One of the tricks baked into iOS 9 is a new Low Power Mode that lets you conserve battery life when charging the device isn’t possible. The feature isn’t new on other smartphone platforms, yet Apple’s implementation might be better than the competition’s, as one iOS fan discovered.
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To save battery life, Apple dims the screens and eliminates some visual effects. It also turns off Hey Siri, automatic downloads and app refresh, and reduces performance.
Low Power Mode can be enabled at any time, and an iOS will offer to enable it oncer your iPhone or iPad drops below 20% battery life. At that point, you can turn it on and squeeze some extra life out of the battery before charing it. However, a simple trick might help you save even more battery life during the day using the iOS 9 feature.
Matt Birchler asked himself why iOS 9 reviewers did not perform a particular Low Power Mode test: Leaving the setting on at all times.
“[I] wondered what would happen if you used Low Power Mode all the time,” he said. “I was surprised that no reviewer seems to have done this, so I took it upon myself to give it a try. I don’t have any standardized battery tests that I can do, so I simply spent the last 2 weeks alternating between using Low Power Mode all day, and not using it at all and comparing the differences. My findings are rather remarkable.”
Unsurprisingly, with Low Power Mode enabled, the battery of his iPhone 6 Plus lasted much longer than in normal mode (see image above).
“On average, my iPhone chewed through battery 38.7% slower when in Low Power Mode,” he said. “This is a drastic difference!” especially for “those with iPhones that are struggling to get the battery life they would like.”
“If you wake up at 7AM, and your phone tends to die by 5PM, this difference could get you to almost 9PM!” Birchler added. “On average, my battery was at 17% at midnight in normal mode, but 49% in Low Power Mode.”
He also said that, looking only at work hours, his data showed that Low Power Mode consumed 44% less battery than in normal model. Using the phone after work, or “more viguriously,” was still more efficient, as he experienced a 33% decrease in battery usage.
“I am amazed by the impact Low Power Mode has on battery life,” he concluded. “It’s not like the extreme low power modes found on Android phones that basically turn everything off and turn your $600+ phone into a dumb phone.”
Low Power Mode turns itself off after the phone reaches 80% charge, which means you’d have to reenable it yourself after each charge – luckily, you can tell Siri to do it for you.
Birchler’s full story on the matter is available at the source link.
