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yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
At night or when i get home from work and don't use my watch, i put it on airplane mode (to preserve iPhone battery life) and leave it on the charger until the next morning. of course throughout the evening and overnight, i get some text message notifications that I've replied to or have seen already, my iPhone also has a scheduled DND. ONLY when i turn OFF airplane mode in the morning is when i get a couple of text messages from the previous night after already seeing them on my iPhone and even replying to them. It's only text messages, nothing else.

what gives?
 

infiniteentropy

macrumors regular
Sep 9, 2009
237
1,044
Why don't you just have it in Do Not Disturb mode overnight? You can have it mirror the iPhone. Would probably make things smoother. Just an idea...
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
Why don't you just have it in Do Not Disturb mode overnight? You can have it mirror the iPhone. Would probably make things smoother. Just an idea...

when i get home from work, I usually have something to do around the house and don't wear my watch (maybe i should since i'm somewhat moving but IDC to track that). without turning OFF bluetooth on my iPhone, i put the watch into airplane mode since it's away and charging until the next morning. with it on airplane mode, it won't always be connected to my iPhone and drain the battery.
 

Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,866
8,047
I don't think there is a need to micromanage battery like that, especially since you are home and can recharge your iPhone if needed. Just try leaving the watch connected to iPhone at night and see if there is a noticeable difference in iPhone battery life.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
when i get home from work, I usually have something to do around the house and don't wear my watch (maybe i should since i'm somewhat moving but IDC to track that). without turning OFF bluetooth on my iPhone, i put the watch into airplane mode since it's away and charging until the next morning. with it on airplane mode, it won't always be connected to my iPhone and drain the battery.

I guarantee you your watch isn't draining more than 1% of your iPhone's battery while you are not wearing the watch. If you are more than 20~feet away from your phone, the watch will automatically disconnect until you get closer again. Therefore, it wouldn't be using any of your iPhone's battery when you are away from the watch. Just put your watch on the charger, turn DND on and don't worry about your iPhone battery. Its so minuscule you won't even notice the difference.
 
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yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
the issue still remains, why would after taking it off of airplane mode only give my notifications of a few random text messages that I've already replied to?
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
the issue still remains, why would after taking it off of airplane mode only give my notifications of a few random text messages that I've already replied to?

Because your watch has to play 'catch-up'. Its no different than if you turn your Mac off and turn it back on a week later. You will get all the notifications for the past week until it resyncs up with your other devices.
 

Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,866
8,047
the issue still remains, why would after taking it off of airplane mode only give my notifications of a few random text messages that I've already replied to?

My guess is notifications are only sent in real time. If a device is offline when a notification arrives, then it's not like they are stored somewhere for the device to retrieve when it comes back online.
 
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BrettDS

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2012
1,489
634
Orlando
Honestly, I suspect that putting your watch in airplane mode probably uses more battery on your phone rather than just leaving it running. When the watch is in airplane mode the phone will be constantly searching for it using power for the Bluetooth radio. Obviously it will use power for Bluetooth when the watch is connected as well, but I suspect it will be less power than if it's constantly searching. If you really want to save phone power you're probably just better off turning off Bluetooth on the phone instead. However, like others said, the power gain will be negligible and it's really probably not worth doing either.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
my iPhone battery has dropped 10% in about 15mins. my watch was not getting any notifications because I was using my phone. I read an email, adjusted my fantasy football lineup and checked a story on ESPN, that was all I did. that's a pretty significant drop which is why I put the watch on airplane mode and have been doing it for a couple of weeks already. the battery drain while the watch is not connected is minimal and considered normal for me. At this rate, my iPhone would be dead around 3-4pm.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
my iPhone battery has dropped 10% in about 15mins. my watch was not getting any notifications because I was using my phone. I read an email, adjusted my fantasy football lineup and checked a story on ESPN, that was all I did. that's a pretty significant drop which is why I put the watch on airplane mode and have been doing it for a couple of weeks already. the battery drain while the watch is not connected is minimal and considered normal for me. At this rate, my iPhone would be dead around 3-4pm.

I'm telling you, the battery drain with the watch connected is minuscule and cannot be quantified. There are 100 other factors that will effect your battery life more so than having the watch connected. Simple poor cellular service will eat through a fully charged phone in under 5 hours.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
just more curious to why the notifications come through when they'd already been seen/cleared through my iPhone. small but just wondering if anyone else had the problem/non-problem.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
just more curious to why the notifications come through when they'd already been seen/cleared through my iPhone. small but just wondering if anyone else had the problem/non-problem.

As I already said above:

"Because your watch has to play 'catch-up'. Its no different than if you turn your Mac off and turn it back on a week later. You will get all the notifications for the past week until it resyncs up with your other devices."

And

Night Spring: "My guess is notifications are only sent in real time. If a device is offline when a notification arrives, then it's not like they are stored somewhere for the device to retrieve when it comes back online."
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
As I already said above:

"Because your watch has to play 'catch-up'. Its no different than if you turn your Mac off and turn it back on a week later. You will get all the notifications for the past week until it resyncs up with your other devices."

And

Night Spring: "My guess is notifications are only sent in real time. If a device is offline when a notification arrives, then it's not like they are stored somewhere for the device to retrieve when it comes back online."

thanks, already read that. looking for other's if they notice it also.

I'm telling you, the battery drain with the watch connected is minuscule and cannot be quantified. There are 100 other factors that will effect your battery life more so than having the watch connected. Simple poor cellular service will eat through a fully charged phone in under 5 hours.

prior to owning an AW, my iPhone 6 would last all day. BT is always on but never connected until i get into my truck. It would die roughly around 9-10pm if i'm using it heavy. i don't watch videos while off of wifi. i have great cell reception and never drop service. i don't see an issue with service. now, my iPhone will last probably around 4-5pm before i put it on a charger here at work before leaving home.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
thanks, already read that. looking for other's if they notice it also.



prior to owning an AW, my iPhone 6 would last all day. BT is always on but never connected until i get into my truck. It would die roughly around 9-10pm if i'm using it heavy. i don't watch videos while off of wifi. i have great cell reception and never drop service. i don't see an issue with service. now, my iPhone will last probably around 4-5pm before i put it on a charger here at work before leaving home.

You do realize that the battery in the iPhone is now old right? It no longer is capable of holding its design capacity. Therefore you will see a major reduction in the battery life you get. Not to mention software updates, possible corruption, different circumstances and so on. Its low-power bluetooth. It uses almost no power.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
You do realize that the battery in the iPhone is now old right? It no longer is capable of holding its design capacity. Therefore you will see a major reduction in the battery life you get. Not to mention software updates, possible corruption, different circumstances and so on. Its low-power bluetooth. It uses almost no power.

i'm aware of that. i take what apple gives regarding real battery life with a grain of salt. given that it would last until 9-10pm like i previously mentioned, there's no cause for concern regarding the battery on my iPhone. i have no issues with it. I was more concern with my original issue. now bringing to light of what the reason was, seeing the % drop just merely looking at my iPhone and doing nothing is somewhat concerning. I always have BT on my iPhone to have in my truck and make hands free calls. it being always connected to my AW is obviously decreasing it rapidly.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
i'm aware of that. i take what apple gives regarding real battery life with a grain of salt. given that it would last until 9-10pm like i previously mentioned, there's no cause for concern regarding the battery on my iPhone. i have no issues with it. I was more concern with my original issue. now bringing to light of what the reason was, seeing the % drop just merely looking at my iPhone and doing nothing is somewhat concerning. I always have BT on my iPhone to have in my truck and make hands free calls. it being always connected to my AW is obviously decreasing it rapidly.

I mean it comes down to you believing what you want to believe. I've been wearing my Apple Watch for 18 months, and its connected to my phone 24/7. I put my watch on the charger at roughly 8PM every day and continue to use my phone as normal until 10-11PM. There is no additional battery drain on the iPhone just for it being connected. Its low-powered BT, which literally translates to hardly using power. But it still doesn't make any sense. BT on your phone would need to be off to prevent battery draining, not putting your watch in AP mode. BT is still running on your phone and still searching for your watch. Thats technically going to use more power.

With that being said, you now know why the watch alerts you of old notifications. The only way to prevent that is to stop putting the watch in AP mode.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
when i do put it on AP mode, i notice the rapid decrease stops. i will do a test overnight. charge my iPhone to 100% and leave the AW off of AP mode and see how i make out in the morning.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
when i do put it on AP mode, i notice the rapid decrease stops. i will do a test overnight. charge my iPhone to 100% and leave the AW off of AP mode and see how i make out in the morning.
If I charge my phone to 100% before bed, unplug my phone but leave my Apple watch on its charger, I wake up 8 hours later with 100% on my iPhone 7Plus. I do this almost every night. I guess you could run 3 tests:

1) Watch AP on, phone BT on. (Control)
2) Watch AP off, phone BT on.
3) Watch AP off, phone BT off.

Please report back with the tests. If you experience massive battery drain its possible there is something is wrong or everyone else is entirely wrong.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
OK, i did not put the AW on AP mode when i got home. it stayed on it's charger. my iPhone's battery was still decreasing faster than my normal usage. Had to charge it before i left work and again around 7pm or it would have died in the next 10-15mins of usage. before bed, I charged it to 100% and left the iPhone OFF the charger, i woke up to 97%. nothing running in the background and the AW still on it's charger. I will test it again tonight with the AW ON AP mode and the iPhone still off the charger.

I'll much take a 3% drop for roughly 7hrs. it's a totally different animal when my iPhone is being used. I've only had an AW for a couple of weeks now, all this time i was thinking it's normal behavior.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
OK, i did not put the AW on AP mode when i got home. it stayed on it's charger. my iPhone's battery was still decreasing faster than my normal usage. Had to charge it before i left work and again around 7pm or it would have died in the next 10-15mins of usage. before bed, I charged it to 100% and left the iPhone OFF the charger, i woke up to 97%. nothing running in the background and the AW still on it's charger. I will test it again tonight with the AW ON AP mode and the iPhone still off the charger.

I'll much take a 3% drop for roughly 7hrs. it's a totally different animal when my iPhone is being used. I've only had an AW for a couple of weeks now, all this time i was thinking it's normal behavior.

I can tell you and so can a thousand people on the thread. It is not normal behavior for your battery life to decrease rapidly just because your watch is connected. I've had it for 18 months. But I will wait to hear back about AP on. My guess it will be identical.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
I can tell you and so can a thousand people on the thread. It is not normal behavior for your battery life to decrease rapidly just because your watch is connected. I've had it for 18 months. But I will wait to hear back about AP on. My guess it will be identical.

watch a 3min video on youtube, did a little social media viewing. nothing heavy. and now the iPhone battery is at 67%, it's only 10:20am. left the house @ 8am with 97%.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
watch a 3min video on youtube, did a little social media viewing. nothing heavy. and now the iPhone battery is at 67%, it's only 10:20am. left the house @ 8am with 97%.

Have you checked the health of your battery? It clearly sounds like a defective iPhone battery and not an apple watch issue.

If you are on iOS 9, download Battery Life in the app store. If you are on iOS 10 and have a mac, download Coconut battery. You can download Battery life on iOS 10 but its not nearly as accurate.
 

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 28, 2009
3,682
1,925
Have you checked the health of your battery? It clearly sounds like a defective iPhone battery and not an apple watch issue.

If you are on iOS 9, download Battery Life in the app store. If you are on iOS 10 and have a mac, download Coconut battery. You can download Battery life on iOS 10 but its not nearly as accurate.

unless it's defective when it's only connected to my watch, i don't think i do. before the watch, it was fine. go home with roughly 60% left. not i'm lucky to have 60% before lunch. i'll check out Coconut battery on my mac.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
unless it's defective when it's only connected to my watch, i don't think i do. before the watch, it was fine. go home with roughly 60% left. not i'm lucky to have 60% before lunch. i'll check out Coconut battery on my mac.

You said you got your Watch 3 weeks ago, and you are using an iPhone 6? I guarantee you your battery has failed in the last 3 weeks. A battery can fail in a day. This is absolutely no different than being connected to your truck. If your battery dropped 20% in 4 hours, its 100% a battery issues, not a watch issues.

You are literally the only person experiencing this battery drain, so whats the more likely, the watch is doing it, or your battery is on its way out?
 
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