Sprint S6 users - battery life question, what is normal?

[Owen Kim]

Sprint S6 users - battery life question

Is this normal for your battery?

I'm really doubting my device, might be defective? There is no way I can hit 4+ onscreen time with this and I have no heavy apps installed. Had performed factory rest a lot of times too.

 

[atishc]

Re: Sprint S6 users

Depends on how strong the Sprint signal is where you are - the drain from searching for cellular/data signal can consume a lot of battery in standby. The Sprint signal tends to penetrate buildings worse than other providers, so I make sure I use WiFi when I am indoors. (I turn off the Sprint Connections Optimizer because I know when I am in strong WiFi range better than this program could, and I toggle it on/off on my own.) I also keep GPS off until I need it for navigation. All that being said, the usage you show makes it seem like you can get through a 16-18 hour day with moderate use pretty easily; the S6 is not designed to be a >1 day phone.

 

[Owen Kim]

Re: Sprint S6 users

Depends on how strong the Sprint signal is where you are - the drain from searching for cellular/data signal can consume a lot of battery in standby. The Sprint signal tends to penetrate buildings worse than other providers, so I make sure I use WiFi when I am indoors. (I turn off the Sprint Connections Optimizer because I know when I am in strong WiFi range better than this program could, and I toggle it on/off on my own.) I also keep GPS off until I need it for navigation. All that being said, the usage you show makes it seem like you can get through a 16-18 hour day with moderate use pretty easily; the S6 is not designed to be a >1 day phone.

But what about screen on time? At that rate I think I can barely make 3.5 hours

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[atishc]

Re: Sprint S6 users

The most that I have gotten on my Sprint S6 edge is 4 hours SOT over an 18 hour period, and that was on WiFi most of the day. This strikes me as eminently reasonable and better than what I was getting on my S5. To achieve this I did disable the apps that I don't use and I also limit account syncing. The people who are reporting >5 hours SOT over a >24 hour period are in general in stronger signal areas, are limiting the brightness of their screens, turning location services completely off, and not using Facebook or other heavy background data usage apps. Your options are to continue to tweak your settings to see if you can eke out more battery life with your current usage, or just top off on days that you are going to have heavier usage. It does not look like you have a defective device (other people on these forums are reporting having to charge after ~8 hours with pretty minimal use, and those people have real problems.)

 

[deeb215]

Re: Sprint S6 users

Is this normal for your battery?

I'm really doubting my device, might be defective? There is no way I can hit 4+ onscreen time with this and I have no heavy apps installed. Had performed factory rest a lot of times too.

I'm only averaging 3.5-4 SOT off 13 hours. Were you using Facebook or that's background usage? I'd try disabling that and Ok Google hotword detection. Also, Sprint Connection Optimizer like mentioned and switch Location to wifi/mobile signal if you must have it on. I think eventually we'll see an update to improve battery slightly but not much I'm fine with what I've been getting for the past week. One thing I'll do that I haven't yet is set up Power Saving mode to activate at 25%.


EDIT: 20% as there's no 25% option...

 

[Gator352]

Re: Sprint S6 users

Is this normal for your battery?

I'm really doubting my device, might be defective? There is no way I can hit 4+ onscreen time with this and I have no heavy apps installed. Had performed factory rest a lot of times too.

View attachment 173101View attachment 173102View attachment 173103

Is on par with my S6. Nothing to worry about.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Owen Kim]

Re: Sprint S6 users

I'm only averaging 3.5-4 SOT off 13 hours. Were you using Facebook or that's background usage? I'd try disabling that and Ok Google hotword detection. Also, Sprint Connection Optimizer like mentioned and switch Location to wifi/mobile signal if you must have it on. I think eventually we'll see an update to improve battery slightly but not much I'm fine with what I've been getting for the past week. One thing I'll do that I haven't yet is set up Power Saving mode to activate at 25%.


EDIT: 20% as there's no 25% option...

I just changed location settings to WiFi/mobile and it seems like the drain is much slower now!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[finzel01880]

Re: Sprint S6 users

So the S6 is a pretty nice phone. Driving the interstates in the Boston area my 1 week old S6 has yet to stay on call longer then 1 or 2 minutes without dropping a call.
Travelling these same roads I had no problem like this with the S4 this S6 is replacing.
Anyone else having this issue using Sprint?
I've updated the PRL, think the phone is defective or is this typical of this phone, if yes it's gotta go. All the data stuff is working great but first and foremost the phone needs to be a phone.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[deeb215]

Re: Sprint S6 users

So the S6 is a pretty nice phone. Driving the interstates in the Boston area my 1 week old S6 has yet to stay on call longer then 1 or 2 minutes without dropping a call.
Travelling these same roads I had no problem like this with the S4 this S6 is replacing.
Anyone else having this issue using Sprint?
I've updated the PRL, think the phone is defective or is this typical of this phone, if yes it's gotta go. All the data stuff is working great but first and foremost the phone needs to be a phone.

Posted via the Android Central App

I've read some complaints on the Sprint forum, but I'm getting good reception in Philly even though my bars are almost nonexistent. The reps say Sprint and Samsung are working on a fix for that issue. It is the first run of the Exynos chip here in the US correct? Maybe this is causing some issues.

 

[Owen Kim]

Re: Sprint S6 users - battery life question

Did you try taking to your carrier about it?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[finzel01880]

Re: Sprint S6 users - battery life question

While sitting in one place, like at home, I am not having a problem, its when im mobile there's an issue. I'm wondering if when the phone switched towers that is why its dropping calls. If that's an issue at the tower not being compatible with the phone there will no easy fix for this problem. I would think that Sprint would have done homework on this before releasing the S6.

 

[Gator352]

Re: Sprint S6 users - battery life question

I drop and miss calls like no other. Right now, it says I'm at 17% without signal. With every other phone I've used, I'm usually at 3 to 5% without signal...i drive a truck for a living and I'm out and about all day but 5% is a far cry difference than 17%.

This to me is atrocious. I refuse to be tethered to either a wall or to a power bank. Defeats the purpose of being mobile. I have till tomorrow to return this thing and I'm considering it. I love this phone. Don't get me wrong. I just can't sit and wait to see if they can fix it.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Owen Kim]

Re: Sprint S6 users - battery life question

I drop and miss calls like no other. Right now, it says I'm at 17% without signal. With every other phone I've used, I'm usually at 3 to 5% without signal...i drive a truck for a living and I'm out and about all day but 5% is a far cry difference than 17%.

This to me is atrocious. I refuse to be tethered to either a wall or to a power bank. Defeats the purpose of being mobile. I have till tomorrow to return this thing and I'm considering it. I love this phone. Don't get me wrong. I just can't sit and wait to see if they can fix it.

Posted via the Android Central App

Yeah I suggest doing and find out why you're not getting signals. If you haven't switched carriers and updated to a newer phone the signal should be much better

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