You'd usually hope that software updates would improve the workings of your device, but it looks like the latest version of iOS, 16.4, does just the opposite. Users report that battery life has worsened after the update, and the phenomenon has been tested and subsequently confirmed by the Youtube channel iAppleBytes. If you're still yet to receive the update, then it looks like you may want to hold off for now.
The update was released on March 27th, and the devices affected seem to be the iPhone 13, 12, 11, and XR.
Battery life says 'toodle pip'
iOS 16, when it was released, solved one of the biggest problems plaguing iPhones for a long time – battery drain. Across the board, battery life improved on a range of devices, some old, and some new. Now, however, what was supposed to be a savior for the longevity of your iPhone has become something of a villain, in some cases absolutely decimating battery life.
Tested by iAppleBytes using Geekbench, the channel discovered that battery life in the tested iPhones had dropped by significant margins. The iPhone 13's score, for example, dropped by 11%, and the iPhone 12 dropped by 12%. That's a lot of battery life missing in a device that's supposed to last all day.
Anecdotally, some of the iMore team have noticed the battery life of some of the newest iPhones dropping. The iPhone 14 Pro Max that I use no longer holds on to its juice for anywhere near as long as it used to, and other members of the team have noticed the same for other iPhone 14 models. Whatever happens, this isn't a great update for the best iPhones, and it goes without saying that if you haven't updated yet then it's worth not hitting the 'update' button until Apple has fixed the issue.
