iPad battery life

[John Roberts]

My daughter bought me a refurbished iPad a year last April, since which it has had a LOT of use by myself and my wife. I'm beginning to think that it takes just a little more time to charge these days, might that be an early sign of the battery ageing? How long do they last for, and when they do go do they just stop working or do they just deteriorate gradually?

 

[stevemersey]

I bought one of the first ones out, and it has a lot of use. I couldn't tell you if it takes longer to charge now or holds less charge, but I can say it works plenty well enough and I have not noticed the battery being a problem.

 

[luke scott]

I use mine a lot. It's around two years old. Recently I feel it's discharging quicker, but not enough for me to seek a replacement battery yet. I would hate to be without it now.

 

[jimbo]

can't answer your question as mine is still fine after 18months.

However if you need a new one check out youtube for the DIY guide to installing a new one.
I did an ipod from a youtube vid and it was straight forwards and cheap - not looked at ipad and it'll depend on whether you feel competant, but worth a look - certainly if you are tight like me

 

[John Roberts]

can't answer your question as mine is still fine after 18months.

However if you need a new one check out youtube for the DIY guide to installing a new one.
I did an ipod from a youtube vid and it was straight forwards and cheap - not looked at ipad and it'll depend on whether you feel competant, but worth a look - certainly if you are tight like me

Actually it doesn't seem to be too difficult from the YouTube, I may give it a go then. Would doing the work myself invalidate the Warranty/guarantee, I wonder? How long is it for anyway?

 

[diplomaticdanny]

I would go to Apple first and get them to look at it, their customer service is outstanding, they may offer you a deal on a new battery and install it there and then.

 

[cookie]

Actually it doesn't seem to be too difficult from the YouTube, I may give it a go then. Would doing the work myself invalidate the Warranty/guarantee, I wonder? How long is it for anyway?

totally.

apple warranty is only for a year though, so no harm done unless you're going to invoke the euro two year warranty thing.

if it just takes "a little more time to charge these days", i'd just leave it alone. failed ipad batteries are not exactly common AFAIK.

i think the one in my year old ipad 4 doesn't last as long on a charge as it used to, but it's plenty long enough.

it's always taken ages to charge. are you charging your ipad with the correct 10w (ipad2) or 12w (ipad4) charger or on a much lower output iphone charger? the latter will make a massive difference, if it charges at all.

 

[luke scott]

it's always taken ages to charge. are you charging your ipad with the correct 10w (ipad2) or 12w (ipad4) charger or on a much lower output iphone charger? the latter will make a massive difference, if it charges at all.

This is an interesting point. I have a "generic" charger in my holiday place. When I plug in the iPad it says "not charging" but it actually is. I normally just leave it overnight and it's back to 100% charge. I didn't realise that apple had different chargers for their products.

 

[cookie]

When I plug in the iPad it says "not charging" but it actually is. I normally just leave it overnight and it's back to 100% charge.

i've seen that happen on aircraft USB points.

 

[Blackal]

The "not charging" message is correct, I think - as the residual capacity may not warrant it. (>60% ?)

As you say- leave it overnight and it tops up.

My one is 3yr old and still healthy.

Al

 

[jimbo]

are you charging your ipad with the correct 10w (ipad2) or 12w (ipad4) charger or on a much lower output iphone charger? the latter will make a massive difference, if it charges at all.

well I've learnt something today. I just thought my ipad was fussy.

 

[Jon]

check you haven't turned the brightness right up, that uses up the battery pretty quickly I find.

 

[John Roberts]

...if it just takes "a little more time to charge these days", i'd just leave it alone. failed ipad batteries are not exactly common AFAIK.
...

I use it a lot on holidays, I have all the bookings and the information I need for the trip such as travel guides and my itinerary, copies of my driving licence and passport and find it so useful for those reasons. So from the comments on here it does seem that the battery will probably give enough warning of its demise. I'll be hanging on for a while again then.

However did I manage without it ...

Thanks everybody.

 

[John Roberts]

PS

It it better for the battery if I run it down to nearly empty and then recharging it to full, or keep it topped up between sessions?

 

[cookie]

i generally cycle mine, but i read that it doesn't matter with li-ion batteries.

when i tried to get a new battery for my macbook pro out of apple they said it was hot 'cos i left it plugged into the mains most of the time.

i have a new macbook pro now that is religiously cycled and the battery's shot even quicker, so i don't know what to believe. probably doesn't make much/any difference

 

[diplomaticdanny]

i generally cycle mine, but i read that it doesn't matter with li-ion batteries.

when i tried to get a new battery for my macbook pro out of apple they said it was hot 'cos i left it plugged into the mains most of the time.

i have a new macbook pro now that is religiously cycled and the battery's shot even quicker, so i don't know what to believe. probably doesn't make much/any difference

Your not supposed to use them!!!

 

[judge]

Ni-Cad batteries suffer from memory effect and benefitted from cycling, Li-Ion doesn't, they just leak performance over time until they snuff out. Though I've never killed an i-device battery since my 1st generation iPod.

 

[littleredrooster]

It it better for the battery if I run it down to nearly empty and then recharging it to full, or keep it topped up between sessions?

According to the Gadget Show (IIRC), who in turn got the info from the battery manufacturers, they last longest when kept between 40% and 90%. It is not good to leave them on the charger for too long, apparently.

I too didn't realise until recently that the chargers were different for iPhone and iPad, just knew that the iPad took a while to recharge sometimes.

 

[flatdog]

Ipad= I found my battery charge life is reduced if I have too many applications open at the same time. Closing all but my current app tends to keep the battery drain minimal.

 

[Pukmeister]

My MacBook Pro is often left on charge unnecessarily (by she who uses it most for Facebooking and candy crush/farmville when the ipad would more than suffice). Battery endurance is now noticeably less than it was. Bloody £1500 worth of crap games and chat.

You just can't tell them anything, can you.