Apple Brings the iOS 5.0.1 Update to Fix iPhone 4S Battery Drain

Yesterday, Apple released iOS 5.0.1, the anticipated update designed to fix multiple unspecified bugs that drained the iPhone’s battery much faster than expected.

The update also patched five security vulnerabilities, including one revealed earlier this week by noted researcher Charlie Miller, who demonstrated that Apple’s App Store code signing could be sidestepped to download malware onto an iPhone without the owner’s knowledge.

This update contains improvements and other bug fixes including:

- Fixes bugs affecting battery life

- Adds Multitasking Gestures for original iPad

- Resolves bugs with Documents in the Cloud

- Improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation

iOS 5.0.1 was the first update that Apple delivered “over-the-air” — in other words, without requiring users to connect their devices to a Windows PC or Mac, and launching iTunes — a new feature that debuted with iOS 5 in October.

Apple did not spell out the specific battery-related patches, saying only “Fixes bugs affecting battery life” in a short list of the update’s contents.

Apple disclaims eight hours of talk time and six hours of internet use via 3G, with standby time of up to 200 hours.

One buyer claimed his iPhone 4S battery life drains at 15 percent per hour while locked and on standby. Another said battery drained 10 percent in 12 to 15 minutes after using iMessage.

To do an over-the-air update, select the “Settings” app on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, then touch “General” and finally “Software Update.”