Help Unusually low (for me) battery life - please help!

[Becky_x]

I'm used to getting about 1% an hour from my battery, drains a bit more when I use it heavily obviously.

But suddenly a few days ago, literally it was fine one day and rubbish the next, it started draining very fast, a few % every 30mins.

We've just got new fibre optic broadband, could it be it's taking more power to connect to that?

I had a couple days off work last week and since I didn't go anywhere I left it plugged into the charger, and it was when I unplugged it I noticed the fast drain. Could that have damaged it somehow?

Yesterday after unplugging it for work and the battery was still draining fast, I decided to let it completely drain out and then charge it back up while it was off and see what happened. It's been unplugged for 32mins and already on 96% which is not what I'm used to.

 

[Rukbat]

Fiber optic is as a level the phone can't see, so that won't make any difference unless the phone can't find a network.

Leaving the charger in for days won't affect anything unless the phone is already broken. The charge should shut off when the phone reaches 4.3 volts/cell.

I'd say you didn't condition the battery (I know, it doesn't make any difference any more, but the batteries don't seem to have gotten the memo), your usage changed or your conditions changed.

 

[Becky_x]

I'm not one of those people that are constantly fiddling with their phone installing this, that and the other. I've not installed a new app for months and months.

My usage hasn't changed either, occasional Facebook if I'm not at my main computer, playing solitaire on my break at work, other than that it's mostly email. But I took a few days off work this week so if anything I used it a lot, lot less than usual.

 

[Becky_x]

85% after 2 hours and it says screen took up most at 61%

It's so confusing because I haven't changed anything, done anything I don't normally, but something is definitely wrong.

 

[Becky_x]

I didn't want to have to but I took my pictures off, noted my numbers down just in case and did a factory reset. Added my apps back on and disabled unnecessary things. While I was sleeping it's gone from 56% to 2% in 9.5 hours!

I need this phone for work tomorrow, can anyone help me please!?

 

[tensazan]

Have you tried disabling SVoice?

 

[Becky_x]

Have you tried disabling SVoice?

I already had that disabled when my phone was fine so I don't think that can be the problem.

I've factory reset it, does anyone know what I should do next?

 

[javamann]

I have a simple solution: just have several chargers set at strategic points!

 

[Becky_x]

Thanks for your help -_-;;

 

[svim]

Now this is just idle speculation but since you've gone through all typical stuff most of us would have tried -- factory reset being the last resort -- and since you've already mentioned you didn't add, alter, or re-configure any apps before your battery life problem, I'm wondering if one of the already installed apps on your phone had auto-updated itself, triggering some new battery draining event. Maybe before this app was just polling itself online every so often but after it updated itself it's doing something every few minutes??? Something like Facebook now set to refresh/sync every minute or so?
Also, I wouldn't completely discount your battery going bad, just coincidentally when you had left it on your charger for an extended time. I noticed Amazon is selling Samsung S3 OEM batteries for $11. (...and if you're adventurous, third-party brands for much less)