KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
LoonaC
Enthusiast - Level 2

Every since the KitKat update on my S4 (Not Mini) my battery life has plummeted.  I have turned off Global mode and set it to CDMA/LTE.  When I'm in my car with my Bluetooth radio, Hands Free mode pops up twice, even though I've disabled all the features and turned it off multiple times.  It turns itself back on.  When I use Navigation, which is almost daily, the phone gets really hot and the overheating icon appears.  It then starts shutting down applications to "Cool the phone down".  Today it tried to shut the phone OFF to cool it down while I was using navigation.  I have to hold my phone up to the A/C vent to cool it down so I can use it again.  All this happened after the KitKat update.  Nothing else has changed.  I haven't installed any new apps.  The only thing that has changed it KitKat.

KitKat was not tested very well.  They say Verizon is always last to release updates because they do extra testing before the release.  I'm not believing that one bit.

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Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Let's explore options to resolve these issues LoonaC! I had similar issues after the latest software update to my phone, and I was able to resolve all post software update issues by doing a hard reset! Give it a try http://vz.to/1mZotDR and keep us posted.

AntonioC_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VZWSupport

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Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
LoonaC
Enthusiast - Level 2

Why is it that all phone companies "FIX" for every issue with any phone, is to do a "Hard Reset"?  There is Never an actual FIX for anything, just Hard Reset the phone.  If I told every client of mine that had issues with their network that I had to format their servers and reload everything instead of actually Fixing a problem, I'd have no clients.  "Oh, we can't fix it, so wipe it and reload it from scratch".  Such a cop-out answer, and always the same answer for every issue.  Verizon's support site should be nothing but instructions on how to wipe and reload every phone they sell.  No need for actual support that actually fixes anything.

Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I understand your concerns regarding a hard reset LoonaC! I can certainly provide instructions on options to extend battery life http://vz.to/1ktGTt8 and I can also recommend to visit a store http://bit.ly/3SdsA as this is the best option to check the temperature of your phone, as overheating requires a hands on evaluation. However, based on personal experience I recommend doing a hard reset to resolved post software update issues because it a troubleshooting step that often resolve such issues. I apologize if this step is to much of an inconvenience.

AntonioC_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VZWSupport

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Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
LoonaC
Enthusiast - Level 2

This is NOT a "Troubleshooting Step".  Hard Resetting is not troubleshooting anything.  Hard Resetting is "we don't know how to fix the problem, so try this."  Troubleshooting would entail actually doing some research and digging to find out what's causing the issue and applying a fix for it.  Do you wipe your computer every time you have an issue with it?

Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
rfd177
Enthusiast - Level 3

fyi, I did a hard reset to fix my battery issue and lost the apps and data configurations that were moved to the sd card, i.e. 4.4 removes write access to sd on some apps/to some locations.

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Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
stef7
Master - Level 2

Hard Reset probably initializes all memory to a known state before the various programs expand out and start accessing these locations. There's too much user-user / device variation for them to design the updates to work perfectly for everyone.

You're actually lucky if you can update WITHOUT doing a FDR. It's sad, but it's not a problem unique to VZW, or any particular device, but generic I think to the way the operating system and software layers are implemented.

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Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
tjb1022
Enthusiast - Level 1

Along with other issues I have posted about the white icons, my battery life has also plummeted. I have a Droid Razr Maxx HD. I have to agree with LoonaC about doing a hard reset. A hard reset should be the LAST resort! Something done to your old phone when you buy a new one.

Warning Perform a factory data reset only if absolutely necessary as it removes all data including:

  • GoogleTM account
  • System and app data
  • App settings
  • Downloaded apps
  • Music, pictures and videos (It is recommended to backup this data).

Note Notes:

If I am going to go through all this and have to refer to initial activation & set-up I might as well trade my phone in and get a new one. None of my family/friends I have spoken to have had to do this after an update. It is extremely aggavating!! At least when an app affects your phone you can just uninstall it and go on your merry way.  I think someone needs to develop a device where when a hard reset is needed you take your phone to the Verizon store the attach your phone to the device it transfers your phone set-up to it, the reset is done, your phone is re-attached, your 'stuff' is transferred back to your phone and your phone is handed back to you with all your apps, pics, music, etc. in tack and you don't have to do any thing else!   ***A girl can dream can't she***

Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
paulwblair
Enthusiast - Level 1

I just updated my S4 to Kit kat and I also have this issue.  My phone is now next to useless in my car thanks to the phone overheating and killing all of my car mode apps. Samsung needs to fix this.  I did not have this problem with JB.

Re: KitKat S4 Battery Life, Overheating, & Hands Free Mode
BklyQnsExpway
Enthusiast - Level 1

Well it looks like I am in a very large club of unhappy S3 Verizon subscribers. The update ruined my phone. The only way it will take a charge is on a slow USB from laptop. This morning after charging it all night via AC it showed 100%. It was down to 95% by the time I put on my slippers. What I see here and all over the internet (Googled it) are a lot of similar problems and no good fix. New batteries, factory resets, updating hardware etc. don't work in most of the instances that I see. I am cynical enough to understand that no one will tell us exactly what is going on, but it's appalling that Verizon does not have the corporate clout to make Samsung issue a software fix. This is cost me and my company a lot of working hours and that means money. Class action anyone?

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