Some Android phones heavy and fast battery drain

Irish Steve

Posting this here, as it could be affecting a lot of users at the moment.

Some android phones have started discharging battery very fast, to the point where the battery is completely discharged, and the phone won't power back on when initially connected to the charger, as it's so flat.

There is some sort of issue happening with Google play services, which is a core part of the android system on many phones, and it's being suggested that the HSE Covid tracking app may also be implicated in the problems.

What worked for me, but I may have been lucky, close all the apps down, and go into apps, and find play services, then clear the cache and the data stored, and do this several times to ensure that all the stored information is removed, as due to other core systems running, it may not clear first time,

After this, perform a shut down and power the phone up again, NOT a restart.

My Play service battery use before doing this was 63%. it's now back down to below 1%, but it's not clear if this is a fix, or if it's just luck that it has apparently cleared the issue.

Posting this here in Covid as it's likely to be seen by more users than the posts in Android forum, and it is Covid related, as there are clear suggestions that the Covid tracker app may be implicated.

Hope it helps some users get back on the air again

ShaShaBear

Had woeful trouble with my Samsung A50 yesterday. Charged to 100% before bed, put it on my nightstand, and checked a message 10 minutes later to see my phone down to 62%. Google Play Services was coming up with insane usage so I uninstalled the Covid app and cleared the cache from the startup menu on the phone and then rebooted and my phone is currently on 57% down from that 62% last night.

I'll re-install once the problem is fixed, but it's no good to anyone if it can kill a battery that quick.

Irish Steve

From posts online in newstalk, it seems, but yet to be confirmed, the problem is a Google update, rather than the HSE app that's causing the problem. As to exactly what, or why, that's going to be a subject for another day.

If I see any updates on other sites about this that are relevant, I will come back to this thread to update, it would be a pity if the HSE app gets blamed for something that's not the covid app's fault, and even more worrying to lose a significant number of users from the tracking scenario as a result.

ACitizenErased

It’s a Google issue, they’re working on it.

Charles Babbage

It is reported on another thread here that one should delete the Google play storage and reboot the phone. I've done this but it is too soon to say if it works.

Fr_Dougal

Already covered in the Covid app thread: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058074432&page=43

Deleting the Covid app fixes the issue.

Pinch Flat

Yeah happening to me. Phone was getting really hot and wouldn't charge - it's a galaxy s7. Did a Trouble shoot and covid app was flagged as draining battery.

Outkast_IRE

Was on the verge of buying a new phone thinking mine my battery was failing.

alchemist33

I have both the NI and ROI covid apps, which are supposed to work together, but was using the ROI one currently as.only one works at a time. Same issue Friday night, my phone died despite being well charged. I switched to the NI app and its better now.

prunudo

Interesting, i thought it was a problem with my own phone (s8). It started draining much quicker than normal yesterday, same again today. Glad its something to do with the operating system and my phone isn't on the blink.

Azatadine

Thanks. Happened my S10 yesterday. I deleted the app and reinstalled it again plus cleared the cache in Google play services. I thought it was just my phone. Used up the battery on about 3 hours without using it at all. It's fine today.

Hello 2D Person Below

https://twitter.com/HSELive/status/1292510112184229889

Pherekydes

My phone (Galaxy S6) is discharging so fast (about 90 mins without usage) that it was getting hot. Had to take it out and leave it open on the table. Trying the stuff in the OP to see if it makes any difference.

Any symptoms? Yeah, my phone has a temperature... :pac:

pah

I was being absolutely ridden yesterday. Almost new OnePlus 7T pro with a battery that lasts me 24-36 hrs most of the time lasted about 4 hrs yesterday.

Cleared cache etc on play services and all fine now again.

pah

I was being absolutely ridden yesterday. Almost new OnePlus 7T pro with a battery that lasts me 24-36 hrs most of the time lasted about 4 hrs yesterday.

Cleared cache etc on play services and all fine now again.

Pherekydes

Pherekydes wrote: »

My phone (Galaxy S6) is discharging so fast (about 90 mins without usage) that it was getting hot. Had to take it out and leave it open on the table. Trying the stuff in the OP to see if it makes any difference.

Any symptoms? Yeah, my phone has a temperature... :pac:

Cleared the cache and data on the Google Play Services and Google Play Services for Instant Apps to no discernable effect. Did the same on the Google Play Store app and it seems to have worked. Phone off the charger since 6 a.m. and it's still at 94% and stone cold.

RebelButtMunch

I've reinstalled it today. All
good

Irish Steve

Galaxy 7 back to normal today, just checked battery, and still 62%, so about what I'd expect at this time of the day, the only changes I made was to clear the cache and memory of the Google Play service, and I didn't touch the Covid app. There's no easy way to see what Google have changed, but as far as I can tell, Play services has been updated again, so hopefully, this glitch can be put to bed.

I would appeal to anyone that removed the Covid app to please reinstate it, we need every possible tool that will help manage and maybe even control this evil virus.

Fr_Dougal

Irish Steve wrote: »

Galaxy 7 back to normal today, just checked battery, and still 62%, so about what I'd expect at this time of the day, the only changes I made was to clear the cache and memory of the Google Play service, and I didn't touch the Covid app. There's no easy way to see what Google have changed, but as far as I can tell, Play services has been updated again, so hopefully, this glitch can be put to bed.

I would appeal to anyone that removed the Covid app to please reinstate it, we need every possible tool that will help manage and maybe even control this evil virus.

The HSE have apologised, Nearform have pushed out an update on the app apparently.

There was a flaw with the Covid app, apparently.

https://www.newstalk.com/news/almost-90000-people-delete-covid-tracker-app-battery-issue-1058390

IrishHomer

I deleted mine this morning they can keep it

Bit cynical

Does it use GPS extensively? That can be a major drain on battery.

Ha Long Bay

Bit cynical wrote: »

Does it use GPS extensively? That can be a major drain on battery.

It does not use GPS at all only Bluetooth.

https://covidtracker.gov.ie/how-the-app-works/

It's not designed to track your location just to identify who you are in close contact with.

Irish Steve

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

The HSE have apologised, Nearform have pushed out an update on the app apparently.

There was a flaw with the Covid app, apparently.

https://www.newstalk.com/news/almost-90000-people-delete-covid-tracker-app-battery-issue-1058390

The flaw was with the Google Play service app, NOT the HSE app, though from the newstalk post quoted, Nearform have made changes to improve the way the app interacts with the Google service, but it was not a fault at their end that caused the problem.

There is now unfortunately a mountain to climb to get back the users that were misled by conspiracy theories and plain wrong information about what was actually wrong.

Fr_Dougal

Irish Steve wrote: »

The flaw was with the Google Play service app, NOT the HSE app, though from the newstalk post quoted, Nearform have made changes to improve the way the app interacts with the Google service, but it was not a fault at their end that caused the problem.

There is now unfortunately a mountain to climb to get back the users that were misled by conspiracy theories and plain wrong information about what was actually wrong.

No, the flaw was in the coding in the app. Google play Services exposed that coding flaw, that is why the HSE apologised, and why Nearform had to fix their code and issue an update.

Kiith

It was killing my battery over the weekend, and heating the phone up like crazy.

Good to hear it's fixed. I'll reinstall it now.

normanoffside

Is this happening to anyone on IOS?
Something was randomly draining my I phone like crazy for the past week (half full battery suddenly going power off).
I've had to delete the app.

MarkR

I don't see the new version as of yet in Android, July 17th version only.

ixoy

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

No, the flaw was in the coding in the app. Google play Services exposed that coding flaw, that is why the HSE apologised, and why Nearform had to fix their code and issue an update.

Is there details as to what the issue was? I don't see any fix pushed up to the HSE github repo yet.

BailMeOut

MarkR wrote: »

I don't see the new version as of yet in Android, July 17th version only.

The fix is in Google Play Service and not in the Covid app itself. Update your play Service to fix issue but Google push this automatically so you probably already have it.

Badly Drunk Boy

This sort of thing doesn't bother me much, but I took great delight in telling me drama-queen brother that I had Covid....phone!

pah

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

No, the flaw was in the coding in the app. Google play Services exposed that coding flaw, that is why the HSE apologised, and why Nearform had to fix their code and issue an update.

I don't see how. The covid app on the play store is from 15th July still. I had the issue and fixed it by clearing the play services cache. The app is unchanged.