[HD2 Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting and Genera] SMS92:
My test & results regarding the 60mA standby high battery drain in Android -PLS READ

Hi all. This is a continuation to the thread here but as that thread is full of theories and speculation I figure I'd start a new thread with 'real world' results when it comes to this battery drain issue in Android. :)

I've been trying hard this weekend to replicate that's been causing the seemingly spontaneous leaps to high battery drain in standby.

I can confirm, at least on my end (UK HD2, WM6.5 CleanEx, Android Darkstone SuperRAM 1.5) that enabling airplane mode in WM before booting android DOES NOT stop the high battery drain.

It seems, at least right now, that the battery drain in indeed caused by the GPS module either being or having been active in Android.

This morning I was having regular 5-9mA drain in standby. I enabled GPS on the way to work, took the phone off the charger and BAM... 60mA in standby thereafter (long after closing all GPS-enabled apps).

Rather than rebooting or anything like that, I plain disabled the GPS module via the Power Control widget (you can add it to part of your homescreen). Switched backlight off and on again a few seconds later... 5-9mA drain (and this is with WiFi enabled)

Here's a test I've just done.

Conditions:

- Loaded DarkStone's Froyo SuperRAM 1.5.

- WiFi, Data, Sync, Auto-brightness, 3G+2G enabled. Bluetooth isn't enabled.

- I won't be rebooting, using task managers or anything like that in between tests as I want to find a 'practical' solution to this issue until a fix is found. Rebooting, waiting for a GPS lock, etc every time you wish to put your phone in your pocket isn't practical.

- If I report ~5mA this is just what's being said by CurrentWidget. It may spike a few seconds later but we can, I think, safely assume that there is a major difference between ~5-30mA readings and ~59-90mA readings.

Results:

1. ~5mA to ~10mA in standby since disabling GPS in Power Controls.

2. Enabled GPS control again and we're up to ~59mA to ~90mA in standby.

3. Kept GPS control enabled but disabled "Use wireless networks" in Data and Security - ~59mA in standby (NOTHING LOWER!).

4. Disabled GPS from Power Control widget again and we're back down to ~9mA

5. Kept GPS disabled but enabled "Use wireless networks" in Data and Security, then opened Google Maps to get my location based on cell tower. Switched screen off. ~10mA in standby.

6. Enabled GPS again - ~60mA in standby

7. Disabled GPS again - ~9mA

Conclusion:

There seems to be a serious problem with the GPS module/driver/whatever under Android when it comes to power management!

SO - it seems, at least for me, that the only solution to this issue right now is to disable GPS altogether and renable it when I want to use a GPS-based application. This isn't great as these wonderful devices are heavily built around being able to keep track of your and friends locations, movements and all other GPS-orientated tasks.

So +1 for an urgent call out to the devs to took further into this issue! Please everyone keep posting your results as this is the biggest, if not only, thing keeping me and I'm sure others from saying Android is perfect for the HD2!

On another note - I also find that the battery discharges when GPS is enabled (e.g. running Google Navigation or Sygic Aura) even whilst plugged in to my car's 12v port via USB adapter. This isn't *always* the case, but it ALWAYS can only 'trickle charge' at best... i.e. An hour on the road using GMaps/Aura will, at best, have around 7% put back into the battery. Under WM with TomTom active the phone would have charged/held its charge quickly. This makes using Android on the HD2 for long trips pointless. :(

Hope these results help weed out this issue that's been driving me and many others insane for a long time!!