While Apple maintain that the battery problems stem from the software, not the hardware, many users have noted that the minor update (iOS 5.0.1) which was released with the intention of addressing the issue did little to improve their iPhone’s poor battery life. Similar complaints have emerged from developers who have failed to see any improvement in the new beta.
iOS 5.1 is still in its first beta, and further changes are likely, but it would appear that battery life on the iPhone 4S is going to be an ongoing problem for Apple to contend with.