After the production problems with the iPhone X, and the feedback from some iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus owners that they were experiencing crackling noises during their phone conversations, the new iOS 11 operating system is now being called into question.
Lately, a number of iPhone owners who have installed iOS 11 have complained of decreased battery life. This has been confirmed by the mobile security firm, Wandera, who stated that a 60% decrease in battery life (which translates into 96 minutes of use under iOS 11 versus 240 minutes under iOS 10) was observed after monitoring 50,000 users equipped with its security software. A panic is now settling in among iPhone users, as evidenced by the frustrated messages appearing on social media and related forums. Some have gone so far as to accuse the Cupertino-based company of planned obsolescence.
But what really is the issue?
The most recent operating system update introduces numerous changes and features, such as a new Control Center and augmented reality. In the days following the installation, existing apps in the phone are updated. At the same time, iOS 11 combs through the data in the phone in order to re-index it. These background tasks use up a lot of battery, resulting in lower battery life.
How can this be fixed?
These two problems which, by the way, do not affect the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, are temporary - a few days are all that are needed to return to normal. IF that doesn't happen, here are some steps to take while waiting for a new system update to correct the problem:
- Activate Low Power Mode
- Observe battery use by each of the applications installed on your phone, and shut down any that are using a lot of energy
- Deactivate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth under Settings
- Turn down the brightness of your screen
- Turn off Location Services as well as unnecessary notifications.
If you want to know more about the importance of testing, we encourage you to download our last white paper about this topic.
