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Round Up: Nine iPhone 3G Battery Life Test Results
Posted by John Mahoney at 6:42 AM on July 16, 2008
The black art of battery life testing takes time--that's why every launch day review had some version of "we'll get back to you"--as well they should. Now, after a weekend of testing, some hard data on battery numbers are starting to trickle in. But the iPhone is such a complex device that your results will likely vary from the numbers above.
One takeaway seems to be that as far as straight-up 3G talk time goes, the iPhone 3G is near the top of the range--Wirelessinfo and PC World both found it to be among the best 3G handsets they've tested for voice talk time. For mixed use and browsing numbers, the range is pretty wide, since the variables at play are nearly infinite.
Ars Technica: 3:00-4:30 (mixed use); under 4:00 (video playback)
"Using the iPhone constantly for various tasks like reading e-mail, surfing the web, sending updates to Twitter, and using other apps that make use of the network connection, we managed to get anywhere from 3 to 4.5 hours of Internet use out of the device. As for video playback, we watched several TV shows purchased from iTunes back to back until the battery died completely. Doing this, the battery went from full to empty in just a hair under 4 hours."
Wirelessinfo: 5:50 (3G talk time)
"The iPhone 3G lasted five hours fifty minutes in our test of call time. This is significantly above average and is the best time amongst our comparison phones. The web browsing test on the iPhone 3G has been one of the most vexing. So far our results have been 162 minutes, 168 minutes, 253 minutes and 409 minutes. One possible factor is that we leave the backlight to set itself automatically as our standard is to leave settings in default except for a few like making sure the screen stays on."
PC World: 5:38 (3G talk time)
"The battery life on Apple's new 3G iPhone isn't great, but it beats that of other 3G smart phones we've seen. PC World's Test Centre ran it through our standard talk-time battery life test, and found that on average it ran 5 hours, 38 minutes, a running time that we consider earns a Fair rating...Of other handsets that support AT&T's HSDPA/UMTS network, only the HTC Touch Dual came close, with an average talk time of 5 hours, 18 minutes."
Engadget: 5:24 (video playback)
"We managed just 5 hours and 24 minutes of continuous playback of our 320 x 176, H.264 video encoded at 127kbps. (Our tests were conducted with the screen at half brightness, half volume, with Apple's stock headphones, WiFi on, but not connected, Bluetooth off, 3G and cellular radios on, and location services on — pretty much all the defaults.)"
PC Magazine: 5:43 (3G talk time)
"On our 3G talk time test, the iPhone lasted 5 hours, 43 minutes." [Spare no words, eh guys?]
CNET: 5:00 (3G talk time); 9:00 (EDGE talk time)
"On EDGE the iPhone 3G fell about an hour short of its rated time of 10 hours, while 3G calls matched the promised time of 5 hours. Those times aren't bad, but we'll run another round just to be sure."
Anandtech: 3:17 (3G web browsing)
"At 197 minutes, the iPhone 3G can keep you browsing for a little over 3 hours before completing dying. That's with no additional phone calls or anything else going on in the background, just constant surfing. The problem is that this is a very realistic scenario for many users."
DVICE: 2:54 (3G web browsing /mixed use)
"This is a real-world test, too. Just as Apple tested its iPhone 3G, I had Wi-Fi running but not associated with any network, call forwarding on, and "Ask to Join Networks" and Auto-Brightness were turned off. Then I just browsed from site to site as I would normally do, checking email and downloading a few apps from time to time. It was all 3G, all the time."
Walt Mossberg/WSJ: 4:27 (3G talk time); 5:49 (3G web surfing)
"In my test of [3G] voice calling, I got 4 hours and 27 minutes, short of Apple's maximum claim and nearly three hours less than what I recorded in the same test last year on the original iPhone. In my test of Internet use over 3G, I got 5 hours and 49 minutes, better than Apple's claim, but far short of the nine hours I got using Wi-Fi in last year's tests."
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Stew
Posted July 16, 2008 1:59 PM
The image has been cut off after the 3G "Walt Mossberg" bar in Firefox 3, but the full pic is shown in IE6. Weird.
coco
Posted July 18, 2008 12:41 PM
Sure the battery on iPhone 3G is not that great, but what can we do? We want small size phones, powerful features and lengthy battery life.
Just get a backup battery. I got mine from iPhoneck brands. Their new 3G backup battery is probably one of the better looking products in the market. Their website is www.iphoneck.com
james mendelsohn
Posted July 23, 2008 3:05 PM
Got a battery of a Dutch startup called 3G JUICE (http://www.3gjuice.com). It's much stronger then the Iphoneck and has a cap too. See also arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/07/18/several-backup-batteries-can-extend-your-daily-iphone-3g-use
jfj
Posted 7:27 AM 16/7/08
So to confirm, 'Location Services' in the settings is GPS? And switching it off will help battery life (I'm not getting a full day off mine even with WiFi off...)
jfj
dgstan
Posted 7:22 AM 16/7/08
FYI - I was told by my local AT&T stores that they are out and to check back "in a couple days". Meanwhile, all 4 local Apple stores have them in stock (all except black 16gb). I wonder while Apple isn't sharing? Don't they play nice?
Anyhow, I got in line at the Newport Beach Apple store at 9am this morning. I was the 9th person in line. The store opened at 10am and I was out with my white one by 10:30am. The extremely cute girl who helped me was very knowledgeable when it came to dealing with AT&T - and she was really cute.
dgstan
DeadWriter
Posted 7:21 AM 16/7/08
@tucker: AT&T is starting to fulfill orders for those that couldn't get an iPhone on opening day, but started the process by giving a credit card# and info. What's weird is that it looks like they are shipping iPhone individually to stores. I have a FedEx tracking number and it looks to be just for my iPhone. A coworker of mine, who was in front of me, order shows that it hasn't been shipped yet.
According the AT&T store manager, they will receive iPods every day for sale to those that walk in. Those that place fulfillment orders will have to wait, and there is no canceling that order. A restocking fee will be charged for every canceled order.
Your best bet is to find the busiest AT&T store and get there at opening if there is not Apple store in your area. Or if there is, you could always use the Apple iPhone stock checker ([www.apple.com]).
This artificial scarcity is really lame.
DeadWriter
bunziole
Posted 7:14 AM 16/7/08
i want someone to post what kills the battery more, leaving 3g on or leaving location services on,,,... i think my gps is tracking me when im not using it. whenever i open it the map seems to be over where i am.. strange HUH HUH HUH
bunziole
bunziole
Posted 7:13 AM 16/7/08
im a getting doody times... so far since friday, i have not gotten a full day out of the phone... im afraid to use it... i hope it gets better
bunziole
OGHowie
Posted 7:10 AM 16/7/08
Freaking AT&T and their in-store activation. AT&T stores are sold out and the Apple stores won't even pick up their phones because they're so busy.
OGHowie
MorganRW
Posted 7:05 AM 16/7/08
Still cant find one. Was told yesterday by two AT&T employees that they had them in but could not sell them until morning. They suggested I show up at 6 to get in line for the 9am opening. I arrived at 9... I was the first one into the store and you guessed it... the store manager told me that the employee lied and that they didnt have any deliver the day before. Every customer in the store received the same bs news from this employee. He apologized and promised to giver her a stern talking to. I called again today and they told me they expect to have a new shipment in three weeks. Meanwhile they are selling like hotcakes at the Apple store yet I cant get one because I am a business client. I guess I'll get mine about the time iphone 3 is rolling out. But wait it gets better...my 8525 is broken and unusable. Thanks for the big FU AT&T.
MorganRW
dirtybird1977
Posted 7:05 AM 16/7/08
In my findings I got hardly any use out of my phone the first day. Somewhere between 1.5 - 2.5 hours with a mixture of calling and using apps. Contrary to Apple's statement that this battery, unlike previous, it does not get better with several chargings I have found that I am getting much more battery life. Now after several discharges/charges I am now getting a full day of use with moderate/high use of both calling and applications. I find that I am getting similar battery life, slightly less actually, as I did with the Gen 1 iPhone. But, I am using my 3G iPhone a lot more then I did the Gen 1. I suggest just charging your phone every night. I got into that habit with the Gen 1 and I will continue with the 3G.
dirtybird1977
scoobydoo
Posted 7:04 AM 16/7/08
Unless they all tested it at the exact same location or same route, these tests can't be compared. The further away the test is from a base station, the more power it'll use. I'm guessing Walt has his own personal AT&T cell tower in his living room (next to his Apple shrine), and that the others tested it at home a few miles from a tower.
scoobydoo
Waka in Japan
Posted 7:04 AM 16/7/08
remember! the trick is to NOT use your phone!
Waka in Japan
kmkl
Posted 6:58 AM 16/7/08
well, somebody has got to be lying...
Walt...
Cnet..
Ars.?
Anybody?
kmkl
bmw5
Posted 6:57 AM 16/7/08
Man! Talk about draining battery power, about 1hr on MotionX poker and monkey ball brings my battery down to 20% from a full charge (of course my wifi is also on). I'll try to play in airplane mode and see how long the battery lasts.
bmw5
th4tkid
Posted 6:55 AM 16/7/08
I was at the santa monica store at 6 AM and i got a white one. It took like five hours to get out, but i got one.
I still charge it every night and thats what i did with my old iPhone, so im good.
th4tkid
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 6:53 AM 16/7/08
@92BuickLeSabre: Oh...sorry. That was on the original iPhone, not the 3G.
92BuickLeSabre
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 6:53 AM 16/7/08
Based on my highly scientific testing, MotionX Poker runs down the battery in almost exactly the amount of time it takes to drive from NYC to Atlantic City via the Garden State Parkway without an EZ Pass at 11:00 a.m. on a Saturday.
(So...about 4 hours?)
92BuickLeSabre
c0rnpwn
Posted 6:50 AM 16/7/08
@tucker:
I had trouble finding one...so I just got in line at the NYC 5th Avenue store at 7 am before work. What a sleepy day (on top of commute) :D
On topic:
I've been somewhat surprised at the battery life of the iPhone, it could certainly use improvement. I guess it just isn't feasible considering the technology involved.
c0rnpwn
tucker
Posted 6:47 AM 16/7/08
i'd love to give my take on the iPhone, but i can't get one! i've been trying for five days now. always sold out.
anyone else having trouble finding one?
tucker
crenquis
Posted 7:58 AM 16/7/08
Why do you think that they cripple the bluetooth??? Without a removable battery, the iPhone would become an iBrick after a couple hours of 3G tethering; bluetooth headphone use; etc.
crenquis
kevininstereo
Posted 7:54 AM 16/7/08
easy.. turn 3g off, unless you actually need it (ie downloading app, surfing heavy pages)
how? Settings > General > networking > 3g off
kevininstereo
Totorototoro
Posted 7:52 AM 16/7/08
Wow, DVICE, easy with those porn downloads :p
Totorototoro
gamecrazychris
Posted 7:51 AM 16/7/08
Is it just me or does it seem like Walt Mossberg got a special iphone, either that or he spends a LONG time looking at websites and hardly any time loading them.
gamecrazychris
simplogic
Posted 7:48 AM 16/7/08
@yokozuna: i'm having the exact same issues. with absolutely NO use what so ever my phone was down to 20% by 4:00pm today. Took it off of the charger at 8:00am.
I've got both 3G and location services on as well as Mobile Me (Push) and Exchange.
Pretty ridiculous that the phone can't even last a day in standby mode.
simplogic
scoobydoo
Posted 7:42 AM 16/7/08
@Blackti3: Every Apple store in IL is sold out, except for the Flagship. I know 2 people who spent all day in lines yesterday and still left with nothing.
Apple need to learn how to count. When you have 100 people in a line, and only 20 iPhones left, it would be nice if you told the remaining 80 people not to bother, instead of wasting their time.
scoobydoo
Richard Baguley
Posted 7:41 AM 16/7/08
@kmkl: No, nobody has to be lying. Each test is done under a different set of circumstances (different signal strength, different sound source, etc) so you will get differing results. The only way to deal with this would be to have a completely closed system with no variables, but that would require having your own cell phone network, which isn't cheap ;-)
I work at wirelessinfo.com, and these results all look decent to me, and withing a smiliar range to ours. It's probably just that uncle walt and CNet's test setup involved more battery drain, either from teh screen or the 3G radio.
Richard Baguley
yokozuna
Posted 7:36 AM 16/7/08
I charged mine from dead this morning (took >2 hours), haven't used it a ton today (and turned 3G and location services off) and I'm already below 20%. That's 6 hours of little to no use. I do, however, have it hooked to an Exchange server, so that may be impacting it.
Anyone else using Exchange and push email?
yokozuna
Blackti3
Posted 7:34 AM 16/7/08
If you want an iPhone 3G, get in line at an Apple store, but not the flagship ones. I waited for 4 hours on Saturday at a mall near Chicago. Was painless, nice people, great weather (outdoor mall), very organized, free lemonade!!. They have a large supply of these things, it was great that they had employees asking everyone in line which phone they wanted so they could keep a running tally in case they were to run out. I'm not a mac fan, this is the first apple device I own but I have to hand it to them, this is a damn good phone and they really do have their act together (except for the iPocalypse ofcourse).
Blackti3
Player4
Posted 7:33 AM 16/7/08
Part of this may be that people are not conditioning their batteries.
Player4
JEmlay
Posted 8:25 AM 16/7/08
Are you people never turning the screen off or what? I play the hell out of my iPhone before and after work. During lunch and during all bathroom breaks (whatever). My phone lasts all day long. From when I wake up until I go to bed. Dock it at work and in the car if you're going to talk on it like a 13 year old girl.
JEmlay
OGHowie
Posted 8:01 AM 16/7/08
@Blackti3:
I don't consider 4 hours painless. :)
I better wait until next week.
OGHowie
Keebler
Posted 9:16 AM 16/7/08
I'm having poor battery life as well. Definitely worse than the 2G even with similar use. I switched to fetch today to see if it helped at all, but didn't seem to very much.
Lame... I sorta want my 2G iPhone back, especially considering the 3G (which I probably will never use for fear of running my battery down) costs me $15 extra per month ($10 extra for 3G, $5 extra for the new text message plan).
Keebler
geekpi
Posted 10:49 AM 16/7/08
"as far as straight-up 3G talk time goes, the iPhone 3G is near the top of the range"
FYI: The 2 year old 3G ATT 8525 smartphone gets between 6 & 8 hours of talk time according to CNET reviews, effectively twice as long as the new iPhone. My 8525 gets right about that.
[reviews.cnet.com]
geekpi
Aristeia
Posted 11:18 AM 16/7/08
The myriad of test results seems appropriate. I think leaving the settings to default was key to the mistake; although they attempted to recreate the most likely use scenario, they did so in a way that resulted in too much variable.
Primary issue could've been actual physical location. If they were at the edge of a 3G area, or 3G reception was bad, the iPhone was likely switching between 2.5G and 3G, thus hurting battery life.
Also, leaving the backlight to auto-adjust could've screwed w/ the results.
Still, I have to admit that my personal experiences have more or less been consistent with the inconsistent numbers. That is, I'll spend the same amount of time doing the same thing, but the battery drain will be different based on factors i'm not entirely certain of. Overall, battery life hasn't been horribly impressive, but I think it's fine enough during work days, when i'll have plenty of access to more power.
Also, i'm definitely going to invest in a small external battery to keep my iPhone going when I need it.
Aristeia
philbert
Posted 1:26 PM 16/7/08
@simplogic: @yokozuna: Guys, if you leave the push on all the time, you're going to KILL the battery. I set mine to push data every 15 minutes, and it only went down to 40% or so by midnight, with several hours of mixed use since the night before. With push set to only once an hour, I got down to maybe 70%. Don't have it constantly seeking new data unless you're truly important enough to need instantaneous emails... Duhhhh!
philbert
dapoktan
Posted 6:07 PM 16/7/08
@philbert: then why am i paying 100bucks a year for mobileme?
dapoktan
Jason
Posted 1:32 AM 17/7/08
And how might this compare to other 3G superphones?
Jason
keysereble
Posted 1:18 AM 17/7/08
i think if you limit yourself to all these "tips" then you are not using the device the way it was meant to be - you are turning off many of the features that make it great.
why would one upgrade from the older model?
keysereble
keysereble
Posted 1:55 AM 17/7/08
*text messages
keysereble
keysereble
Posted 1:53 AM 17/7/08
@Jason:
my personal device is an htc touch dual on att - u run 3g all day, use google maps all the time, play several games, hotmail and gmail deliver about 30-50 emails a day (total), i ping weather about 4 times a day (gots to love atlanta), and play poke tag all day long on facebook with several chicks via IEm :(....
i also use OC2007 and MSN mobile
add in several calls and a few test messages.
now running on 24hrs without a charge and the battery level is 70%
note i do not run corporate emails to this device, thats for the bb curve to do.
keysereble
TMDoc
Posted 12:54 AM 18/7/08
Wouldn't using a backup battery solve the battery issue? I think Richard Solo has a good one, you can just pop it right on the iphone when it starts going low. Anyone have experience using these?
TMDoc
tzed
Posted 1:09 PM 16/7/08
My iPhone 3G hasn't yet run out of battery during my typical (15 hour) day.
But I'm not a "power user".
Just a couple of e-mails, a couple of surfing sessions, maybe .5- 1 hour phone, some app usage......
Coming from a free Nokia phone with nothing more sensational than SMS I am psyched!
tzed
stryder100
Posted 5:52 AM 19/7/08
I ordered an iPhone the other day. Finally caved in. I'm sure everyone was waiting with bated breath to see if I would. I ordered it on Tuesday and I was told it'd take 10-21 days. According to the shipping status on the AT&T web site it's "In Progress" which means nothing's been done with it.
stryder100