Featured Image Credit: Apple/Kinga Krzeminska via Getty Images
Have you noticed your iPhone's battery rushing towards the danger zone quicker than normal recently?
There's a simple, and thankfully only temporary, reason why.
Alongside the release of a number of new products - including the long-awaited iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro - Apple has recently launched its latest operating system iOS 18.
iOS 18 was made available to download on September 16 and is full of cool new features for users to enjoy, including home screen and control center customization, a new Passwords app and smart handwriting for Notes.
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It also brings about an upgrade to Maps, Apple Fitness+ and the Calculator, alongside a refreshed version of Safari.
But those who've installed the update have noticed it's destroying their smartphone's battery life.
"God iOS 18 is absolutely killing my battery," wrote one X (formerly Twitter) user.
Another echoed: "DO NOT update ur phone to iOS 18 my f***ing battery is draining so fast bro."
And a third commented: "Battery life on iOS 18 is the absolute worst."
Now, before you start panicking that downloading the new software was a bad idea, it turns out this is completely normal and there are a few simple reasons why.
First, you are bound to be using your phone more in the first few days as you explore everything iOS 18 has to offer, therefore draining the battery faster.
On top of this, if you loads of apps on your device, some of these will need updating in order to take full advantage of the upgrade.
These downloads often taking place in the background without you even noticing and make a huge dent in your phone's battery life.
And lastly, there will be a lot going on behind the scenes to make sure your device is optimised for the update including 're-indexing data' such as your contacts so it can be re-categorised and sorted by the new operating system.
All in all, these things will have a pretty big impact on the battery but, according to Apple, your iPhone just needs a few days after installing the update to recalibrate then should go back to operating normally.
"Even though you can use your iPhone immediately after an update, certain tasks related to the update continue in the background and might affect battery life and thermal performance," the tech firm's website reads.
Your phone is expected to be back to full power once the update is complete, but in the meantime, it's probably best to carry a charger when you're out and about.
