Galaxy Note 4: Battery Life Concerns Check Here First

[Rukbat]

Make sure your email sync is set to Push, not to a specific polling time, unless you get emails constantly. Push means that your email app sleeps until the email server wakes it because there's an email for it.

Looking at the battery stats, press the graph and you'll get the second page (see post #7, the part labeled 2.) The Awake line should be almost all blank when the phone isn't being used. You'll notice that when LaTuFu's screen is off, there's almost no Awake time. That's how it should be. If your Awake line is active when the phone isn't in use, Wakelock Detector (see Wakelock with non-rooted KitKat) will tell you why - which apps are waking the phone. Greenify can stop that, so can freezing or uninstalling the apps.

A side note: Try to never let the battery get below 40% before charging it. Carry a spare battery. A battery and charger (so you can charge one in the phone and one out of the phone at the same time) are about $20. This will give you the longest battery life. (So will conditioning a new battery - fully charge it. Use it until the phone tells you to charge it. Do it twice more.) I have some 10 year old batteries that I still use in my spare "who cares if it gets lost or stolen" phone (it would cost about $15 to replace the phone), and I still get almost full life out of them. Some people post here that their battery is shot after 6 months. How you treat them does make a difference.

 

[GregMargie]

It might. At this point though, if you don't want to go that route, maybe trying to do a cache partition clear would be the next thing to try. Not as "start over" as a factory wipe, and it might do the trick.

I have never done this before and had to look up how to do it.....like this, I found on Verizon..... Boy I hope I don't mess this up! This won't void my warranty will it?[h=1]Wipe Cache Partition - Samsung Galaxy Note® 4[/h][Device-Specific Instructions]

Performing a wipe cache partition removes any temporary files that may be causing an issue with the device. All personal files and settings are not affected by this option.

1. Ensure the device is powered off.
   
   
   If the device doesn't respond to input, remove then re-insert the battery.
2. Press and hold the Volume Up button (located on the left edge near the top) and the Home button(located at the bottom in the middle).
3. While continuing to hold the Home and Volume Up buttons, press and hold the Power button (located on the right edge) until 'RECOVERY BOOTING' appears in the upper left then release all buttons.
4. Select wipe cache partition.
   
   
   Utilize the Volume Up/Down buttons to highlight and the Power button to select.
5. Select reboot system now.
   
   
   Option is highlighted, utilize the Power button to select.

 

[GregMargie]

Make sure your email sync is set to Push, not to a specific polling time, unless you get emails constantly. Push means that your email app sleeps until the email server wakes it because there's an email for it.

Looking at the battery stats, press the graph and you'll get the second page (see post #7, the part labeled 2.) The Awake line should be almost all blank when the phone isn't being used. You'll notice that when LaTuFu's screen is off, there's almost no Awake time. That's how it should be. If your Awake line is active when the phone isn't in use, Wakelock Detector (see Wakelock with non-rooted KitKat) will tell you why - which apps are waking the phone. Greenify can stop that, so can freezing or uninstalling the apps.

A side note: Try to never let the battery get below 40% before charging it. Carry a spare battery. A battery and charger (so you can charge one in the phone and one out of the phone at the same time) are about $20. This will give you the longest battery life. (So will conditioning a new battery - fully charge it. Use it until the phone tells you to charge it. Do it twice more.) I have some 10 year old batteries that I still use in my spare "who cares if it gets lost or stolen" phone (it would cost about $15 to replace the phone), and I still get almost full life out of them. Some people post here that their battery is shot after 6 months. How you treat them does make a difference.

Rukbat, thank you. I am currently using stock email and there is no option of 'push' I had looked for it prior. I also use a Gmail account (have not checked that one) I did try to condition the battery as you stated. Screen shots attached. Thank you to you both for trying to help.

 

[GregMargie]

I lost 4% of the battery from when I snapped those screen shots a few minutes ago to now

 

[GregMargie]

D/l wake lock this is most it will do without rooting. Really frustrated.... As for an average consumer and not techy of Android.... I'm feeling like I shouldn't have to do all these things to make a brand new phone work properly! Please don't get me wrong, as I am Extremely appreciate for the help!

 

[iGalione]

Rukbat, thank you. I am currently using stock email and there is no option of 'push' I had looked for it prior. I also use a Gmail account (have not checked that one) I did try to condition the battery as you stated. Screen shots attached. Thank you to you both for trying to help.

what email service(s) do you use?

The reason I asked is due to the fact that not all email services offer push, especially push through 3rd party email applications (3rd party to their service).

Gmail offers push, yahoo offers push, msn offers push, but I gernally use all of their respective applications, Comcast offers push, but only on their app.

 

[GregMargie]

what email service(s) do you use?

The reason I asked is due to the fact that not all email services offer push, especially push through 3rd party email applications (3rd party to their service).

Gmail offers push, yahoo offers push, msn offers push, but I gernally use all of their respective applications, Comcast offers push, but only on their app.

Thank you as I never considered it was the service and not the app.....I use Cox as my main email and that email is very important to me for business. This is so weird as I never ever had problems like this on my Note 2 and never had to use Cox's apps.

 

[iGalione]

unfortunately all android devices have their growing pains, some apps work differently some don't... and when features are removed, it's usually because the vast majority isn't using it (which seems like the opposite, or the developer just couldn't care much for it)...

but when you do get to tweak your phone and get it to work for you, that's the beauty of the device...

Try giving the cox email application a run and see how that affects it, plus using that may also have some benefits and advantages over the stock exchange email app... another thing you can do rather than using the one that was provided by Samsung, you can try downloading the google exchange app from the play store and see how that one works in comparison to the one that you are using now.

 

[LaTuFu]

Thank you as I never considered it was the service and not the app.....I use Cox as my main email and that email is very important to me for business. This is so weird as I never ever had problems like this on my Note 2 and never had to use Cox's apps.

One thing you might want to consider doing is transitioning your business email over to a Gmail account.

I usually don't recommend using an ISP's email service for anything other than as a spam account.

Among the reasons, their platforms generally aren't that robust, they don't spend a lot of time optimizing the services for mobile access (even though a high percentage of email is handled by mobile devices) and if you ever change providers you lose the email address.

Since you already have a note 4, I would encourage you to set up a Gmail account for your business, and use inbox to manage it. You can set up your Cox email to forward to the Gmail account. Let your customers know you have changed your address (use the signature function to notify them when you reply, too) and in 3—6 months you will be transitioned over.

Plus that might help you with some of the battery issue you're having. If you have a lot of emails stashed in that Cox account that might be why the indexing is still running.

 

[hdhuntr]

Google terms like WWF battery hog etc. That's part of the problem right there. It's notoriously designed to be a battery hog. That's only one aspect but it definitely is one of them.

Took phone off charger 8am checked email, played words with friends, searched AC forums, a little Facebook all on and off throughout the morning.... Now it is 1:34pm and battery is down to 18%!! Something is definitely wrong!

 

[hdhuntr]

Also...take out the SD card and see what happens. You can always put it back. There are lots of threads and posts on problems with SD cards. Also you need to look at EVERY single setting on the device. The indexing could be caused by either a default setting or an inadvertent setting to sync with Google's cloud or Microsoft's cloud or Verizon's cloud. Everyone wants to hold your crap these days and you may be syncing/indexing/uploading stuff you don't even realize. I am very careful about that stuff and once or twice I caught one of them trying to upload all my music or pics to the cloud. So this is two separate things... SD CARD and CLOUD.

Most of the SD card solutions I have seen are people saying when they got a new one or a Samsung branded one they are fine. I had one mounted for a while but only had maps on it. That didn't seem to be a problem. I'd suggest if your phone isn't full then put the SD card stuff on the device and don't use one. At least see if the problem changes when you take it out.

 

[GregMargie]

One thing you might want to consider doing is transitioning your business email over to a Gmail account.

I usually don't recommend using an ISP's email service for anything other than as a spam account.

Among the reasons, their platforms generally aren't that robust, they don't spend a lot of time optimizing the services for mobile access (even though a high percentage of email is handled by mobile devices) and if you ever change providers you lose the email address.

Since you already have a note 4, I would encourage you to set up a Gmail account for your business, and use inbox to manage it. You can set up your Cox email to forward to the Gmail account. Let your customers know you have changed your address (use the signature function to notify them when you reply, too) and in 3—6 months you will be transitioned over.

Plus that might help you with some of the battery issue you're having. If you have a lot of emails stashed in that Cox account that might be why the indexing is still running.

I do own my own my own domain name. I just have not made the transition yet as we have had this Cox email address for over 15 years. Besides all of our clients who know it, that address is also tied to so many business portals for documents, associations, etc. The task of changing it all would be daunting.... With that said.... I do appreciate all the advice and you trying so hard to help..... I don't understand having to change email.... I never ever had a problem on my Note 2 with email or anything else. Also, as far as Cox, I clear emails off the server weekly and only keep the previous 1-2 weeks worth. I also keep the amount of emails limited on my phone as well.

 

[GregMargie]

Google terms like WWF battery hog etc. That's part of the problem right there. It's notoriously designed to be a battery hog. That's only one aspect but it definitely is one of them.

I don't understand what you are talking about?

 

[LaTuFu]

I don't understand what you are talking about?

What he is saying is that Words with Friends is known for being hard on battery life.

Look in the app settings for it. Check on how often it refreshes itself. I think default is every 5 minutes or something like that. Of yours is set to that, you're definitely going to see diminished battery life.

 

[GregMargie]

What he is saying is that Words with Friends is known for being hard on battery life.

Look in the app settings for it. Check on how often it refreshes itself. I think default is every 5 minutes or something like that. Of yours is set to that, you're definitely going to see diminished battery life.

Thanks for clarifying.... WWF, Um DUH I should have realized that. I checked the settings in the app and no where does it show that info/option. I also went to app manager and saw that scrapbook was running, which I will not use. I forced stop but cannot delete that bloat app so will come back on if I restart....... This is just frustrating as I never had these issues using the same apps and more on my Note 2. I usually ended the day with 40-50% battery left without additional charge through the day.

 

[GregMargie]

Power saving mode turned on doesn't seem to be much help either.

 

[GregMargie]

Stats from Gsam app. My phone still continues to run "Index Service" and seems to be the most taxing on my phone.

 

[GregMargie]

Also...take out the SD card and see what happens. You can always put it back. There are lots of threads and posts on problems with SD cards. Also you need to look at EVERY single setting on the device. The indexing could be caused by either a default setting or an inadvertent setting to sync with Google's cloud or Microsoft's cloud or Verizon's cloud. Everyone wants to hold your crap these days and you may be syncing/indexing/uploading stuff you don't even realize. I am very careful about that stuff and once or twice I caught one of them trying to upload all my music or pics to the cloud. So this is two separate things... SD CARD and CLOUD.

Most of the SD card solutions I have seen are people saying when they got a new one or a Samsung branded one they are fine. I had one mounted for a while but only had maps on it. That didn't seem to be a problem. I'd suggest if your phone isn't full then put the SD card stuff on the device and don't use one. At least see if the problem changes when you take it out.

hdhuntr, thank you and sorry I missed this.... I am definitely going to remove my SD card and see if it makes a difference. It is an old card that was in my 2 prior phones! I also went through apps and tried to delete as much as I could that I won't use. As we all know some of the bloat ware ones cannot be deleted on non rooted. I am not a root person. I don't use any of the cloud ones..... Only app I use like that is Evernote but rarely sync anything new rather use for existing documents in it.

 

[GregMargie]

Ok so, I didn't remove the SD card yet, but I did go into my picture gallery to find it was syncing to Picasa and turned it off as well as turning off all Google + items. The Index Service still hasn't stopped but did go down considerably. Screen shot attached. I am now going to remove the SD Card and see how that goes. I started on full charge at 8:45am and now down to 23% at 3:45 pm!

 

[GregMargie]

So I turned off the phone, pulled SD card, restarted. Weird, as now Gsam doesn't show the "Index Service", but when I go to Battery in settings, it Does still show it.