Problem with Google Maps on Xperia S ICS

[Jesmond]

I am experiencing a high battery usage by the Google maps application on my Xperia S ICS, when not in use, idle in the background. I usually have to force close the process to prevent from excessive battery usage.

This happensboth when on 3G and wifi, (GPS turned off normally).

I had refrehed my Xperia S to ICS via SUS (my initial upgrade with PC companion was unstable), and even re-installed MAPS twice, but the problem persists.

Any ideas anybody?

[Johan]

Which version of Google Maps is it that you're using?

Have you checked for any update for maps on Google play?

[Steve3581]

Try checking to see if you have Google Latitude running in Google Maps, if this is turned on it will serious drain the battery.

[Jesmond]

I have all the latest updates, for all the phone apps including Google Maps.

One on the first things I do check.

[Jesmond]

Latitude is indeed running, but I have been using this since the phone was on GB, and never had any issues. This only appeared after the ICS upgrade (I had first upgraded, then had to use SUS to re-install after phone was unstable).

Note: Since the ICS upgrade, I had consistent "advice" to remove apps, disable features, and reduce functionality, got the feeling that the GB to ICS have also reduced the NXT "smartphone to a dumbphone!

btw, I have 45 apps in total after reduced to the minimum required, if I have to remove maps as well, it's time to move to a real smartphone.

[Steve3581 · Accepted solution]

1. There was a very recent update of google maps, perhaps this has intruduced a bug in Latitude which has increased the battery drain? Apps are updated all the time, it stands to reason sometimes new bugs appear which are not always easy to find in testing, espically with the large range of phones that run the same applications.

2. Regarding apps, do you use a lot of free apps? Sometimes these have lots of ads built into them which can ad to battery drain.

3. Try removing any apps you suspect  might be a cause of battery drain one by one to see if you can root out the bad ones, there are many apps on the play store to help with this.

[Jesmond]

Appreciate your help, with reference to your points:

1. I had the problem before the last maps update, I was hoping this update would fix it, but it still persists. I have sent feedback to Google maps twice.

2. As previously stated, I do not use a lot of free apps (45), and these are the most highly rated, e.g. Facebook, Google+, Flipboard, Pulse, Chrome, LinkedIn, BBC news, Handcent SMS, Drive, Skype, Evernote, etc. Bottom line I have reduced my apps, from the time I used GB, because ICS have a bigger memory requirement.

3. The battery usgae app is clear...Google - Maps / Screen are the two top most battery usage apps. Since it's unlikely that Google apps is actually the culprit, it must be the implementation of ICS on Xperia S. Will be interested to know if other users experience the same issue.

[Jesmond]

Back again on point 1, I have disable the Latitued in Maps and this fixed the problem, good call!

I'm not sure if this was a co-incidence with the ICS upgrade, or a compatibility issues with the ICS (Xperia S flavour).

Thanks!

Still have issues with the memory usage though, it seems I have to restart every 2-3 weeks to free the phone memory, others have to watch the icons redraw!

Do we have to go back to the time of "task killers" (just kidding). I think Sony better get these issues addressed.