Strange Galaxy S21 Ultra battery drain issue reported by users

For the last few months, there have been reports surfacing online that the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a battery issue that plagues some users. There have been multiple reports that when the device is placed in a pocket, the battery discharges at an abnormally high rate while walking around. Unfortunately, the only way users have been able to determine the battery is discharging is by using battery monitoring apps.

According to one user who complained earlier this year online, when sitting on a hard surface like a desk, the battery only discharges two percent overnight. However, when the device is placed in the pocket, and the user walks around, the phone drains significantly without anyone touching it. Reports now indicate a potential culprit for the battery drain issue.

The issue is reportedly to do with the camera app waking the phone when it senses motion. Some users have reported as much as a 21 percent drain in the battery with the phone placed in a pocket over the course of about seven hours. Interestingly, reports indicate that the battery drain issue impacts only the S21 Ultra.

For now, there is no fix or workaround for the battery drain issue, and there is no indication from Samsung that it's working on one. At least one user does claim that when they reported the issue to Samsung Support, they were told the issue had to do with the camera shake autofocus feature.

There is no indication of when or if a fix for the issue might be offered, and various attempts to mitigate the battery drainage have mostly been unsuccessful. There's nothing worse than spending hundreds of dollars on a smartphone only to have it function poorly. We hope Samsung issues a fix soon.