Not Samsung but Google Might Be to Blame for the Skimpy Battery Life on the Galaxy S6

After the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge were launched, Samsung was criticized for putting rather small batteries on its flagship devices.

In our review of the Samsung Galaxy S6, we also mentioned the skimpy battery life as one of the negative aspects of the phone. And as it turns out, the battery drainage issues affecting it aren’t actually the Korean tech giant’s fault, for the most part. They are actually Google’s fault.

Users have been complaining on the official Android Open Source Project issue tracker about a major Lollipop bug that keeps mobile data connection active longer than necessary, which in turn puts a toll on the device’s life cycle.

According to users’ reports, apps in Lollipop continue to keep the mobile data connection active after finishing the job, instead of promptly closing it as was the case in KitKat.
Android 4.4 KitKat didn't have this issue

Testimonies from Xperia Z3 and OnePlus One users are proving this point, two devices that have enjoyed great battery life under Android 4.4 KitKat. However, with the advent of Lollipop, things have begun to falter.

Basically, all the apps that connect to the Internet (and most do) are at fault here. The Android 5.1 update doesn’t make things better either.

So it becomes evident that Android Lollipop is not entirely finished, even after almost a year since the OS debuted into the wild. And with Android M in the pipeline now, Google might be shifting its attention towards the new iteration.

So should we be losing hope that Google will do anything about it? Hopefully, the tech giant is still committed to fixing the problems in Lollipop and will not move past them as if they don’t exist. Fixing Android Lollipop might ensure that Android M will arrive less ridden with bugs than its predecessor.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are some of the best phones available on the market today. So having an improved battery life will certainly make them even more popular with consumers. But as you can see, it’s not up to Samsung to actually do something about it.