Although the iOS 4 software update has been lauded as improving battery life for most users, some are finding the improvements lacking. Per the Apple Toolbox Blog, one source of this may be overuse of the Location Services feature which can accompany checking Push notifications, and having many open Safari windows open.
It now appears that overactive location services usage can result in poor battery life. Specifically, apps that use location services in the background can quickly drain the battery.
The post offers the following steps for resolving this and hopefully upping your iOS device’s battery life:
“To check location services usage on an app-by-app basis, navigate to Settings > General > Location Services.
Turn location services off for all applications, then turn them back on for desired apps one by one or in groups. Via this procedure, you can identify which app’s use of location services is draining battery.
Alternatively, you can temporarily turn off location services altogether and check for increased battery life.”