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seaofcrap · Jul 20, 2007, 04:04 PM

Literally, I get 2 hours of "usage" and the battery life goes dead on my iPhone. The indicator isn't very accurate either. I get the 20% warning, 15%, 10%, and 5% within minutes of each other. So when I see the 20% warning it means my battery is about to die. I have done everything to preserve battery life - wifi is not on at all, brightness is at factory default... I put it to sleep whenever it is not in use. This is simply not acceptable! I went to the Apple store and all they did was give me a new charger (or, a different charger, since the one they gave me wasn't new). The genius told me that I will have to send the iPhone to repair if the charger thing doesn't work. I work very far from an Apple store so it is very inconvenient for me to visit the Apple store every time I have a problem, especially since I can only go during rush hour traffic. If this charger thing doesn't work out I am demanding a new iPhone. It's been like this since the day I got it and that cannot be right.

icruise · Jul 20, 2007, 04:29 PM

Well, obviously that isn't normal. You should get several times that much battery life. Does the phone read that it is fully charged after leaving it connected to the charger overnight?

jokell82 · Jul 20, 2007, 04:38 PM

Demand an iPhone, but realize the more angry you are when you talk to a genius/applecare, the more likely they are to NOT want to help you. Be firm, but don't be an ass.

amazing · Jul 20, 2007, 04:55 PM

You realize the iPhone doesn't charge if it's connected to a computer that's asleep? It actually discharges, so you've got to connect it to a wall charger overnight or whenever.

Anyway, use the 800-number for applecare, but just remember to be extremely polite but firm. Document your battery use, etc, but don't lose your cool talking to them.

abbaZaba · Jul 20, 2007, 04:57 PM

this is clearly not supposed to happen, so why would you get mad? call apple and they'll fix it. jesus.

Since EBCDIC · Jul 20, 2007, 06:31 PM

I'd heard Apple was swapping a small number of iPhones with this issue. Call the Apple support number indeed! Good luck.

::maroma:: · Jul 20, 2007, 06:54 PM

Just get all of your info together and pack up your iPhone, make a trip to the Apple Store and calmly explain your situation and the things you've tried to fix it, and they will exchange the phone for you. If they don't exchange it, and send it to Apple for repairs, they will give you a loaner iPhone to use in the mean time.

Apple is the best company I've ever dealt with when it comes to repairs and customer service. Just treat them with respect and they'll do you right.

abbaZaba · Jul 21, 2007, 12:14 AM

doesn't matter if people post here. this dude is not going to come back and check this thread. he just needed to vent.

seaofcrap · Jul 21, 2007, 01:55 AM

I've been reading, searching these forums and other mac sites in order to determine if my iPhone's battery life is normal or not. It just seems ridiculous a genius would send me away with a different charger even though it is quite clear 2 hours is wayy off the mark. This is obviously a hardware problem in my book.

besson3c · Jul 21, 2007, 02:13 AM

Have you been pressing the "3" key? I hear it drains battery life like crazy...

scaught · Jul 21, 2007, 03:52 PM

^^ seaofcrap, you should kill yourself now. There's obviously nothing else you can do.

Mrjinglesusa · Jul 21, 2007, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by seaofcrap

I've been reading, searching these forums and other mac sites in order to determine if my iPhone's battery life is normal or not. It just seems ridiculous a genius would send me away with a different charger even though it is quite clear 2 hours is wayy off the mark. This is obviously a hardware problem in my book.

A "hardware problem" that only you seem to be having? Unlikely...

jokell82 · Jul 21, 2007, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa

A "hardware problem" that only you seem to be having? Unlikely...

Considering the battery is part of the hardware, I'd say that's the most likely scenario. He got a bum battery.

What's your theory if it's not hardware?

vln2 · Jul 21, 2007, 06:56 PM

I guess incorrect reporting of charged battery is a widespread issue. Apple said it is charged but it just reports is differently.
Apple says iPhone battery issue is a bug - Blog - WirelessInfo.com - Cell Phone Reviews and Wireless Plan Ratings

jokell82 · Jul 21, 2007, 07:06 PM

Inaccurate reporting is not the same thing as getting two hours of usage and the unit shutting down.

vln2 · Jul 21, 2007, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by jokell82

Inaccurate reporting is not the same thing as getting two hours of usage and the unit shutting down.

Obviously in his case Apple has to replace the iPhone. I hope he tells us about his experience.

Homer1946 · Jul 21, 2007, 09:54 PM

My understanding is that battery problems such as this one have been fairly common and that Apple has been pretty good about replacing the phones as appropriate. I would just go back and tell them that the prior fix didn't work.

Eug · Jul 21, 2007, 10:21 PM

This has happened with some iPods as well.

seaofcrap · Jul 21, 2007, 10:53 PM

I heard about the inaccurate reportings. However, I am sure that is not the case with my iPhone because I keep it charged overnight, meaning it is charged for a sufficient amount of time.

I can come off as a very accomodating person in real life, especially for people in the support industry (a la genius) as I am in it as well. I just do not appreciate being told there doesn't appear to be a problem when there is obvious reason to believe so. The genius even said there is no way of testing the battery in-store without sending it in to Apple, which is quite ridiculous.

This is even more frustrating because as my iPhone gets older, there is less incentive for them to replace my iPhone. Already it is nearly a month since I bought it, meaning it is well beyond their traditional return/exchange period. This makes getting a replacement less likely.

MacTheKnife · Jul 22, 2007, 01:02 AM

I'm surprised your Genius didn't just swap you out a new iPhone. Many people have experienced the same problem, including myself, and I was handled expeditiously. Sorry you had a bad experience, but that's unusual.

jokell82 · Jul 22, 2007, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by seaofcrap

I heard about the inaccurate reportings. However, I am sure that is not the case with my iPhone because I keep it charged overnight, meaning it is charged for a sufficient amount of time.

That doesn't matter at all. If your phone is actually shutting down after 2 hours, it's not just being inaccurately reported.

If *you* shut it down because you think the battery is low, it could just be inaccurately reported.

Mrjinglesusa · Jul 22, 2007, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by jokell82

Considering the battery is part of the hardware, I'd say that's the most likely scenario. He got a bum battery.

What's your theory if it's not hardware?

I meant it's not a widespread hardware problem. He's got a lemon and needs to take it back.

seaofcrap · Jul 22, 2007, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by jokell82

That doesn't matter at all. If your phone is actually shutting down after 2 hours, it's not just being inaccurately reported.

If *you* shut it down because you think the battery is low, it could just be inaccurately reported.

I don't shut down the iPhone - it shuts down itself when the battery runs out after 2 hours. That's why I'm needing my iPhone replaced.

I think it may be a mixture of software and hardware... Has anybody experienced the 20%, 15%, 10%, and 5% warnings in such short period of time? I am not making it up when I say these warnings pop up within minutes of each other. I wrote the times on a notecard and literally, every minute of usage got me the successive warnings. It just doesn't seem logical how quickly 20% drains out...

icruise · Jul 22, 2007, 03:24 PM

It is true that there isn't as much time between the 20%, 15%, 10%, and 5% warnings as you might expect, but it's not one each minute, certainly.

jokell82 · Jul 22, 2007, 04:49 PM

The first time I hit the 20% warning I had more than an hour's worth of use on the phone before it died.

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa

I meant it's not a widespread hardware problem. He's got a lemon and needs to take it back.

No one said it was widespread, but it's definitely a hardware problem.

seaofcrap · Jul 22, 2007, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by jokell82

The first time I hit the 20% warning I had more than an hour's worth of use on the phone before it died.

No one said it was widespread, but it's definitely a hardware problem.

Went down to the Apple store for hopefully the last time this summer. Fortunately, they replaced the iPhone! Hooray. I think they were trying not to get me a new one, because the genius asked when I had come to get a different charger. I said 2 weeks (white lie). At this point the iPhone's return/exchange periods been over for a while so I was thinking an exchange was nearly hopeless at this point.

Thanks for reassuring me that 2 hours of usage is unusual, because I hate making a fuss out of things.

Eug · Jul 22, 2007, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by jokell82

The first time I hit the 20% warning I had more than an hour's worth of use on the phone before it died.

No one said it was widespread, but it's definitely a hardware problem.

I had this problem with one iPod, but it went away after a software update.