Anyone else having huge battery issues (problem with wifi connectivity?)

[JPHBucks]

It's not typical to have only 6 hours of battery life.  We're not complaining about 20 hours; we're complaining about far less.

[jco23]

understood - but most folks don't realize the primary guzzlers of battery:

1.) data signal (both type and strength)

2.) voice cell signal

3.) kernel installed

4.) apps installed - including bloatware

you can control 3 out of 4 of these:

1.) if 4G is too weak, switch to 3Gl if you don't need data, turn it off or stick with wifi

2.) can't do much here except go to airplane mode

3.) not accepting the FP1 update (or rooting to a different kernel has been known to help)

4.) monitor your apps and which ones access your data most often

[JPHBucks]

All these are useful suggestions.  On the other hand, most of us are not able to spend our time monitoring and adjusting the status of various functions of our smartphones - we just want them to work.  And when a software change forced on us by our phone company means they no longer work, I have to wonder why it's not a warranty matter. 

At some level, it's Verizon's responsibility to provide an effective solution.  Saying, "There's nothing we can do for you other than let you buy a new phone from us" (which is what they've done to me) is just not an acceptable response.

[jco23]

agreed!

not to sound condescending, however, if you wanted a phone that requires zero tweaking on the user's part, then you should have gotten an iPhone.

my point though, is that battery life is what the user makes of it.  same thing with MPG on cars.  sure some cars get better MPG than others, but even like models get different results as the drivers have different driving habits.

today, I recalibrated my battery and am testing my battery life on just a 4G signal.... after 2.5 hours, I'm at 87% (at that pace, I'll hit 0% at 20 hours). no real useage, but I do have background data turned on, so I am getting push notifications/updates/etc.

[yogila]

Tweaking shouldn't be necessary for my phone to last 12 hours with very minimal usage. I previously had an LG Ally(which sucks!) but I could get 18-20 hrs of battery life. It also is pointless to me to know how long my battery will last with almost everything turned off and with no usage. I pay extra to have the smartphone do all that it should.

I do agree however that I should have purchased an iPhone and will definitely do that with my next upgrade, but I'm stuck with this crappy phone in the meantime.

[boobdole]

your point about usage is true, but using your car metaphor, if you found out to achieve the mileage the manufacturer claims requires you to drive at a consistent 40mph and that going any faster would cause it to cut in half and having the company "upgrade" the computer chip in your car that supposedly fixes things but reduces your gas mileage even further would be incredibly frustrating (and would probably be something you'd like to know about when purchasing the car). 

personally, I've learned my lesson and I'll never buy another samsung again (their support, whether Verizon's fault of Samsung's, is terrible, major firmware updates take a long time and minor firmware updates seem to make the phone worse).  Only one more year . . . then I can decide if I even want to continue on with Verizon, much less Samsung. 

[jco23]

understood.

but keep in mind, there is no perfect smartphone - as there are just as many people complaining about iPhones as there about Android phones.  the issue (as much as I'd hate to admit it) has very little to do with Samsung, and moreso with the software and kernel placed on the phone.

regarding my battery life today, I'm at 30% after 8 hours with moderate useage.