Nokia tackles Lumia 800 battery problems again

Nokia has promised its latest software update for the Lumia 800 Windows Phone will fix the handset's battery-life problems.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Nokia spokesman Dinesh Subramaniam said the '12070' update "brings significant improvements in battery performance and power management". The Lumia 800 update will roll out globally over the next four weeks.

Nokia has issued another software update to fix battery-life problems in the Lumia 800. Image credit: Ben Woods

Late last year, people were reporting that the phone would not charge to its battery's full capacity. Nokia fixed that in a January update — accompanied by a separate update to the Windows Phone 'Mango' 7.5 build — but users then complained that the phone's battery life had been curtailed.

"Today, we're happy to announce the third software update in only four months," Subramaniam wrote in Wednesday's post.

Subramaniam claimed the update had given his Lumia 800 "between 25 to 30 hours of battery life", although he said he puts the phone into flight mode for five hours at night.

"Along with battery, we've brought enhancements to the bass in the audio so that you get better voice quality and even more enjoyment out of Nokia Music," he added. "We've also ensured that the soft keys illuminate at all brightness levels settings."

The spokesman noted that some users had been asking when Wi-Fi tethering would become available on the handset, but said Nokia could not confirm timing on that future upgrade.

According to an update availability page, Lumia 800 owners with unlocked handsets, or with phones they got through Vodafone or BT, can get the latest update now. Those who got theirs through T-Mobile, Orange or Carphone Warehouse will have to wait a while longer.

It appears that some phones bought through Three can be updated now, while others cannot.