Expert Explains Why iOS 14 May Be Draining Phone Battery

An expert has revealed why the iOS 14 update may be draining iPhone users' battery, saying it triggers a great deal of background activity.

Apple's latest iOS update was rolled out earlier this month, but since its release many users have taken to social media to say their phone battery appears to have been draining faster than it used to before.

One user said on Twitter: "If you haven't done the iOS 14 update; DONT DO IT. The battery drain is unbelievable.

"From 90% to 3% in one hour."

Someone else said: "IOS 14 CAN YOU PLS STOP WRECKING MY BATTERY LIFE I JUST WANT MY PHONE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY THANK YOU."

A third wrote: "My battery used to last me FOREVER on the pro max but ever since iOS 14 my battery life is garbage."

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According to one expert, there could be a number of factors behind the problem.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a researcher at ZDNet, explained in a new article that he was not shocked as 'this always happens'.

"With a quick Twitter search, it's clear that for many, the most prominent iOS 14 feature is aggressive battery drain," Kingsley-Hughes said, before going into why this could be.

He continued: "First off, installing a new OS on an iPhone triggers a lot of stuff to go on in the background, from indexing to recalibrating the battery, and this can go on for hours or even days.

"Not only does this consume power, but the battery recalibration can give the impression that the battery is draining more rapidly when in fact it isn't.

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"Add to this the dual factor of a lot of app updates happening following a new release, combined with a lot of new features available that may put more drain on an older handset."

Kingsley-Hughes said you needn't worry about the battery power 'for a week or so after installing a new iOS'.

"It takes time for things to normalise," he advised.

However, if you do feel concerned, you can always check on your battery health.

Kingsley-Hughes added: "If you go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and the message is that it is good for Peak Performance Capability, then it's either just the normal stuff going on, or a bug."

Topics: Phones and Gadgets, News, Technology, Apple, iPhone

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman