Survey Shows iOS 11 Isn’t Great for Battery Life (But You Should Still Upgrade)

iOS 11 has upgraded quite a few things across Apple’s mobile operating system — with one possible exception: battery life. For many, it seems like it’s one area where iOS updates seem to actually be getting worse.

Now, there might be some data to back that up. Enterprise data management firm Wandera recently conducted a survey of around 50,000 “moderate to heavy” iPhone or iPad users running iOS 10 or iOS 11. They tracked the battery decay rate over a three-day period and found that iOS 11 seems to drain a lot faster. According to Wandera’s estimates, iOS 10 on average takes about 240 minutes to go from 100 percent charge to 0 percent. iOS 11, on the other hand, took just 90 minutes.

There is a caveat, however. It’s important to keep in mind that iOS users routinely complain about battery life basically every single time a new update is rolled out. It’s a common problem that plagues users almost immediately after an update is released. But it’s largely because of the under-the-hood optimization, re-indexing and system shuffling going on. There’s also the fact that iOS 11 introduces a lot of features, and users can’t resist trying them all out at once.

Of course, these are averages and estimates. As Wandera points out, not everyone who has downloaded iOS 11 is experienced decreased battery life. If you’re running a newer device like the iPhone 8 Plus, your mileage may vary compared to someone running an older handset. What apps you have installed and use regularly also play a part.

Wandera still recommends that users upgrade — primarily in order to protect themselves from dangerous exploits that older iOS versions are vulnerable to. While other reports seem to suggest non-battery issues and general system instability, Apple is likely to address these problems and increased battery drain in a future update to iOS 11. In the meantime, you can improve battery life by following these easy tips.

Battery Saving Solutions (Sponsored)

If your battery life never seems to improve, no matter what you do, it’s time to invest in a portable battery power bank. A portable power bank will allow you to charge your iPhone or iPad on the go, no matter where you are. The higher the mAh amount, the more power it will hold. The Mophie Powerstation 8X, with 15,000mAh, will charge an iPhone SE roughly eight times on a single charge. See more options below.

1 Mophie Powerstation 8X Battery Pack –  $79.95 (46% Off) 

2 ZeroLemon 30,000mAh Power Bank – $59.99 (53% Off)

3 LifePower 27,000mAh Portable Power Outlet – $229 (30% Off)

4 Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 6/6s Battery Case -$49.95 (50% Off)