iOS 5.1 beta 2 still doesn't address iPhone 4S/4 battery issue

Summary: However, bear in mind that this is a beta.

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Hardware 2.0 | December 16, 2011 -- 12:16 GMT (04:16 PST)

According to a registered Apple developer with access to the latest iOS 5.1 beta 2 update for the iPhone, the latest release does not address the battery drain issue that some handset owners are experiencing.

Shortly after Apple released the iOS 5 update for the iPhone I started hearing complaint from owners of both the iPhone 4 and 4S who were not getting as a good mileage from their battery as they were with the previous iOS release. iPhone owners were seeing a rapid drop in battery while the handset seemed to be doing little or nothing.

This was not unusual though, as every major iOS release has suffered from some sort of battery issue. What made the iOS 5 battery problem special was that the 5.0.1 update failed to fix it. What's more, this update introduced the bug to my previously well-behaved iPhone 4 and my test iPhone 3GS handsets.

So what about the new iOS 5.1 beta 2 that's just been made available to registered Apple developers? Does that fix the problem? According to a developer who has been using it since its release (and who wishes to remain nameless as disclosing information about a beta could land them in trouble with Apple), no.

'I had high hopes that Apple would finally fix this issue, but when the release notes made no mention of a battery fix, I started having doubts. Having had it installed for over a day on a 4 and a 4S, I'm seeing no improvement in battery life.'

This information is contrary to what is being reported by some outlets, but my guess is that these folks don't have access to the beta or anyone running it.

Previous testing carried out by this developer for me narrowed down the battery problem to an iOS issue, rather than it being a hardware problem.

It is worth bearing in mind that this release to registered developers is a beta and not a final release, so Apple might still be working on the battery issue behind closed doors. That said, it would be nice (as someone affected by this bug) to get some sort of peep from Apple that the problem is being worked on.

Related:

Image credit: renaissancechambara

Topics: Apple, Apps, Hardware, Mobile OS, Software Development

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10 comments

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You will be told what you need to know when you need to

know it ... and not a moment sooner.

whatagenda
16 December, 2011 14:08

Reply Vote
Just trying to follow your logic

"However, bear in mind that this is a beta."

So don't complain about beta. However, make sure to complain long and hard about developer previews, right?

Or is the rule even simpler than that? Complain when it is Microsoft, never complain when it is Apple. Yeah, that satisfies Occam' razor.

toddybottom
16 December, 2011 14:47

Reply Vote
- RE: iOS 5.1 beta 2 still doesn't address iPhone 4S/4 battery issue
  
  @toddybottom
  
  "So don't complain about beta. However, make sure to complain long and hard about developer previews, right?"
  
  You're argument is logical, but it's bound to stir up trouble. I'm sure you're use to that though. :P
  
  It does seem to be premature to be making judgement calls on a beta version that can not be verified since it is not available to everyone. If Apple isn't able to fix this glitch with software, I suspect that we'll see the iPhone 5 (or whatever they'll call it) sooner than anticipated.
  
  subjectzero
  16 December, 2011 19:41
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: iOS 5.1 beta 2 still doesn't address iPhone 4S/4 battery issue
    
    @subjectzero which would be typical 'big company' behaviour. Make all of your products inferiour with a software upgrade and then sell your costumers a new version of the product that is 'a big improvement'. You can go on like that forever.
    Want to make a bet on when an upgrade will be available for the iPhone5 that drains your battery? :-p
    
    belli_bettens@...
    17 December, 2011 04:20
    
    Reply Vote
- I don't think Adrian ever failed to account for
  
  the fact that Windows 8 is the developer preview when commenting on it. Oh. Wait. I get it. You are extrapolating Adrian's remarks to the Apple population at large when he comments on an Apple product, but making his remarks specific to himself when he is commenting on Windows products.
  
  baggins_z
  17 December, 2011 09:55
  
  Reply Vote
- I agree. Mr. Kingsley-Hughes complains about Microsoft beta releases
  
  @toddybottom
  yet wants us all to forgive Apple in regards to beta releases like Siri, even though Apple did not tout it as such.
  
  To me , this sounds like another "damage control" blog he is places up, in an attempt to ward off criticism of Apple or it's products.
  :|
  
  Tim Cook
  18 December, 2011 12:23
  
  Reply Vote
RE: iOS 5.1 beta 2 still doesn't address iPhone 4S/4 battery issue

This is my theory. Since upgrading to iOS5 and iCloud I've noticed my 3G data allowance usage on my iPhone4 has gone though the roof. I have a 500Mb cap which I'd never exceeded before the upgrade. Now it's gone in a week! I've even turned off most of the iCloud sync features (photostream and documents) as well as making sure for the heavy stuff it's set to only sync over WiFi. All this extra data activity must be draining the battery. I was a MobileMe user before and never had these issues with iOS4. I'm on O2, when I hit my cap they simply slow the connection but do not charge more. My son (also has an iPhone4) is with Orange and got no such warning, only realising he'd exceeded his cap when he was landed with a ??50 bill on a tariff that is normaly fixed at ??20/month.

Stuart Ridgway
18 December, 2011 02:30

Reply Vote
RE: iOS 5.1 beta 2 still doesn't address iPhone 4S/4 battery issue

Maybe is not a bug.. Is just, iOS 5 spend more energy because do more things on the background...

zdwater
18 December, 2011 12:34

Reply Vote
- That could be true about running things in the background
  
  @zdwater
  but how much power should it take to run Carrier IQ?
  
  Tim Cook
  18 December, 2011 15:12
  
  Reply Vote
iPod 4 has the same trouble and performance is sluggish after iOS 5 and 5.1

That goes fro the iPod 4 as well with iOS 5 and 5.01. Not only dose the iPod need more frequent recharges it has also in my opionion become more sluggish in its performance.

VytautasB@...
19 December, 2011 05:10

Reply Vote