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iPhone 3G S Battery. Really..?

Abyssgh0st

Abyssgh0st

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 12, 2009
1,888
9
Colorado
Hey all, this isn't a complaint thread, just an ironic observation.

So I've been getting sub par battery usage on my 3G S (Compared to my 3G), but it's not AWFUL.

So last night I got home and had about 60% battery left, and wanted to drain it so I could charge it from dead, while powered off in an attempt to help the battery life.

So I turn on:

3G, Data Roaming, Push (With AIM running), WiFi (Connected), Bluetooth, 100% Brightness, and started playing 'The Dark Knight.'

I let it play for like 80 minutes, and I look, and it's only 44%!

It took like 4 hours for it to die, with those settings, continually playing the movie. Why does this seem so much better than the battery life I usually am getting?
 
Another variable that DESTROYS battery life is your present area. What I mean by this is, depending on your location, your phone will either barely try, or, try VERY HARD (sucking your battery dry) to obtain a signal. In the hospital where I volunteer on Saturdays, my phone is consistenly on "No Service". Because of this, I see my battery drain SO FAST on these days. When it says "No Service" or even when it only has 1 or two bars, it's trying very hard to obtain a better signal.
 
On a typical day, my settings are: 3G on, data roaming on, 50% brightness, and I always lock screen the second I'm done. Everything else off. 150 ish texts a day, 30 minutes of safari, maybe 20 minutes of iPod, less than 10 minutes of phone call, and maybe checking weather/stocks 2-3 times. And after 8 hours or less I'm at 50%.
 
LOL I feel your pain OP!! I got home and tried to drain my battery from 35% down to 0 by repeatedly downloading G-Maps from the App store and I was up till 2am waiting for the stupid thing to die! WTF??
 
Abyssgh0st said:
Why does this seem so much better than the battery life I usually am getting?
Click to expand...

It isn't. You've been fooled by the battery gauge lying to you about how fast the battery is really draining.

The only way to know more accurately is to calibrate the battery charge logic, maybe twice (100-0-100-0-100), and then afterward record the battery gauge reading, and chart the percentage reading against wall clock time for linearity.
 
When you need your battery to last, it will die quickly. When you're trying to drain the battery, it will last like no other. It's just how things work.
 
firewood said:
It isn't. You've been fooled by the battery gauge lying to you about how fast the battery is really draining.

The only way to know more accurately is to calibrate the battery charge logic, maybe twice (100-0-100-0-100), and then afterward record the battery gauge reading, and chart the percentage reading against wall clock time for linearity.
Click to expand...

Then use excel, plot the numbers hourly, daily and monthly for 6 months. Get back to us then and let's see your results. We need graphs, charts, algorithms and an iPhone application. You've got a lot of work to do, get started. We're all depending on you.
 
I really really mis the feature on my old samsung that would put the cell radio into sleep mode after being in a no service area for 15 min. It would wake periodically to check for signal but would basically self shut down to save power if there was no signal. Very nice feature
 
Just have iPod playing, launch maps and turn on GPS and Compass. Set it to satellite and shopw traffic. Ocassionally spin it around and that should drain your battery nicely.
 
are you serious? I am lucky if i see 20% low battery notification once a week

my battery life is amazing ... why in the hell do you have your brightness at 100% .. that is not necessary and is what is whats causing your problems
 
TapOut said:
are you serious? I am lucky if i see 20% low battery notification once a week

my battery life is amazing ... why in the hell do you have your brightness at 100% .. that is not necessary and is what is whats causing your problems
Click to expand...

A case of a member not RTFT.

I think the reason your 3GS didn't drain much is because they're designed to play games. So, they actually do well under gaming conditions.
 
iphone.aggie said:
A case of a member not RTFT.

I think the reason your 3GS didn't drain much is because they're designed to play games. So, they actually do well under gaming conditions.
Click to expand...

I do not play any games at all ...I use the internet and a lot of apps though and calling and texting
 
There has been found a solution to the battery issue. Charge it with the phone off. You have to plug it in first then turn it off. if you turn it off and then plug it in it will just turn back on. I was getting 20 by 7 or 8 pm most days. I did this one night and the next day when I went to sleep I still had 74% left. Give it a shot.
 
I'm in the car on the way to Philly right now. When I left my battery was a hundred percent (left charging overnight in wall, phone was on...) I've been in thr car for about an hour and 15 minutes now...a half hour of that was iPod usage and the rest was various facebook, web, and some light gaming (blackjack). And about 10 text messages. My battery is at 55%. This isn't too good is it? I have the 3gs..wifi Bluetooth notifications are all off..brightness is 40%. Not whining just asking if this is typical or not...
 
MacFan782040 said:
I'm in the car on the way to Philly right now. When I left my battery was a hundred percent (left charging overnight in wall, phone was on...) I've been in thr car for about an hour and 15 minutes now...a half hour of that was iPod usage and the rest was various facebook, web, and some light gaming (blackjack). And about 10 text messages. My battery is at 55%. This isn't too good is it? I have the 3gs..wifi Bluetooth notifications are all off..brightness is 40%. Not whining just asking if this is typical or not...
Click to expand...

That's not good at all.
 
iphone.aggie said:
That's not good at all.
Click to expand...

Yeah I didn't think so either...the battery did jump back up to 65 after getting off the web and just listening to thr iPod..but that still doesn't seem good. I'll calibrate it once I get home tonight and if that doesn't do it maybe take it into a store
 
Vegeta-san said:
Another variable that DESTROYS battery life is your present area. What I mean by this is, depending on your location, your phone will either barely try, or, try VERY HARD (sucking your battery dry) to obtain a signal. In the hospital where I volunteer on Saturdays, my phone is consistenly on "No Service". Because of this, I see my battery drain SO FAST on these days. When it says "No Service" or even when it only has 1 or two bars, it's trying very hard to obtain a better signal.
Click to expand...
This, times 1000.

Most people complaining about their battery life don't describe what kind of signal they get, and how it changes (if any) during their day.
 
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