GPS + Streaming 3G data = very short battery

[ASar08]

Well, one of the things I was looking forward to with the new iPhone is the fact that I could use it as a GPS in my car. Well, I gave it a shot today, and it looks like using the GPS constantly with google maps sucking on the 3G network yields less than 2 hours on a full battery. Anybody else tried using the phone in this way yet?

Luckily the GPS was able to navigate me to a Walmart to pick up a Griffin car charger before the battery died completely

[Alperovich]

my garmin lasts 20min if its not plugged in.

[Sullivan0930]

nonstop data streaming will do that, most gps's are constantly plugged in. if using gps youll need the car charger.

[jwcrash]

Yulp...you're pretty much maxing out your battery's output in that scenario (although I suppose turning WiFi on would take it to the redline).

Extra battery pack and/or power adapter recommended if you're gonna try and use it like a dedicated GPS unit.

[ASar08]

Thanks for the comments.

I also notice that the phone gets HOT while I'm using the GPS and 3G together. I do mean hot... after 10 mins GPS + 3G, this phone is way hotter than my first gen ever got doing anything... I hope this extra heat doesn't shorten the life of the battery!

[reeko]

i wish i could stream internet radio over 3G AND use the gps at the same time

[JamaicanSolja]

my garmin lasts 20min if its not plugged in.

um.. My Garmin last's about 4-5 hours un-plugged.
Maybe you should check ur GPS; that isnt normal.

[tyfly867]

but think of it this way, a iPhone car charger is alot cheaper than buying a new GPS unit. So it is still a plus having it in one device.

PLUS: if TOMTOM, Garmin, or any other Gps comapny makes an iphone app, the maps will probably be stored, not streamed, so that may save your battery.

Heres another thought: depending on how fast you are moving and how zoomed in you are, EDGE may be fast enough to keep updating the map. Turn of 3G, and see what kind of improvement in your battery life you can attain.

[jwcrash]

PLUS: if TOMTOM, Garmin, or any other Gps comapny makes an iphone app, the maps will probably be stored, not streamed, so that may save your battery.

Probably not by much. Pulling maps down isn't the heaviest weight on your iPhone's battery - constantly pinging the GPS to update your location is the killer.

That's why a Tom Tom/Nuvi's battery is significantly larger than iPhones - and lasts less time performing said tasks.