iOS 7.1 problems: 8 ways to fix battery life issues

iOS 7.1 has resulted in users complaining about battery life problems. We show you how to fix them.

Apple’s iOS 7.1 update brings additional functionality, but users have flocked to Apple’s online forums, complaining about battery life issues.

An IT Pro reader warned us about updating, noting that the iOS 7.1 update “sucks the life out of your battery at an alarming rate.”

The issue has been reported across iPhones and iPads, so it appears to be a software problem. Ars Technica ran extensive battery tests on iOS 7.1 and found battery life to be slightly worse than before.

No one has found an official fix, but users have reported different levels of success fighting the battery drain.

Here are 8 tips to try and help you solve the problems with battery life:

1. Double check the brightness setting. The screen is the biggest consumer of battery and if you’ve got it set to full blast this will drain the power quickly. It’s a good idea to leave it on 75 per cent and also use the auto-brightness feature. Go to Settings > Wallpaper & Brightness.
2. Keep on top of apps. Once you’ve stopped using an app, it doesn’t mean that it’s been closed. iOS will run tasks in the background, sapping up power until you close apps manually. Open the app switch screen by double-tapping the home button and swipe those apps off the screen.
3. Turn off Bluetooth from the quick settings menu by flicking up from the homescreen. Location services is also a massive battery hog. To turn this off go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services
4. When you’re not browsing the internet switch off 4G. Go to Settings > Cellular.
5. Turn off background updates. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
6. Do a hard reset (this won’t erase any data). Hold the home and power buttons for ten seconds until it restarts. This reboots the phone and kills any potentially power-hungry background tasks.
7. Charge your phone to full capacity, then use it until the battery dies. Apple recommends doing this once per month in order to retain maximum battery health.
8. Reset the phone completely. This should be the last option as it wipes your data. Connect your phone to your computer and restore it in iTunes as a new device. Do not restore from a backup.

Other iOS 7.1 problems

There are reports of overheating devices, and also issues with background downloads, with an Apple user noting  iOS 7.1 consumed his 1.2GB data allowance quickly.

Users have also reported problems with setting up personal hotspots on iOS 7.1 as APN settings for a hotspots can no longer be saved after updating.

The issue is widespread enough that it appears to be another software bug, not something carrier-side. It has been confirmed in multiple countries. One user claims Apple support told them the issue would be reported to the developers, so a fix could happen.

Lastly, we’ve seen complaints on the iOS 7.1 incoming call screen. Where iOS 7 featured a full-page image of the caller, 7.1 crops the image into a circle next to their name at the top of the screen.

Users have complained about it, saying it’s harder to see who’s calling. Apple has not issued an official statement on any of these problems. We will keep you updated of any official fixes.

Source : itpro