I think Microsoft is trying to reduce battery life of W10 mobile devices

[sloranger]

Some time ago, I've noticed a significant decrease in my W10 mobile cellphone battery life. I found why: Microsoft applications use an incredibly high power, mostly in background, when we don't use it. I blocked these apps backround work, and my battery life is almost back to what it was before. If Microsoft is really doing this intentionnaly as I think, it's really not fair!

Look attachments to see what i'm talking about!

 

[DavidBS1989]

In my case, the apps don't seem to be the fact, but it's really that since the April's update, the battery runs out faster on my Lumia 950, just in stand by.

Maybe is an error and would be fixed with next update.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Since MS doesn't sell Windows phones any more and I don't think they sell batteries, I doubt they are trying to drain batteries. If usage is up in apps, I'd suspect a software glitch OR updates that use more power due to new features or problem workarounds before a plot to just upset users.

 

[sloranger]

If it was from unsupported apps, I would understand. But Microsoft is supposed to still support Windows 10 mobile for a few more months. It's not normal that so much Microsoft apps have this problem. I think the reason why Microsoft would want to do this is to stop supporting this system faster, because there is a cost to support it and maintain the servers up. And because they don't sell any device anymore, it's a cost with not a single revenue from this system anymore (or a very very small revenue). So they would want to kill Windows 10 mobile to cut the costs associated with the support of this system.

Maybe my theory is wrong and the reason is simply incompetence, publishing updates that cause such problems. But I don't think Microsoft developers are such incompetent.

The difference since I blocked background work for the apps is impressive. Before that, I had to recharge my cell 2 or 3 times per day. I had to recharge it before night and at the morning because the battery was very low after doing absolutly nothing during night. At the end of my working day, the battery was near to be empty. Sometimes it was empty. Very annoying. And my cell is not so old, I bought it early 2018. Now, my cell lose only 5-10% battery during night, and I can use it as I want during the whole day without any problem. Much better.

I don't know what kind of problem could cause such battery drain, only from Microsoft apps. I hope they will fix it if it was an unwanted error.

 

[tgp]

But Microsoft is supposed to still support Windows 10 mobile for a few more months.

Even though W10M is still getting updates, my personal opinion is that the updates are a byproduct of the updates for W10. If it wouldn't be for W10, I almost guarantee you that W10M would have lost updates awhile ago.

The updates don't seem to do much other than update the build number and install the latest security patch, whatever it is.

 

[Laura Knotek]

At this point in time, I doubt if the updates are affecting battery life. Battery life is probably declining due to the age of your device. which is now over 3 1/2 years old.

 

[Dan Tomas]

I have two Lumias, one is on CU1703 other on the latest FCU 1709, with stopped background apps(Edge, Cortana) and very important - disabled NFC! The same battery life compared. My opinion is that the new updates only get security patches, nothing more.
Very oft the apps Monument browser, Unigram gets improvement updates.

 

[G4Grandad]

Who knows? And what can we do about it anyway? My L830 is just as unpredictable, irritating and infuriating as it's always been. Wasn't that always part of the charm of Windows Phone? It's still on the original battery although I bought a spare 2 years ago. It charges to100%, and every time I pick it up I enjoy using it. Okay, it isn't reliable enough to use for my main phone now. But I'd buy a new Windows Phone in a heartbeat if they were available and supported. But they're not. The End is Near. Use them and enjoy them while you can !

 

[Dan Tomas]

I have a Lumia 950, 1520, 650. I loved my 650 as daily phone for work and MyTube music and the 1520 for entertainment for movies, comic reader.

 

[sloranger]

@Laura Knotek I bought my phone new early 2018. It's an Alcatel Idol 4S, so I think it has been manufactured by the end of 2016 or early 2017. So my device is probably 2 - 2 1/2 years old. It's not old enough to explain an so important battery drain. And as I said, after disabling the problematic Microsoft apps in background, my battery life is back to Something similar to what I had when my device was new. So a bug in Microsoft apps is responsible for this. It's ridiculous, even Microsoft Solitaire Collection and Microsoft Comment Center was draining my battery!

 

[pteranodon]

That's true. Instead of Edge I use Monument Browser whenever I can on my HP Elite x3. Energy consumption is minimal.

 

[wincritter]

@Laura Knotek I bought my phone new early 2018. It's an Alcatel Idol 4S, so I think it has been manufactured by the end of 2016 or early 2017. So my device is probably 2 - 2 1/2 years old. It's not old enough to explain an so important battery drain. And as I said, after disabling the problematic Microsoft apps in background, my battery life is back to Something similar to what I had when my device was new. So a bug in Microsoft apps is responsible for this. It's ridiculous, even Microsoft Solitaire Collection and Microsoft Comment Center was draining my battery!

Yeah if your battery life is back to normal when you disable those apps I don't see how it's battery age that is the issue.
If it's on purpose i'm not so sure - but then again Apple denied they were slowing down older iphones until caught lying.. so yeah anything is possible .

I think it's not likely on purpose if happening because I think Microsoft benefits by having you on the Microsoft side of the fence even if your still hanging on to a discontinued product. I could still be using my windows CE pocketPDA and sometimes I do for the fun of it but that would mean I might just buy a surface hybrid too.

Your right there is a server maintenance cost to them though - so that could be a nefarious goal if they wanted to make our phones die earlier. But they could also just shut down the servers if they want to and watch a bunch of nerds howl.