Apple estimates that the iPhone will lose 20 percent of its capacity  — a darn sight less than 100 percent — “after 400 full charge and discharge cycles.”

“Sadly, there are some inaccurate reports out there,” Apple marketing vice president Greg Joswiak told me today during a brief phone call from New York City. Joswiak isn’t quite sure where the story went off the rails — David Pogue’s initial New York Times review of the iPhone mentioned the battery issue, but Pogue got it right: “Apple says that the battery starts to lose capacity after 300 or 400 charges.”

Somehow, though, things got lost in translation. And follow-on reports started claiming that 300 to 400 charges would be the end of the line.

"After 400 complete cycles, the iPhone’s battery still has 80 percent of its charged capacity,” Joswiak said. “And by a complete charge cycle, I mean completely draining the battery, a full chemical cycle.” In other words, using a little battery and then putting your iPhone back in its dock doesn’t count as a charge cycle. If you use a quarter of your iPhone’s battery and then re-charge it, Joswiak said, that’s the equivalent of a quarter of a charge cycle.

“If you top it off, you’re not wasting a charge cycle,” Joswiak said.

Apple’s iPhone battery page explains the rated life and lifespan of an iPhone battery, and also provides some helpful tips about how to extend battery life. For example, the page suggests that “for proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, be sure to go through at least one [full] charge cycle per month.”

So let’s put this in perspective: if you completely drained your iPhone’s battery every day — which would be a whole lot of use, since Apple estimates the iPhone can offer up to 8 hours of talk time per charge — in about 13 months your battery would only hold 80 percent of its current charge.

Or to put it another way, battery use will vary widely from person to person, but generally your iPhone will still be providing all but the heaviest users with good battery life even two years from now.

“Most iPhone users will realize, as most iPod customers realized, that they never needed to replace their batteries,” Joswiak said.

For those who do eventually need to replace the iPhone battery a few years down the road (assuming they haven’t upgraded to a new model by then), Apple will offer a battery-replacement program. If your iPhone’s battery dies young (i.e., within the first year), then you’re covered by Apple’s warranty and the company will replace your battery for free.

iPhone Generation : iPhone 2G 8GB

Unlocked? (or Part Number): Yes, soft unlocked

Current Firmware : OS3.0

iTunes Version : 8.2

PC/MAC : PC

Jailbreaking software : Not sure

Problem Encountered : My iPhone getting warm even the phone is in idle mode, most of the time unable to receive calls and sms, but i can make calls and smses. All the smses and miss call notices will pop in when i make calls or sending an sms. The the battery last for 3-5 hours only from 100% to totally dried out even in standby mode. I've unlock the phone and jailbrake and updated to OS3.0 for around 2 months already, no such problem occurs during this 2 months UNTIL i use the compatible charger offered by Arika-chan over iPhone acc selling thread. This problem started since i use this compatible charger because i left my original charger at my bro's house. I've switch the phone off for whole night and switch it back to on just now, it seems working fine now, but i doubt if the problem comes to me again, i need some advices!

Steps Taken So Far : Switch the phone off for whole night

Other Information/Remarks : The compatible charger look exactly like this

[attachmentid=1110742]  [attachmentid=1110743]

@kazaf86:

for your digestion.
Source

iPhone Generation : iPhone 2G 8GB

Unlocked? (or Part Number): Yes, soft unlocked

Current Firmware : OS3.0

iTunes Version : 8.2

PC/MAC : PC

Jailbreaking software : Not sure

Problem Encountered : My iPhone getting warm even the phone is in idle mode, most of the time unable to receive calls and sms, but i can make calls and smses. All the smses and miss call notices will pop in when i make calls or sending an sms. The the battery last for 3-5 hours only from 100% to totally dried out even in standby mode. I've unlock the phone and jailbrake and updated to OS3.0 for around 2 months already, no such problem occurs during this 2 months UNTIL i use the compatible charger offered by Arika-chan over iPhone acc selling thread. This problem started since i use this compatible charger because i left my original charger at my bro's house. I've switch the phone off for whole night and switch it back to on just now, it seems working fine now, but i doubt if the problem comes to me again, i need some advices!

Steps Taken So Far : Switch the phone off for whole night

Other Information/Remarks : The compatible charger look exactly like this

[attachmentid=1110742]  [attachmentid=1110743]

Apple just released the iPhone firmware 3.0.1 fixes SMS vulnerability
It is 297.9MB go update now.

Just update...thx for the information

There goes your baseband 4.26.08,might have a prob later for jailbreak.

I read that there isn't any problem with JB 3.0.1 now even with the current version of redsn0w.
http://twitter.com/iphone_dev/status/3060777282

the 3g s has more security feature bulit in with regards to the baseband.

have you updated?fren

just collect my 32gb i3gs yesterday..
already hv 16gb 3gs US set.
i try to install cydia into my 32gb, but dont work, took so long to installing cydia 
btw do i need install this cydia on my maxis set??   

But more importantly SkyToLove claims that OS3.1 will be available for download from 1 Aug 2009 which is not true, at least not from what I read from all the sites. What is stated is that it will be available only in September 2009.

Could someone in the know ratify this? TQ.

Can anybody advice me on this issue?

I just got my 3GS yesterday and charged to full in the midnight. Now the battery percentage is at 99% but under usage the standby time is only 6hrs 35min. Is that consider normal? It doesn't even can stand for a day..

just collect my 32gb i3gs yesterday..
already hv 16gb 3gs US set.
i try to install cydia into my 32gb, but dont work, took so long to installing cydia   

i got my i3GS at around 5pm at Maxis 1Utama. didnt tk too long. though there wasn't a very special feeling.. No white gloves etc

Oh well, whats important is the phone right?

@beavis68
Which jailbreak is easier to use? redsnow or purplera? Thanks