Wifi+cellular iPad 3 battery life in the UK

[r-sparks]

I've been getting exceptionally good battery life out of my iPad 3 by turning off cellular and push communications as well as some of the built-in location apps (like time zone detection). I can't believe how long it lasts!

The trouble is that when I go out to a non-wifi area I have to turn on cellular data manually and this is a pain (I nearly always forget, then wonder why I've no internet!).

I'm about to experiment myself with leaving it on all day but what's your experience? Is battery life really hit that bad in the UK if cellular is left on, even if most of the time it isn't being used because I'm on wifi? I'm using a Three SIM by the way and the signal typically isn't that strong where I live. As I type it's on two bars for example although I'm using The Cloud wifi in McDonald's.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[eurobum]

I've been getting exceptionally good battery life out of my iPad 3 by turning off cellular and push communications as well as some of the built-in location apps (like time zone detection). I can't believe how long it lasts!

The trouble is that when I go out to a non-wifi area I have to turn on cellular data manually and this is a pain (I nearly always forget, then wonder why I've no internet!).

I'm about to experiment myself with leaving it on all day but what's your experience? Is battery life really hit that bad in the UK if cellular is left on, even if most of the time it isn't being used because I'm on wifi? I'm using a Three SIM by the way and the signal typically isn't that strong where I live. As I type it's on two bars for example although I'm using The Cloud wifi in McDonald's.

Any advice appreciated!

While I'm not in the UK I thought I'd share my two cents anyways because I've experimented ib similar fashion. I'm in downtown Copenhagen.

Yes, doing that stuff, I find it prolongs the lifetime of the charge, but really the number one culprit: brightness. I normally have it at 30 or so percent. A couple of times I've used it for something graphic intensive and turned brightness to 60 percent for a better look while it's charging. After doing this and unplugging I would forget and man, it barely lasts a day like this. At 30 percent it'll often last a day and a half on a full charge, and I use it a lot.

 

[Gav2k]

8-9 hours with 3G on and in use (3)
10-11 hours tethered to my iPhone
12 hours on wifi

Brightness standard

I like the brightness at 60% which knocks 45-60 minutes off those times.

 

[robanga]

I have the cellular radio on all the time, even when connected to WIFI and get a full 9 hours easily more like 11 on my use mode.

I have noticed that while roaming in Europe or China for instance, the cellular drains the battery faster. I assume this is because the radio is often shifting carriers.