Why is my device so slow?
iOS

Every now and then we get told 'my iPad is using a lot more power' after some situation such as an upgrade.

We have collected the following comments from others on the internet that may assist you.

Because this is a document related to MCe, we will focus first on issues to see if the problem is related to MCe or other unrelated matters.

How does MCe run on iOS?

We run in a browser. Typically this will be Safari, however some users will sometimes (or always) use Chrome. Chrome on iOS is not the Chrome you are used to everywhere else, this is because Apple does not allow browsers to install on iOS, as a result, Chrome on iOS is really "Chrome running on Safari", hence our application usually runs better on Safari straight then on Chrome on top of Safari.

Problem shooting:

Is it MCe?

  1. Launch Settings from your iPad Home screen.
  2. Tap on Battery button. (About 13 settings down on the left hand column on my device.)
  3. Wait a moment for Battery Usage to be filled in.
  4. Tap on the "Show Detailed Usage" button to get a breakdown of foreground and background power usage.
  5. Tap on Last 7 Days to look at power consumption over time.

If the power consumption is significant for Safari (Or Chrome if you use Chrome), then consider shutting down the tab with MCe in it for a day, using it the same way for other things for that day (keeping a different browser tab up whenever you would have had MCe up) and see if the power usage drops dramatically.

If you think it really is excessive, talk to us and we can work with you to see if anything can be done (also see comments below about manually disabling our use of the internet.) If it is simply that you are using MCe a lot, then see discussions below on saving power and using a charger in your vehicle as practical solutions.

Is it iOS 11?

A lot of people complained (in July 2018) that iOS 11 burned a lot of battery. In many cases, this was a temporary matter (temporary might mean several days or a week or so) while iOS downloaded all your apps and so on after the upgrade. If it is still using a long of battery after a week, then it (or some of it) was not caused by upgrading everything after the iOS 11 upgrade.

Note: If you check for ANY iOS upgrade, you will find people complaining that 'this' upgrade causes huge power use. Check carefully, there seems to be no evidence (since iOS 8) than any specific upgrade generically caused huge power usage. So instead, start by assuming it is NOT the upgrade that is at fault, but something else. In a similar way, MCe has always run continuously (when it is the foreground screen and the screen is on) so there is no reason why any specific upgrade would cause a significant increase.

If, with MCe manually disconnected you are still suspecting it is the WiFi or cell, go into settings and turn off WiFi or other radio setting (turn ON Airplane mode) and see if that cuts the usage. If it does, try to figure out which application is using them (noting that if MCe has been manually disconnected it does not ever try to use WiFi or any other radio signal.)

Is it you?

Also, people tend to 'play' with new features – so they use the device more than previously, and if you use some of the new power-hungry features like ProMotion or Apple Pencil or AI, then it may simply be – you are using a lot more power.

It may simply be that you are using MCe or other apps more than before the upgrade, and so you are using more power. This can be especially the case with an upgrade like MCe 8.1 through 8.3 or several other 'big steps forward' we have had, that had so many new features compared to previous versions that, using those features, you are draining the batter more than you used to.

Does it waste power on standby?

Check how much battery life is left. Then turn it off for an hour (or overnight) and then see how much power was consumed. If the power dropped, it is not MCe (MCe is not permitted by Apple to run when your device is on standby), you definitely have some app that is 'allowed' to burn power on standby.

Reset the device

Resetting, aka Rebooting or restarting may seem like a panacea that every support person says – but it is legitimate to try simply because it works.

Press and hold down both the Sleep/Wake (on/off) button and the Home button simultaneously.

Keep holding them down as the screen turns off, and still until you see the Apple logo.

Now let them go.

Use the battery monitor tool

  1. Launch Settings from your iPad Home screen
  2. Tap on Battery button. . (About 13 settings down on the left hand column on my device.)
  3. Wait a moment for Battery Usage to be filled in.
  4. Tap on the "Show Detailed Usage" button to get a breakdown of foreground and background power usage.
  5. Tap on Last 7 Days to look at power consumption over time.

If you find some apps are using too much power you can force it to quit:

  1. Double-tap the Home button to launch the fast app switcher.
  2. Swipe to get to the app you want to force quit.
  3. Touch the app card and flick it up and off the screen, it will stop running

If, over time, the same app seems to always be using too much memory, try uninstalling it and re-installing it, or switch to a different app or a web site version to do what that app does, or just stop using it. If you really need that app – each time when you are done running it, force quit it afterwards.

Do a clean install – but first …

There are several ways to do this. You can find current ways on the internet, or by visiting your Apple Genius store. If you do any of these make sure you, in MCe, do a 'Retire device' from the Configuration menu first, especially important if you are using named licenses or you have a concurrent license signed out for a long time.

Is your battery old?

According to Apple:

"Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles." https://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

So if we assume 1 full charge per day, 5 days a week, then your battery should last 3.8 years. If you use it in multiple shifts and full recharge it 3 times a day, you should expect it to last 15 months. If it is older than that, if possible compare it to a relatively new iPad and see whether it is simply time to pay Apple to put a new battery in it.

Many people on the internet claim that IPad batteries only last 500 cycles at 80% which, unless you are running 3 shifts a day, means it should still easily last the 12-month warrantee. My point is not to agree or disagree with Apple, I have not done any significant tests. My point is – compare it to a newer device and see if the problem is simply that the battery has been overused and you need to replace it.

Talk to Apple

If you have a service contract and you think your device is using too much power, contact Apple under your support contract and have them take a look at it.

Reduce your power consumption

In approximate order of benefit:

  1. Turn down the screen brightness.
  2. Set Auto-Lock to a smaller setting, perhaps 1 minute.
  3. Turn off Background Refresh for apps. (MCe can't do background refreshing, so this applies to other apps only, not MCe.)
  4. Turn off the Lock screen notifications so it stops turning on and using power by lighting up your display.
  5. Turn OFF location services. MCe does NOT use these, but many other apps do, and it requires that the iPad constantly send out signals to determine where it 'currently' is.
  6. Use the best, strongest internet connection available, whether that's Wi-Fi, LTE, or dropping down to 4G/3G. Poor signal means the iPad has to use more power to listen and send signals.
  7. Tell MCe to 'manually disconnect' so that it only tries to use the internet when you want it to. Note: If you have concurrent licenses, make sure your concurrent licenses are set to a long enough setting so that they don't expire while you are manually disconnected.
  8. Use headphones instead of the speaker if you listen to audio or music. It takes more power for speakers. Also you could look at outboard speakers that have their own power supply.
  9. Keep the iPad between 0ºC/32ºF and 35ºC/95ºF whenever possible. Outside of those ranges the batteries do not work well and will consume a lot more power and will wear out sooner. Leaving it in hot car is a bad idea. When charging, do everything you can to keep the power below 35ºC, temperatures above that, when charging, can permanently damage the battery. And I know, in some countries we operate, this is a very difficult temperature to keep under. In those countries you will have to do the best you can, and may just have to accept the fact that you have to replace the battery more often.
  10. Turn off push for email and use fetch instead so that you decide when to check for email instead of having your email tool check every minute or so.

Sometimes – you are just need to use a lot of battery or your battery is old

Keep a charger with you in your vehicle and plug it in when driving or not using it. Note: we recommend you only use Apple chargers, and use an iPad charger not an iPhone charger. There are several reasons, one is that they will have a sufficient power rating (iPads need a lot more power when charging than iPhones), the other is that a lot of cheap chargers can, more likely than Apple ones, permanently damage your iPad – it really isn't worth it to save a few dollars. Having said that, if you only have an iPhone charger available, it should be safe to use it with an iPad – but it will charge slow, or, depending on usage, it may still discharge, just not as quickly.