March 27, 2014. T Mobile Galaxy S4 battery issues. My battery, charging with the phone off, when turned on, says 100% and drops by degrees faster than I can keep up with. I watch it drop just by turning it on to check it. Dropped 27% in 1.5 hrs with one call, a solitaire game, and looking at apps to see what I NEED versus what apps I can DROP. ALWAYS close apps with the hold down button when done with anything that I use on the phone. Am now on my laptop so that I have battery life on the phone. After that nasty firmware update, T Mobile had to install a new SIM card because there were demon sounding noises, as well as severe static, and numerous dropped calls. (I lost contact with people over that one and had to go to Radio Shack to install PHONES in the house that work off the cable line (used for a business fax yet had to turn rings up to use HOUSE PHONE over the $100+ a month bill I pay for the cell!) The new SIM resolved the majority of the demon sounds and such yet I had to stop into the store again because the back of the phone felt like it was going to go on fire it was so hot: they put another battery in. The phones been heating up pretty badly for a few months now and I had to shut the phone off for the past few days: last night I couldn't use it because I did not want a fire it was so hot. Numerous issues with this Galaxy S4. Very disappointed. I like Samsung yet this particular model is not working out that well. Hoping to hear good news on the S6: skipping the S5 because already reading not so good reviews and it's not even out yet! May have to find another brand of phone if this keeps up. $600 is a lot for a phone that's acting up so much. Not an IT so I cannot even 'root' or uninstall too many things because I do not know enough still. Need classes to keep up with these smartphones! Love the camera and that is why I buy these darn things! Woe is me to the advances and progress in technology!