Samsung S10 users report faster battery drain post WhatsApp, Messenger calls

DJ Koh, president and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics, launches the new Samsung Galaxy S10+ mobile phone, at a press conference in New Delhi. (PTI)

South Korean tech giant Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 last month in San Francisco during the Unpacked event. The phone received applauds for its design, build quality and features like the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, triple camera setup, etc. However, it seems not everything is going right for some users of the Galaxy S10. Several users have complained about excessive draining of battery after WhatsApp, Messenger calls.

The issue was first reported by users XDA Developers forum and Reddit who stated that the issue is present on Samsung S10s with the Exynos 9820 processors only. Users have noticed the battery draining at a faster rate after using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services from apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, etc. Users with the Snapdragon 855-variant did not report any such issue.

The bug in Samsung’s One UI software prevents the phone from going to standby/sleep mode once the user makes or receives calls via WhatsApp or Skype. The proximity sensor is said to be the cause for the issue which is preventing the phone from entering sleep mode post VoIP calls.

According to a user restarting the device post VoIP calls fixes the issue temporarily. “in order to fix the issue, in the meantime I recommend restarting after VoIP calls, and report the issue to Samsung through the Members app in hopes of getting it fixed", he said. Samsung is yet to comment on the issue.

Interestingly, this is the second bug that has caused battery draining due to issues with the proximity sensor. Previously, a Reddit post stated that S10’s 'Tap To Wake' feature activates when it is not held up, leading to quick battery draining. Another Reddit user reported that the feature is activated even when the device is kept inside a bag or a pocket. Once the device got ‘activated’ in his bag or pocket, he experienced vibrations that indicated incorrect fingerprint. When a user posted the problem on Samsung US’s community blog, the company’s moderator replied stating users who are facing the problem can turn off the feature on their smartphones.