Okay, I will buy one of those now and see whether that fixes it. Fingers crossed.
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iPhone 3GS randomly shuts off and won't stay on until plugged in
- Thread starter m4r10l1m
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Okay, I will buy one of those now and see whether that fixes it. Fingers crossed.
Ok. Just installed a new battery (APN 616-0435) with the *invaluable* help of this video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed80iXTToY0&list=UUBqR8ITCXnen62FvEDgIS-Q&feature=plcp.
(Incidentally, the APN of the battery I replaced was also a 616-0435, for a 3GS purchased in Jan 2009.)
Will update this thread on the results.
(Incidentally, the APN of the battery I replaced was also a 616-0435, for a 3GS purchased in Jan 2009.)
Will update this thread on the results.
*solved*
It's been a few hours now since installing the new battery - and the problem has vanished. Makes sense when you think of the symptoms we've all had: a 2 year old phone & battery with power issues...<doh>.
Unless you hear more from me, I think you should consider the cause of these mysterious shutdowns to be simply a dying battery - as several other people on this thread have already said.
Don't forget, if you decide to solve the problem yourself, make sure you get a *APN 616-0435* battery!
It's been a few hours now since installing the new battery - and the problem has vanished. Makes sense when you think of the symptoms we've all had: a 2 year old phone & battery with power issues...<doh>.
Unless you hear more from me, I think you should consider the cause of these mysterious shutdowns to be simply a dying battery - as several other people on this thread have already said.
Don't forget, if you decide to solve the problem yourself, make sure you get a *APN 616-0435* battery!
Likewise, the battery inside my Dad's phone was the same. Fingers crossed, but so far hasn't encountered any crashes (it was installed two days ago). Hope that fixed the issue.
Hi my iPhone 3GS does the exact same as original post since I updated to the new IOS. I tried many things to stop it as I noticed it only turned off when using Internet or apps with location, so I turned off my cecular data and only used Internet when plugged in to charger, since then it has not turned off. This stops the problem but it's not very good as what's the point in having an iPhone if you can only use the Internet when on charge. Hopefully apple will come up with something to deal with this problem
I hope this helps anyone who just needs their phone to last the day.
I hope this helps anyone who just needs their phone to last the day.
Oh, and if I replace the battery, will it work with the iOS 5.1? Will I lose everything on my phone?
Try the website mentioned in the vid (http://www.AppleiPodParts.com).
Yes, it works with 5.1.
No, you won't lose everything on your phone when you change the battery...but do a backup before of course...
Similar Issue
I'm having a similar, but not exactly the same, problem. My 3GS was working fine but started to slow down over the weekend (loading apps, opening, accepting touch commands). It has only recently been updated to the latest OS, but it's taken about 4 weeks since then for this problem to manifest itself, so I'm not sure that's the issue.
Battery life also seems quite fine (at least according to the power bar). Today it has gotten MUCH worse - some apps take forever to open but then do not function, or are ponderously slow. Worse, some apps fail to open at all and just crash.
Thinking I may have too much on it but can't even check this as phone keeps crashing! Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I'm having a similar, but not exactly the same, problem. My 3GS was working fine but started to slow down over the weekend (loading apps, opening, accepting touch commands). It has only recently been updated to the latest OS, but it's taken about 4 weeks since then for this problem to manifest itself, so I'm not sure that's the issue.
Battery life also seems quite fine (at least according to the power bar). Today it has gotten MUCH worse - some apps take forever to open but then do not function, or are ponderously slow. Worse, some apps fail to open at all and just crash.
Thinking I may have too much on it but can't even check this as phone keeps crashing! Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Sounds like a new - or updated - app has a memory leak doesn't it?
No non-tedious, non-trial-and-error means of diagnosis that I know of I'm afraid. Gd luck!
Improvement for Crash Intervals
By putting my phone in recovery mode and restoring, then restoring from backup (tried not using backup; same results as with it) I was able to increase the time I could use my phone before it crashed. It went from crashing about every two minutes even when plugged in to crashing about every 30 minutes (maybe more) but does not crash (yet) when plugged in. Every once in a while it will even start up successfully without having to be plugged in.
The first time i did this restore, I was actually able to use the phone for about a half a day, but (unfortunately) it later went down to every 30 minutes or so.
By putting my phone in recovery mode and restoring, then restoring from backup (tried not using backup; same results as with it) I was able to increase the time I could use my phone before it crashed. It went from crashing about every two minutes even when plugged in to crashing about every 30 minutes (maybe more) but does not crash (yet) when plugged in. Every once in a while it will even start up successfully without having to be plugged in.
The first time i did this restore, I was actually able to use the phone for about a half a day, but (unfortunately) it later went down to every 30 minutes or so.
I'm assuming you haven't read this thread. Your battery is dying - replace it. There's nothing else going on here.
Sorry if my last post was not worded clearly. I am having the same problem as the original post to this thread, in that my iPhone 3Gs shuts off at random moments. When I referred to the "crash interval" I was not referring to battery life, but to the amount of time my iPhone can be used before it goes into a repeated cycle of crashes until it is plugged in.
Danny, the battery in your 3GS is almost certainly over two years old, is on its last legs, and needs replacing. The big clue (which we all ignored because, for some reason, we all wanted this problem to be an exotic software problem and not a simple hardware issue) is the thing won't work until it's plugged in to power. The phone tells you it's charged 100% - but it doesn't tell you that 100% figure actually represents 100% of a tiny percentage of the original capacity of the battery...which is why it runs down so fast...
Just change the battery - and make sure you get a load-tested 616-0435; check the thread for help with sourcing and installing. (Don't try doing it yourself if you're not a patient type: there is a 'crux move' involving a delicate jumper-type switch which can break easily.) Hope that's of some help, good luck.
That seems to make sense. Thanks so much for the help. I saw somewhere in this thread that the other battery model is not compatible with iOS 4 (or something like that, but is that the model that a 3Gs would originally come with? Or do they come with 616-0435?
Hi Danny. As I said in comment #54, the battery I replaced (in my 3GS purchased in Jan 2009) was a 616-0435; draw your own conclusion. Just get hold of one of those from a reputable vendor for about £10 (try the one in the video I mentioned), get the small toolkit (ca £4), summon your patience and dexterity, and save yourself the £80 Apple will charge you to do the job for you. Good luck.
Any recommendations as to where I can buy a 616-0435 battery? On iFixIt they only sell 616-0434 and DirectFix sells 616-0434 or 616-0435 (but you can't choose which). I'm not familiar with any other companies that sell iPhone parts.
Ah - in which case I can't really help I'm afraid. I do know (from the blurb) www.appleipodparts.com sells the right batteries and (crucially) that they're properly load-tested - but they're a UK outfit. I suggest you post back here with the supplier's name, should you find a good US-based one. Good luck.
I checked appleipodparts.com and it is only £1 more to ship to US (I'm not actually sure if that's good or not), but does it specifically say on the page what the APN is?
Sorry, I can't help here - I actually sourced my battery from a chap on Amazon Marketplace before I found appleipodparts. However, try contacting appleipodparts to double check they'll supply a 616-0435.