1. JJonPB's Avatar
    This is likely nothing new to this Forum: my DTEK60 (Nov security patch - AAQ934) is going through phases of Google Play Services draining the battery in just a few hours. I went through three cycles of fixing the issue software-wise, but oddly it keeps coming back -- making me mad.

    So, before taking the infamous factory reset route, I thought I'd reach out here -- in hope someone may have a suggestion or two.

    What I have tried so far:

    1. 'Normal' phone reboots do not seem to be of much use.
    2. I have uninstalled Play Services update, rebooted the phone, and let all the updates (Play Services and a number of Google apps) reinstall themselves. It did help - for two or so days.
    3. I have uninstalled or disabled a number of Google apps I thought I didn't need, and rebooted the phone. It did help - for a day or two.


    A few observations, hypotheses, and questions...

    Strangely, although my DTEK60 usually gets rather hot during Play Services' battery bashing, that is not always the case. Earlier today, battery went down from 62% to 18% in three hours, while the phone kept it cool all this time.

    The start of the strange Play Services behaviour may have coincided with me launching Developer Options in phone's Settings (I'm not entirely sure about the timing). That said, the only developer setting I consciously touched was enabling Monochromacy under 'Simulate colour space'.
    Is there another developer setting that may be causing Play Services battery drain?

    Over the past few days, my DTEK60 installed updates for quite a few apps -- including, but not limited to several Google apps (the phone usually does it overnight, when charging).
    I wonder if some of these app updates have caused the Play Services battery drain issue striking back at me -- i.e. one or the other 'solution' I had used resolved the issue temporarily, but an update of some app(s) had brought it back?

    Which leads me to another key question... I read in several places it wasn't Play Services as such to blame, but an app using Play Services.
    Is there a way to identify the ultimate culprit -- i.e. which app is making Play Services go on mad battery binge? I mean, a 'smart' way -- i.e. short of uninstalling individual apps and observing phone's behaviour for a few days.
    01-22-18 03:12 AM
  2. Mecca EL's Avatar
    Go to Settings, Apps and make note of the version of Play Services your device has installed. The last 3 digits specifically.

    Then go to apkmirror.com, search for Play Store Services and Play Store apk updates. Download the correct version for your device - correct OS and dpi - of each file and manually install them. Go back to Settings, Apps and wipe Cache in Play Services and Play Store apps. Reboot and report.
    JJonPB likes this.
    01-22-18 05:50 AM
  3. JJonPB's Avatar
    Go to Settings, Apps and make note of the version of Play Services your device has installed. The last 3 digits specifically.

    Then go to apkmirror.com, search for Play Store Services and Play Store apk updates. Download the correct version for your device - correct OS and dpi - of each file and manually install them. Go back to Settings, Apps and wipe Cache in Play Services and Play Store apps. Reboot and report.
    Thanks! Is it indeed 'last 3 digits' - or, actually, first 3 digits in the brackets?
    01-22-18 07:43 AM
  4. tickerguy's Avatar
    It's not Play Services. It is one of your apps, that is repeatedly calling Play Services routines (e.g. location data, etc) on an abusive basis.

    The nasty is that figuring out WHICH of your apps is misbehaving (it PROBABLY is not a Google one) is not easy. This is not DTEK60 specific, by the way.
    01-22-18 07:52 AM
  5. JJonPB's Avatar
    It's not Play Services. It is one of your apps, that is repeatedly calling Play Services routines (e.g. location data, etc) on an abusive basis.

    The nasty is that figuring out WHICH of your apps is misbehaving (it PROBABLY is not a Google one) is not easy. This is not DTEK60 specific, by the way.
    Thanks! 'Nasty' as per there is really no smart way around this -- so, I'd have to start testing apps one by one, and hope I find the culprit sooner rather than later?
    01-22-18 08:07 AM
  6. tickerguy's Avatar
    Thanks! 'Nasty' as per there is really no smart way around this -- so, I'd have to start testing apps one by one, and hope I find the culprit sooner rather than later?
    Yep.

    The problem is that Play Services is the executing "application", so it gets charged for the CPU/battery life impact. However, Play Services does very little all on its own (its purpose in life is to provide services to other apps, such as location, verification of licensing, management of notifications, etc.) and it has no visible means for a user to determine who is calling it and for what purpose -- so the offending party that is actually making the repeated and abusive calls to it's routines can really only be determined by elimination.
    01-22-18 08:48 AM
  7. JJonPB's Avatar
    Yep.

    The problem is that Play Services is the executing "application", so it gets charged for the CPU/battery life impact. However, Play Services does very little all on its own (its purpose in life is to provide services to other apps, such as location, verification of licensing, management of notifications, etc.) and it has no visible means for a user to determine who is calling it and for what purpose -- so the offending party that is actually making the repeated and abusive calls to it's routines can really only be determined by elimination.
    This confirms my suspicions. It sounds like reinstalling Play Services from time to time is going to be less time-consuming vs. chasing the culprit app... Sigh...
    01-22-18 09:51 AM
  8. tonycanuck's Avatar
    This is likely nothing new to this Forum: my DTEK60 (Nov security patch - AAQ934) is going through phases of Google Play Services draining the battery in just a few hours. I went through three cycles of fixing the issue software-wise, but oddly it keeps coming back -- making me mad.

    So, before taking the infamous factory reset route, I thought I'd reach out here -- in hope someone may have a suggestion or two.

    What I have tried so far:

    1. 'Normal' phone reboots do not seem to be of much use.
    2. I have uninstalled Play Services update, rebooted the phone, and let all the updates (Play Services and a number of Google apps) reinstall themselves. It did help - for two or so days.
    3. I have uninstalled or disabled a number of Google apps I thought I didn't need, and rebooted the phone. It did help - for a day or two.


    A few observations, hypotheses, and questions...

    Strangely, although my DTEK60 usually gets rather hot during Play Services' battery bashing, that is not always the case. Earlier today, battery went down from 62% to 18% in three hours, while the phone kept it cool all this time.

    The start of the strange Play Services behaviour may have coincided with me launching Developer Options in phone's Settings (I'm not entirely sure about the timing). That said, the only developer setting I consciously touched was enabling Monochromacy under 'Simulate colour space'.
    Is there another developer setting that may be causing Play Services battery drain?

    Over the past few days, my DTEK60 installed updates for quite a few apps -- including, but not limited to several Google apps (the phone usually does it overnight, when charging).
    I wonder if some of these app updates have caused the Play Services battery drain issue striking back at me -- i.e. one or the other 'solution' I had used resolved the issue temporarily, but an update of some app(s) had brought it back?

    Which leads me to another key question... I read in several places it wasn't Play Services as such to blame, but an app using Play Services.
    Is there a way to identify the ultimate culprit -- i.e. which app is making Play Services go on mad battery binge? I mean, a 'smart' way -- i.e. short of uninstalling individual apps and observing phone's behaviour for a few days.
    It isn't the OS nor any particular app.

    The DTEK60 is defective. The battery fails after about six or seven months. The motherboard is also defective.
    01-22-18 02:05 PM
  9. tickerguy's Avatar
    total crap
    01-22-18 02:39 PM
  10. anon(10123624)'s Avatar
    It isn't the OS nor any particular app.

    The DTEK60 is defective. The battery fails after about six or seven months. The motherboard is also defective.
    Not all of them. I've had my DTEK60 over a year now, battery lasts the same as when new and no problems with motherboard.
    JJonPB and Noordenneonline like this.
    01-22-18 03:17 PM
  11. JJonPB's Avatar
    Go to Settings, Apps and make note of the version of Play Services your device has installed. The last 3 digits specifically.

    Then go to apkmirror.com, search for Play Store Services and Play Store apk updates. Download the correct version for your device - correct OS and dpi - of each file and manually install them. Go back to Settings, Apps and wipe Cache in Play Services and Play Store apps. Reboot and report.
    REPORT: I followed these steps and installed latest BETA versions of Play Services and Play Store. The solution appears to have plugged the hole :-) : overnight, battery dropped from fully charged to 89% in over 7 hours.

    Thanks again!
    Mecca EL likes this.
    01-22-18 07:49 PM
  12. JJonPB's Avatar
    REPORT #2 : The issue hit back overnight... I restarted the phone in the morning, and it was fine for a few hours -- until I disconnected it from a charger in early afternoon. I realised that several apps got updated on both occasions, looked up the list of updates in the past 12 hours, and uninstalled one app that appeared the most likely culprit. Restarted the phone again, and it's been behaving for the past six hours.

    More updates in time due.
    Mecca EL likes this.
    01-25-18 07:21 AM
  13. tickerguy's Avatar
    Yeah, updating Play Services won't fix it. You have to find the offender and remove it.
    01-27-18 05:56 AM
  14. JJonPB's Avatar
    REPORT #3 : No issues for the past three days. I guess the app I have uninstalled *was* the culprit.
    Happy again!
    01-28-18 03:02 AM
  15. BCITMike's Avatar
    REPORT #3 : No issues for the past three days. I guess the app I have uninstalled *was* the culprit.
    Happy again!
    Which was?!?!
    jamesharmeling likes this.
    01-29-18 04:55 AM
  16. JJonPB's Avatar
    Which was?!?!
    Likely a random and isolated case, so at this point, I'm not going to create black PR :-)
    01-29-18 06:31 AM
  17. gng11's Avatar
    Not helping man, I too am suffering from early battery drain. 68% left and immediately drops to 0, phone shuts off. Which app? You can message me.
    01-30-18 12:32 AM

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