some Aram Khachaturian music.

 

[Ashin]

Definitely can't replicate the bug, so it must be just you (or just me and a few others). You should try closing everything in the multitasking/recent bar.

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They're YOUR apps, therefore YOU are using it.

Thanks for spending 6 minutes testing it Try 7-8 hours or don't bother, did you even read anything in this thread?

What apps? Nothing is running.

 

[Fatalbert]

Thanks for spending 6 minutes testing it Try 7-8 hours or don't bother, did you even read anything in this thread?

What apps? Nothing is running.

You're saying that the time would make a difference? I am going to test it with a longer time sample, but I doubt it'll be different.

When you say that nothing is running, did you do what I said about closing every app fully?

 

[Ashin]

That would be absolutely useless.

Sticking your fingers in your ear going lalalalla and ignoring the reality of buggy apps or services which need to be addressed. Would be dishonest with its users. Thats really sad that Android conceals all that and grossly distorting their battery usage times by only showing screen on, user time.

Sorry but this is the most ridiculous comment I have seen on MacRumors in a while.

If anything Android gives you a WORSE picture of battery life by just showing screen on time, how is it distorted at all? Screen on time is the most honest way of giving usage stats...

Imagine this scenario - pretend you had a buggy app/service draining your battery, on Android your battery stats might read 10% left, 30 minutes screen on time 2 days standby... whereas the same scenario on an iPhone would be 10% left, 2 days standby... but wow 10 hours "usage" - battery life is AMAZING on the iPhone!!!!!!!

See the problem now?

When eople see a Nexus 4 on here with 4 hours screen on time nearly dead they laugh, but fail to realise the 6-7 hours of "usage" an iPhone gets is made up of screen on time and a bunch of buggy background tasks running and boosting the figures up.

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You're saying that the time would make a difference? I am going to test it with a longer time sample, but I doubt it'll be different.

When you say that nothing is running, did you do what I said about closing every app fully?

Like I said you're too ignorant to even try what I asked, and instead come in here claiming I am crazy or a Nexus shill.

Did I ask so much you that you could just leave it on standby over night and compare the "usage" time before and after you wake up?

 

[Fatalbert]

Like I said you're too ignorant to even try what I asked, and instead come in here claiming I am crazy or a Nexus shill.

Did I ask so much you that you could just leave it on standby over night and compare the "usage" time before and after you wake up?

It is too much to ask since it's not night now. I figured I might as well test it a little now. Just saying what's happening so far. But you should also try actually closing everything fully and doing your overnight test once you can.