Yeah, my 4a needs to be charged multiple times a day. The phone is still great, screen in perfect condition, still have space, and it's quick, but the battery is just shot. From fully charged to 76% in the last hour.
That's what I found with my 4xl. I upgraded to a 8, because the battery was crappy, but my experience is the same on the new device. If the 4 was still getting software updates, I would have just gotten a new battery.