Battery GOD Awful or Defective iPhone 3G?

[hard-case]

Oh Im not saying it is only Push causing problems - Push is the main one though that people strangely haven't realized means it is transferring data ALL the time so batter will die. GPS really kills it too. People have been doing lots of reboots of the iphone too which knocks the battery down 5% each reboot. I don't blame 3G though - as on most other European based 3G phones battery time is now excellent.

Stupid question. Is push only for ActiveSync/Exchange/MobileMe? I've got it on currently, but I can't figure out if it's necessary to get push from Yahoo Mail, like I had set up for my 1st gen iPhone. Cause if that doesn't need it I'll gladly turn it off!

When I first got my iPhone, around 5pm on friday, it had Wifi on (but not used), Core Location on, Push on, screen brightness about 40%, and using 3G I got almost 2 hours of usage and 4 hours of standby before I hit the 20% warning. That did not make me very happy, but with my 3G signal here being mostly 1-2 bar I figure it's using even more power to maintain it than it would at 4-5 bar.

Right now, with 3G off, Push on, Wifi off, Core Location on, and the screen brightness at around 30%, I'm running at 1.5 hours usage, and almost 5 hours standby, and my battery usage meter is still at 100%, so in reality I guess it's probably in the low to mid 90's, which to me sounds just about right.

So to me I think 3G is definitely a major factor (depending on signal strength), and while I don't discount there are some phones out there with bum batteries (like the first time around), I think an even more major factor is simply understanding how these new services can affect power consumption in different scenarios. That and I figure over the next few months, just like the first iPhone, a firmware update or two with optimizing coding for battery conservation will help to improve things.

 

[jarvijarv]

iphone 3G newbie!!

^^^

Thanks hard-case for the reassurance...as a an iphone 3G newbie, i have NO plans of returning it! i love it too much!!

 

[indygreg]

Gps

on the theory that the single biggest consumer of power in my old phone was gps i did a short test. i turned off location services in the settings. i then went to maps and pushed the locate button. it asked me to verify then found my location after 15 seconds or so. i hit home and went to settings and location services were on. went back home and started maps and it had my location instantly. it had even changed since i closed maps. i then turned locate OFF in maps and went back to the settings tab where location services was still on.

i suspect that once i run maps it keeps running in the background since there is no way to close an app. i also suspect that once you run a location app and turn location services on they stay on. today with location services turned off but still running push mode i seem to be getting much better battery. so far 2 hours of usage (utube on wifi) and 3 hours of standby since last full charge and i see about 75% battery left. seems much better than yesterday but then again maybe my battery is just getting trained.

greg

 

[lavrishevo]

i suspect that once i run maps it keeps running in the background since there is no way to close an app

I thought holding the home button down till the app closes kind of did the trick? Am I wrong?

 

[xpla]

Update:

Usage: 55 minutes
Standby: 3h 44m

60% battery bars left ... Inacceptable.

Update:

Usage 1h 3m
Standby. 3h 45m

50% battery left ... *lol*

Update:

Usage: 3h 29m
Standby: 7h 39m

20% battery left ...

Not really amazing, maybe there's a general problem too with the 8gb version, maybe a defect battery series and i should try to get a 16gb version.

 

[Scott6666]

It's a trade off for the 3g. When the first iPhone was released everyone was complaining there was no 3g. Now there is 3g and everyone is complaining about the battery life. We are hitting up against technological bottlenecks. It isn't the fault of apple or the iPhone design.

It is Apples fault they chose not to incorporate a replaceable battery.

 

[danny_w]

I upgraded my 1st generation iPhone to 2.0, enabled Push, and am also getting abysmal battery life, so I know for me it is not 3G or GPS causing the issue. I fully charge it last night, and today after about 18 hours of no use, the batter is down to about 30%. Before the update I would routinely get 3-4 days from a charge with light use, with email retrieval set to manual. I just turned off Push and am charging it, so I'll see if that is the culprit. If Push is the problem I will gladly do without it.

 

[JBaker122586]

For the day I'm at:
4 hours, 25 minutes standby
53 minutes usage

All with 3G, Location Services, Push, and WiFi turned on at all times.

I've done light Internet browsing, talked on the phone (3G) for about 25 minutes, sent a few SMS, and played 3 or 4 songs of Tap Tap Revenge.

I only have 2 bars of 3G service (which is similar to what I had with EDGE in this apartment...it's a cellhole for some reason).

My battery is still at 100%.

 

[quagmire]

For the day I'm at:
4 hours, 25 minutes standby
53 minutes usage

All with 3G, Location Services, Push, and WiFi turned on at all times.

I've done light Internet browsing, talked on the phone (3G) for about 25 minutes, sent a few SMS, and played 3 or 4 songs of Tap Tap Revenge.

I only have 2 bars of 3G service (which is similar to what I had with EDGE in this apartment...it's a cellhole for some reason).

My battery is still at 100%.

I want your battery. I have 1-2 bars of 3G with everything else turned off and the meter moved off 100% at around 30 minutes of usage. Yesterday on a complete charge lasted 3 hours and 40 minutes with 3G all the time with 12 hours of standby. I am sure if I used it more I could of stretched to 4 hours or so. Even with that I am satisfied. My satisfaction is guranteed as long as I get within an hour of Apple's stated time which it is( ~ 4 hours here and Apple states 5 hours on 3G).

 

[johny5]

For the day I'm at:
4 hours, 25 minutes standby
53 minutes usage

All with 3G, Location Services, Push, and WiFi turned on at all times.

I've done light Internet browsing, talked on the phone (3G) for about 25 minutes, sent a few SMS, and played 3 or 4 songs of Tap Tap Revenge.

I only have 2 bars of 3G service (which is similar to what I had with EDGE in this apartment...it's a cellhole for some reason).

My battery is still at 100%.

Is this real? on every phone i have owned the battery decreased after 25 mins no matter what never mind using all the other services you mentioned.

So, you have push turned on? do you just have mobile me or exchange also?

My battery barely lasted 8 hrs on standby overnight with 0% usage from me. I had everything turned on but use exchange so I guess my phone was polling the server like crazy (even though I maybe had 2 emails).

 

[JBaker122586]

Is this real? on every phone i have owned the battery decreased after 25 mins no matter what never mind using all the other services you mentioned.

So, you have push turned on? do you just have mobile me or exchange also?

My battery barely lasted 8 hrs on standby overnight with 0% usage from me. I had everything turned on but use exchange so I guess my phone was polling the server like crazy (even though I maybe had 2 emails).

About an hour later, I've sent 3 emails and made 2 phone calls.

 

[thomasfxlt]

This is just a thought after looking through lots of threads....

I plugged mine into a griffen car charger on my way home from the Apple store after purchasing it. It indicated it was charging, but it certainly wasn't behaving the way my 2g did. Since I've discovered the issue with FireWire wired chargers (2g). I think this may have something to do with my issue. Since then I have completely drained the battery and recharged AC (until the fully charged indicator comes on). Definite improvement. I wonder if there wasn't a surface charge or something that was fooling the wall charger prior to a complete battery drain.

 

[RichP]

Seems like Apple used a smaller battery!

http://live.ifixit.com/Guide/First-Look/iPhone3G (scroll to almost the bottom)

1150mAh vs 1400 in the original. WTF?

 

[eclipxe]

on the theory that the single biggest consumer of power in my old phone was gps i did a short test. i turned off location services in the settings. i then went to maps and pushed the locate button. it asked me to verify then found my location after 15 seconds or so. i hit home and went to settings and location services were on. went back home and started maps and it had my location instantly. it had even changed since i closed maps. i then turned locate OFF in maps and went back to the settings tab where location services was still on.

i suspect that once i run maps it keeps running in the background since there is no way to close an app. i also suspect that once you run a location app and turn location services on they stay on. today with location services turned off but still running push mode i seem to be getting much better battery. so far 2 hours of usage (utube on wifi) and 3 hours of standby since last full charge and i see about 75% battery left. seems much better than yesterday but then again maybe my battery is just getting trained.

greg

Apps don't run in the background and the location services (for Google Maps) don't stay on after you've closed the app. There is no facility to run a background process with the APIs that Apple gives us. Applications store the current view and any data when they receive a shutdown notice (when you go back home, receive a phone call, etc). It appears that the applications are waiting for you in the background, but it is just clever engineering - they reload their last stored status.

 

[danny_w]

Apps don't run in the background and the location services (for Google Maps) don't stay on after you've closed the app. There is no facility to run a background process with the APIs that Apple gives us. Applications store the current view and any data when they receive a shutdown notice (when you go back home, receive a phone call, etc). It appears that the applications are waiting for you in the background, but it is just clever engineering - they reload their last stored status.

Yes, but Google Maps need not be written to the SDK; it is an application from Apple which could easily break the rules. And how do you know that location services does not stay on after you close Google Maps?

 

[michlc88]

Today, my battery life was much greater than it had been before. I let it charge overnight and in the morning i turned off 3G, gps, and changed push to manual. I use wifi at home. When I left for work I turned off wifi and turned on 3G and left it on all day. Now that I am back from work, I have about 75% battery remaining. My usage is 1hr 53min, and 8hr 36min standby. So for me, its either gps, push, or wifi. I doubt its wifi because i always left it on with my old phone. What do you guys think? I have a feeling it might be push.

 

[danny_w]

Today, my battery life was much greater than it had been before. I let it charge overnight and in the morning i turned off 3G, gps, and changed push to manual. I use wifi at home. When I left for work I turned off wifi and turned on 3G and left it on all day. Now that I am back from work, I have about 75% battery remaining. My usage is 1hr 53min, and 8hr 36min standby. So for me, its either gps, push, or wifi. I doubt its wifi because i always left it on with my old phone. What do you guys think? I have a feeling it might be push.

I agree, it is probably "push" that is causing the low battery life. I always had my phone (1st gen) set on Manual before and got 3-4 days before charging. And that was with wifi on constantly, but no ipod use; I found that ipod usage would drain my battery in about 4-5 hours, so I never use it anymore (the best ipod ever? yeah right). With "push" enabled I get under a day with absolutely no phone or wifi use.

 

[indygreg]

i think a couple people including myself saw pretty good battery life with push turned on but it just occured to me that i am at home so it is using wifi. i guess we need to remember that it is the combination of push and 3g that people are proposing as the culprit.

greg

 

[aussie.damo]

Firmware version

Just a thought - what version of the 2.0 firmware are people with battery issues running? Mine shipped with 5A345 and I haven't updated / restored to the 5A347 version. I AM having battery issues and am wondering whether this could be the culprit?

As I said, just a thought.

Damo

 

[kmay37]

I too am having some battery problems...not lasting a long time, but my gps, and wifi are always on and I am pretty much playing games or listening to music on it. But I would say I can only use it straight for about 5 hours. Not too bad...but I am getting a new one tomorrow anyways, so i don't care.

 

[montecarloss919]

not liking this 3g battery shiz

so today i took the phone of the charger around 10 am, made about an hr worth of calls, about 30 txts, had push on all day, and currently im about 25-50% battery....

3g was off
wifi off
push mail on
location base on

i think i am going to visit att tomorrow for a possible swap.

 

[WillieAames]

Just a thought - what version of the 2.0 firmware are people with battery issues running? Mine shipped with 5A345 and I haven't updated / restored to the 5A347 version. I AM having battery issues and am wondering whether this could be the culprit?

As I said, just a thought.

Damo

Could be a red herring and might just be a coincidence, but my battery has been a bit better after updating the Firmware .

Yesterday, my battery life was garbage. Maybe 2 hours usage /5 hours idle before I hit 20% low battery warning. However, I performed a full restore that evening just to make sure I had the latest firmware.

That night, my goal was to discharge the battery. Used it at night before I went to bed, and left it off the charger. Stressed it all day today in an apartment w/ terrible signal (switches between 3G and Edge):

Pandora using WiFi, screen on mostly
Pandora using 3G in the car
Web Browsing
Monkey Ball
~30 minutes of talking

With the following settings:
3G on
Wifi on
Push on (Exchange)
Location Services On
Brightness at ~40% (w/ Auto Brightness enabled)

Died at a usage of 4 hours 55 minutes/19 hours 40 minutes standby

Completely acceptable performance.

 

[JBaker122586]

For the day I'm at:
4 hours, 25 minutes standby
53 minutes usage

All with 3G, Location Services, Push, and WiFi turned on at all times.

I've done light Internet browsing, talked on the phone (3G) for about 25 minutes, sent a few SMS, and played 3 or 4 songs of Tap Tap Revenge.

I only have 2 bars of 3G service (which is similar to what I had with EDGE in this apartment...it's a cellhole for some reason).

My battery is still at 100%.

Just as an update. It's now been 12 hours since I unplugged my iPhone. Since my last post, I've played about another 45 minutes of games (between Monkey Ball, Tap Tap, and Cube Runner), sent and received 14 emails, sent and received about 20 text messages, made or received 5 phone calls on 3G, and done only about 5 or 10 minutes of web browsing (all over 3G).

My battery appears to have just hit the 50% mark.
Unfortunately, I can't check usage statistics because I did a hard reset during the time. I guess that resets it.

All this still with WiFi, Location, Push and 3G on. Seems pretty decent to me.

 

[xpla]

Update:

Usage: 3h 29m
Standby: 7h 39m

20% battery left ...

Not really amazing, maybe there's a general problem too with the 8gb version, maybe a defect battery series and i should try to get a 16gb version.

Update:

Usage: 4h 54m
Standby: 11h 5m

No Push-Service, everything else is on BUT 3G active but wifi-access, so no usage of 3G and no movement of the phone itself so no cell switches.


Update:

Out of battery:

Usage: 5h 4m
Standby: 11h 19m

 

[GR33NIE]

Turn your screens down. It helps a lot.


My battery isn't that great either.

Exactly what I done soon as I set it up, sure helps alot