Support Forums have so far revealed several people who say the fix did nothing to improve battery life.
Let The Patches flow
One user chimed in: "Don't rely on immediate numbers when you've had mixed pre/post patch usage. Most likely you need to reset the network/device itself and discharge/recharge! It's not magic! Enthusiasm is normal but Apple users have to learn to be methodical."
In line with that, some people advised performing a total discharge to 0 percent and then recharging all the way. Others suggested resetting the device by doing a complete backup and restore.
Apple also provides a page on battery usage for the iPhone and how it runs battery tests on the various models.
Some Users say iOS 5.0.1 didn't resolve the battery problem, but they could be in the minority since other early adopters reported that the update did, in fact, take care of the issue. And several people on the Apple Support Forum say the fix did help them. But even a small minority can indicate that the update didn't fully address the issue or that other factors may be involved.
Complaints of poor battery life certainly didn't start with the iPhone 4S or iOS 5. Users of the iPhone 3G also griped about short battery life. Older versions of iOS, or the iPhone OS, such as OS 1.1.3 and OS 2.1 triggered grumblings over the same issue.
But complaints seem to be on the rise. Today's crop of smartphones run a variety of apps and services, often in the background, all of which can easily chew up battery life. In the case of iOS 5, many users have already tried disabling notifications, turning off location services, and tweaking other features, yet the battery glitch seems to persist for a fair number.
In a statement provided to All Things Digital, Apple said, "The recent iOS software update addressed many of the battery issues that some customers experienced on their iOS 5 devices. We continue to investigate a few remaining issues."
Update, November 11, 12:03 PT: adds Apple statement.
Lance Whitney
Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats--journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He's a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET.
