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badlydrawnboy

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 20, 2003
1,531
418
It seems to me that the battery life on my 3GS has declined significantly in the past week or so. I used to quite easily go the whole day without getting to the 20% warning, but now that happens by about 4:00 or 5:00 PM. The phone isn't all that old (maybe 1.5 years?) - is that long enough for the battery to go? Do I now have to send it in to Apple or take it to an Apple store to be replaced? If I go to the Apple store, can they do it right there, or does it take a while?
 
It seems to me that the battery life on my 3GS has declined significantly in the past week or so. I used to quite easily go the whole day without getting to the 20% warning, but now that happens by about 4:00 or 5:00 PM. The phone isn't all that old (maybe 1.5 years?) - is that long enough for the battery to go? Do I now have to send it in to Apple or take it to an Apple store to be replaced? If I go to the Apple store, can they do it right there, or does it take a while?

Batteries are not made to last forever, and they actually last a certain number of years on purpose. Think about it. Apple puts a battery in there that only will last you about two years, and then you either have to get the battery replaced or buy a new phone. The price of the battery is not that cheap, so why not just upgrade?
 
First, you'll want to ensure that any settings haven't been changed recently. Screen brightness, games, push notifications, bluetooth, 3G vs. EDGE, screen lock time, etc. can all adversely affect battery life.

If Apple determines that your phone is eligible for battery replacement (and is covered under warranty), it will be replaced while you wait. Since the phone is 1.5 years old, if you didn't buy AppleCare the replacement will cost $79.

I can't recall if Apple has the means to replace just the battery in store or if they simply replace the entire phone.
 
I do plan to upgrade to the iPhone 4. However, that plan is contingent upon my ability to sell the 3GS.

Come to think of it, I did change the screen lock time from 1 minute to 3 minutes recently. That may explain the difference. I'll switch it back and see what happens.
 
3gs 11 months old failing

My Battery life is failing fast on my 11 month old 3gs. I have checked settings and even uninstalled the last few installed apps. Just today I have gone from 100% to 30% in just 4 hours.
 
Try draining the battery until the iPhone shuts itself down. Charge up again and let it remain plugged in for an hour after it's fully charged. If you don't get normal battery life after that it may be a bad battery.
 
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