I think that it is safe to say that the iPhone is fairly popular. It seems that as of late you can’t look at any gadget/tech blog without some mention of it. The App Store offers a myriad of programs, games and utilities, and there are all sorts of third party accessories available.

Even for those Mac users that don’t have an iPhone (like myself) this is a good thing, as it seriously contributes to Apple’s bottom line, which means more money in the coffers for Macintosh R&D as well iTunes/iPhone/iPod.

Unfortunately, with wild popularity comes increased scrutiny. As a result, when something goes wrong with the iPhone, there is often a large backlash.

Just this sort of thing has happened with the recent release of iPhone OS 3.1. It seems that many users are experiencing rapid discharging of the battery since updating.

In perusing Apple’s support forums, there are a number of threads, like this one, detailing the woes of those who have installed iPhone OS 3.1 on their iPhones only to experience rapid discharging of the battery. Even after turning off some of the noted battery-draining processes, such as wi-fi, bluetooth, and push notifications, people have been experiencing a reduction in battery life.

In some cases, it seems attached to a corrupt file or application in the iPhone. In these instances, restoring the iPhone and creating a new profile (rather than importing old information) seemed to resolve the issue. Unfortunately for many others, even after performing this procedure, the problem still remains.

Apparently, though, Apple has responded to the issue and has distributed a small battery tracking application, along with a short list of troubleshooting questions, to many posters on the above-mentioned thread.

Judging by the wide range of this problem and Apple’s response, is is very likely that we will soon see another update to iPhone OS that will resolve this issue. Until that time, though, iPhone users are left to deal with the problem themselves.

Fortunately, OWC is here to help. While we can’t fix the underlying problem —that’s Apple’s domain— we’ve at least got a temporary solution for your power problems: extended battery packs.

The most form-fitting option is the Energizer Energi To Go AP iPhone Charger, which integrates a protective sleeve with either a 1000 mAh or 1500 mAh battery for extra time between chargings.

For a less specific option, there are the Macally JBox mini and the Cellboost iRecharge. Both these items allow you to simply attach to your iPhone via its USB cable and charge it that way. While not nearly as slick an option as the Energi To Go, these items have the added benefit that they can be used with any device that can be charged via USB.

For more information on the iPhone OS and Software updates, check Apple’s iPhone Support center.