Airplane mode draining battery

[DevilInPgh]

I tested my EVO in airplane mode and idled it tonight for 5 hours. When I put it into airplane mode, the battery was at 40%. Upon turning the phone back on, it had drained to 22%. The battery profile mentions that "Phone idle" was taking up 70% of juice, while the Android system was taking up 18%. This is going to be a nightmare when I travel in a couple of weeks if I can't get it fixed. It's going to be such a dealbreaker that I may switch my EVO for a Samsung Moment. Can someone help me with this problem?

 

[chessmyantidrug#AC]

Did you have everything else turned off, too?

 

[DevilInPgh]

Yes, I do. However, I did notice that Twidroid was active, and I have Facebook and Google Sync on. Am I going to have to manually shut off those syncs too whenever I go into Airplane mode? Because it would seem to me that Airplane mode should override them. And if it's the case that it doesn't, is this a generic Android problem that I would also see on the Moment?

 

[anon(26928)]

I use airplane mode often at work because of security reasons I have to put it in a metal locker. The locker makes my radios drain the battery super fast if I don't. I leave it in there for hours at a time and lose maybe only a couple %.

 

[DevilInPgh]

OK, after testing Airplane mode overnight (about 7 hours) from an initial charge of 80%, this time with Twidroid off but Autosync on, it drained to near 50%. I'm going to test it more today with Autosync off and see if that solves the problem.

 

[markdek]

Well, w/ Airplane mode on, the radios nor any apps can connect. But, I don't know how Android handles sync and other app requests when the radio is off. Remember, there's also another shortcut button where you can turn of Mobile Services....perhaps that has to be off too.

You would think that Android would have been coded to ignore any mobile data services request if the phone is in airplane mode. I know it works this way on the iPhone.

Try w/ Mobile Services off too.

 

[Kedar]

Yeah I noticed this too. I used it and the phone drained a couple percent in one hour.

Which is odd, because with my Pre airplane mode was the best thing you could do to save battery. It would only drain like 2-3% overnight.

 

[QuasarZ]

Well, w/ Airplane mode on, the radios nor any apps can connect. But, I don't know how Android handles sync and other app requests when the radio is off. Remember, there's also another shortcut button where you can turn of Mobile Services....perhaps that has to be off too.

You would think that Android would have been coded to ignore any mobile data services request if the phone is in airplane mode. I know it works this way on the iPhone.

Try w/ Mobile Services off too.

Where is that shortcut located? If I hold the power button down I get a few options like airplane mode and mobile connections. Is that the same?

 

[markdek]

It's under apps, widgets, Settings.........then add it to your home screen

 

[DevilInPgh]

Well, w/ Airplane mode on, the radios nor any apps can connect. But, I don't know how Android handles sync and other app requests when the radio is off. Remember, there's also another shortcut button where you can turn of Mobile Services....perhaps that has to be off too.

You would think that Android would have been coded to ignore any mobile data services request if the phone is in airplane mode. I know it works this way on the iPhone.

Try w/ Mobile Services off too.

Mobile data turns off automatically when Airplane mode is on. I have both switches on the same screen. After more reading, I'm seeing that maybe turning off Autosync may not be enough, but rather Background Data also has to be turned off. Regardless, I'm testing with Autosync off but Background Data on to see if that's all I have to do. Yeah, this sounds like a generic Android thing.

 

[QuasarZ]

Just tested it. I Added it to my homescreen then turned on airplane mode and it automatically turned the mobile network one off

 

[DevilInPgh]

Airplane mode for two hours with background data off, and battery dropped from 84% to 74%. I can't figure out what's going on.

 

[DevilInPgh]

Apparently, it's that the phone isn't going into sleep mode. Spare Parts is showing the battery as being up 100% of the time without sleeping. Is this supposed to be normal?

 

[randymac88]

By chance are you using the Curvefish Airplane Mode widget? I've noticed that, at least on my phone, there is a bug where when I turn *on* Airplane Mode, it also turns on 4G. Other airplane mode widgets don't seem to do this. This would obviously affect battery life, as it had mine before I realized this.

 

[DougB541#CB]

Any other reports of this happening?

 

[AndroidOne]

Intersting, when the Airplane (AP) setting is turned on, the Evo turns off all data radios as it should - does not turn off the GPS receiver if is on though.

However, you can manually turn the WiFi, 4G and hotspot radios on while on AP mode. None of the previous phones I had allowed for WiFi or GPS operations while on AP mode. This is how my Evo is operating, can anyone else verify this on other Evos.

This seems like a bug to me; the purpose of the AP mode is to disallow ALL transmiter operation while inside an airplane. This should include every data radio on the Evo (the GPS is just a receiver, however the FAA does not want these on either).

What I don't know is if some apps that sync or download data on schedule are capable of turning on 4G/WiFi data radios automatically while on AP mode. If they are, then this is a major software bug that needs the attention of HTC.