Did iOS4 reduce anyone else's iPad battery life?

Mirrorlike · 12-05-2010, 10:11 PM

I used to get ~15 hours, now it feels closer to 8 or 9. It's still enough to get me through the day, but I'm a bit disgruntled about seeing 15% battery life instead of 56%.

toddos · 12-06-2010, 04:17 AM

I don't have an iPad of my own, but the girlfriend does and she definitely noticed a bigger battery drain. The rest of the internet has as well, according to Google. Most seem to think it's the addition of multi-tasking and improperly-behaving apps. Of course it could also just be iOS 4 is more resource-hungry than iOS 3, as evidenced by its poor performance on iPhone 3G models. I personally didn't notice much of a battery difference between 3 and 4 on my 3GS, but then I jailbreak and was using multi-tasking apps on 3 so I was already using a fair amount of battery per day. As long as I plug in each night before going to bed, I have enough battery to get through the day.

jharker · 12-06-2010, 07:54 AM

You know, I have noticed this increased battery drain too. I was wondering, "why does the battery suddenly hold less of a charge?" But now that you mention it, it started right when I upgraded to iOS4. So that's solved the mystery, at least. Thanks for the post!

HarryT · 12-06-2010, 07:58 AM

Has there been any iPad that has NOT run iOS4? I thought that's what it originally shipped with, isn't it?

harakiri · 12-06-2010, 08:38 AM

iPad came out with iOS 3.2.x
4.2.1 update came end of November

I don't think its draining the battery. At least I don't see this happening with my pattern of usage

Maggie Leung · 12-06-2010, 09:25 AM

I haven't noticed any difference, but I haven't had time to use my iPad for long stretches since I switched to 4.2.1.

I have two iPads, one of which I haven't upgraded and have loaned out. If the borrower decides to return it, I'll compare the two against each other and see what happens battery-wise.

tyche · 12-06-2010, 10:40 AM

I ran into a worse problem with my 4G Touch where it would drain the battery badly when in standby. It had nothing to do with multitasking, or bad apps or push. It was a wi-fi drain. I turn on airplane mode and it can go weeks instead of 1 day.

My iPad doesn't drain when in standby but I felt like the battery drain was going faster when I upgraded to 4.2 but I still get around 9 hours. It's usually ~5% per 30 mins for the things I do.

Mirrorlike · 12-06-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddos

The rest of the internet has as well, according to Google.

i can't believe I forgot to check first..

http://discussions.info.apple.com/th...403&tstart=135

According to those guys, wiping & reloading from backup will solve this. I'll post when I have results, hopefully by Friday.

devastat · 12-07-2010, 12:43 PM

I was experiencing quite fast battery drainage as well after installing iOS 4.2.1.
I plugged my iPad to my desktop and iTunes last night, and clicked the restore button to make a "clean" install of iOS 4.2.1.

I was quite dubious about what the results would be, but I have to say that to my surprise it does really seem like my battery drainage is now back to what it was before. I need to use it a bit more to be absoultely sure, but it does really look like it!!

So everyone who is thinking their battery is running out really fast, I would highly recommend trying this!

Maggie Leung · 12-08-2010, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devastat

I was experiencing quite fast battery drainage as well after installing iOS 4.2.1.
I plugged my iPad to my desktop and iTunes last night, and clicked the restore button to make a "clean" install of iOS 4.2.1.

I was quite dubious about what the results would be, but I have to say that to my surprise it does really seem like my battery drainage is now back to what it was before. I need to use it a bit more to be absoultely sure, but it does really look like it!!

So everyone who is thinking their battery is running out really fast, I would highly recommend trying this!

Thanks. Good to know before I take a long flight.

HistoryWes · 12-08-2010, 01:03 PM

I was forced to wipe and reload due to an entirely different issue. I actually think my battery is lasting longer. I concientiously close my unused apps though.

With 4.2, exiting an app by pressing the home button no longer necessarily closes an app. When you double click the home key, you can see in the task manager which apps are still running. Some but not all of those may be pulling power from your iPad. To truly close them, you must first double click the home screen to bring up the task manager, then press an app icon until it goes jiggly (like moving or deleting on the home page), then press the little minus sign in the corner. The app will disappear from the task manager, and it will be closed.

devastat · 12-08-2010, 02:53 PM

I can now confirm, that this "technique" definitely worked for me. Its now 32 hours since my last charge, and my battery meter is showing 65%

Before I had to charge my iPad at least every other day even if I wasn't using my iPad much..

Tamara · 12-08-2010, 03:43 PM

I haven't noticed any difference in battery life.

If you're experiencing battery drain, check for multitasking apps that may be running in the background.

toddos · 12-08-2010, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

I was forced to wipe and reload due to an entirely different issue. I actually think my battery is lasting longer. I concientiously close my unused apps though.

With 4.2, exiting an app by pressing the home button no longer necessarily closes an app. When you double click the home key, you can see in the task manager which apps are still running. Some but not all of those may be pulling power from your iPad. To truly close them, you must first double click the home screen to bring up the task manager, then press an app icon until it goes jiggly (like moving or deleting on the home page), then press the little minus sign in the corner. The app will disappear from the task manager, and it will be closed.

Not 100% correct. The double-click tray just shows "recent apps", not necessarily "running apps". Deleting a multi-tasking app from the tray should stop it, but deleting a non-multi-tasking app from the tray does nothing. Apps have to be multi-tasking enabled in order to multi-task.

HistoryWes · 12-08-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddos

Not 100% correct. The double-click tray just shows "recent apps", not necessarily "running apps". Deleting a multi-tasking app from the tray should stop it, but deleting a non-multi-tasking app from the tray does nothing. Apps have to be multi-tasking enabled in order to multi-task.

You are correct. But I don't usually know which are which.

12-05-2010, 10:11 PM	#1
Mirrorlike Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 280 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPad	Did iOS4 reduce anyone else's iPad battery life? I used to get ~15 hours, now it feels closer to 8 or 9. It's still enough to get me through the day, but I'm a bit disgruntled about seeing 15% battery life instead of 56%.

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12-06-2010, 04:17 AM	#2
toddos Guru Posts: 695 Karma: 822675 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo Aura, Nokia Lumia 920 (Freda)	I don't have an iPad of my own, but the girlfriend does and she definitely noticed a bigger battery drain. The rest of the internet has as well, according to Google. Most seem to think it's the addition of multi-tasking and improperly-behaving apps. Of course it could also just be iOS 4 is more resource-hungry than iOS 3, as evidenced by its poor performance on iPhone 3G models. I personally didn't notice much of a battery difference between 3 and 4 on my 3GS, but then I jailbreak and was using multi-tasking apps on 3 so I was already using a fair amount of battery per day. As long as I plug in each night before going to bed, I have enough battery to get through the day.

12-06-2010, 07:54 AM	#3
jharker Developer Posts: 345 Karma: 3473 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Device: iRex iLiad v1, Blackberry Tour, Kindle DX, iPad.	You know, I have noticed this increased battery drain too. I was wondering, "why does the battery suddenly hold less of a charge?" But now that you mention it, it started right when I upgraded to iOS4. So that's solved the mystery, at least. Thanks for the post!

12-06-2010, 07:58 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Has there been any iPad that has NOT run iOS4? I thought that's what it originally shipped with, isn't it?

12-06-2010, 08:38 AM	#5
harakiri Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 464618 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Oasis 2	iPad came out with iOS 3.2.x 4.2.1 update came end of November I don't think its draining the battery. At least I don't see this happening with my pattern of usage

12-06-2010, 09:25 AM	#6
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	I haven't noticed any difference, but I haven't had time to use my iPad for long stretches since I switched to 4.2.1. I have two iPads, one of which I haven't upgraded and have loaned out. If the borrower decides to return it, I'll compare the two against each other and see what happens battery-wise.

12-06-2010, 10:40 AM	#7
tyche Addict Posts: 227 Karma: 2530 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, iPad	I ran into a worse problem with my 4G Touch where it would drain the battery badly when in standby. It had nothing to do with multitasking, or bad apps or push. It was a wi-fi drain. I turn on airplane mode and it can go weeks instead of 1 day. My iPad doesn't drain when in standby but I felt like the battery drain was going faster when I upgraded to 4.2 but I still get around 9 hours. It's usually ~5% per 30 mins for the things I do.

12-07-2010, 12:43 PM	#9
devastat Member Posts: 14 Karma: 12 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Reader	I was experiencing quite fast battery drainage as well after installing iOS 4.2.1. I plugged my iPad to my desktop and iTunes last night, and clicked the restore button to make a "clean" install of iOS 4.2.1. I was quite dubious about what the results would be, but I have to say that to my surprise it does really seem like my battery drainage is now back to what it was before. I need to use it a bit more to be absoultely sure, but it does really look like it!! So everyone who is thinking their battery is running out really fast, I would highly recommend trying this!

12-08-2010, 01:03 PM	#11
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	I was forced to wipe and reload due to an entirely different issue. I actually think my battery is lasting longer. I concientiously close my unused apps though. With 4.2, exiting an app by pressing the home button no longer necessarily closes an app. When you double click the home key, you can see in the task manager which apps are still running. Some but not all of those may be pulling power from your iPad. To truly close them, you must first double click the home screen to bring up the task manager, then press an app icon until it goes jiggly (like moving or deleting on the home page), then press the little minus sign in the corner. The app will disappear from the task manager, and it will be closed.

12-08-2010, 02:53 PM	#12
devastat Member Posts: 14 Karma: 12 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Reader	I can now confirm, that this "technique" definitely worked for me. Its now 32 hours since my last charge, and my battery meter is showing 65% Before I had to charge my iPad at least every other day even if I wasn't using my iPad much..

12-08-2010, 03:43 PM	#13
Tamara Evangelist Posts: 446 Karma: 1812 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: iPhone	I haven't noticed any difference in battery life. If you're experiencing battery drain, check for multitasking apps that may be running in the background.

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