iOS 5.1 Beta Doesn’t Fix Battery Issues

We reported earlier this week that Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 5.1 to developers. Users who have upgraded and tested this version claim that it does not fix battery issues.

Ars Technica sat down with Michael Morgan from ABI Research to analyze the various reports of poor battery life.

Many users are claiming a shorter battery life after upgrading their devices to iOS 5. This has affected both iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users, as well customers who have recently bought the iPhone 4S (which comes pre-loaded with iOS 5). The iOS 5.0.1 update has fixed some bugs and a major security hole, but has not cured battery problems completely.

Morgan claims that a software fix is the real answer. There has been some speculation that the iPhone 4S's newer dual-core A5 processor may be the culprit, as it seems iPhone 4S users have it worse off than others. Morgan stepped in to explain that the hardware isn't that different.

"We tore down the 4S and tested some of the major components, including the new A5 processor," Morgan said. "Nothing that we tested was significantly different from the iPhone 4, and power draw was right where we expected it to be."

Morgan also mentioned that it can be very difficult to find and fix all of the various issues that lead to poor battery life, especially when looking at such complex software. Of course, this is compounded by the fact that iOS 5 has automatic updating of Newstand content and background syncing with iCloud.

As this is only the first beta of iOS 5.1, things are bound to improve. We're holding out hope that Apple's upcoming betas finally fix the issue once and for all. In the mean time, check our tips for improving battery life to eke out as much juice as you can.