[Official] Version 1 battery life thread

[halon]

Today will be my first full day. As of right now I have had my watch on my wrist for 3 hours and I'm down to 90%, I had around 10 or so notifications pop up and a handful of screen touches to see the time and an unknown amount of times the watch face was on because of movement. I also messed around with watch faces for about 1 minute.

Side note: my review won't be typical because my job is not a place to wear a watch like this. So for 8 hours out of the day I won't have it on me. I'll easily get a full day. Possibly 2 days? We'll see.

 

[atrain311]

I really need real world use and Intel. If it cannot make it from 7 in the morning until 11 at night it's not practical for me. My boring, ugly gear 2 will have to suffice. ... sadly.

#firstworldproblems

 

[drkrishall]

Today was my first full day. I took off the charger at 7am. I was at 4% at 4pm. So it sits on the charger now.

My usage has not been extreme but I did go for a run and became slightly infatuated with the heart rate monitor. Also I checked out navigation for 2 trips of ~3 miles.

Anyways, hope this serves as another data point for you guys. Let me know if you have any questions...

 

[halon]

I have no use for the heart rate monitor. I think I read that it is always on can't be turned off? If that's true I hope they update it so you can disable it.

 

[drkrishall]

I have not yet seen a way to turn off the heart rate monitor.

 

[atrain311]

It just seems so odd to have a device so hyped and to slip up on something as important as battery life.

I'm completely okay with having to charge it each night. No big deal about that. But it not making it through a day just isn't acceptable. I'm not crazy, right?

I'm really hoping something can be done about this. Firmware update maybe?

 

[ODog2323]

Btw what kind of battery drain does all this Bluetooth syncing cause on your phones??

I hardly use Bluetooth, except for an occasional hands free call, so I don't have much experience seeing how a fancy BT device affects a phone's battery...

 

[charliecc]

Assuming your phone is Bluetooth 4, which most phones in the last couple of years have been, then it shouldn't drain the phone battery all that much.

 

[The_Chief]

Yesterday was Sunday. Took the watch off the charge at 100% at 9:03 AM.

At 4:42 PM it warned me, saying it was down to 17%. This was with what I would call nominal use.

I was hoping to get 10-12 hours out of it, and I think I can: a Qi wireless charging pad from Amazon for $14, sitting next to the laptop, to keep the watch charged while sitting at the computer. Then back on my wrist.

I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works...

 

[Stang68]

I was hoping to get 10-12 hours out of it, and I think I can: a Qi wireless charging pad from Amazon for $14, sitting next to the laptop, to keep the watch charged while sitting at the computer. Then back on my wrist.

I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works...

Yes, but what happens on those days that you're not near a Qi charger? You end up with an expensive bracelet?

 

[charliecc]

Yesterday was Sunday. Took the watch off the charge at 100% at 9:03 AM.

At 4:42 PM it warned me, saying it was down to 17%. This was with what I would call nominal use.

I was hoping to get 10-12 hours out of it, and I think I can: a Qi wireless charging pad from Amazon for $14, sitting next to the laptop, to keep the watch charged while sitting at the computer. Then back on my wrist.

I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works...

Please do.

However, that's not really acceptable is it. What about the days you're not sat next to a charger, or the days you're out late. IMO, it's gotta have 18 hours minimum.

I so wanted this watch, but that just doesn't cut the mustard.

 

[halon]

After 24 hours of use for a blue collar worker:

930am - 930am down to 50%, it could have been higher if I didn't have it connected while it was in my locker at work so there is a good chance at 2 days for me on work days. I won't know about a non workday until this Friday and Saturday. I'm going to a Pittsburgh Pirate game Friday so it will be on my wrist for many hours.


My opinion on this watch:
For me this is a stylish/statement watch. I don't want or need this on when I work out. I don't need it to know I received a text or email or tweet or something about Facebook or make a phone call(it can't anyways, thankfully). And I especially don't want it for turn by turn directions or tell me how many steps I've taken. The heart rate monitor is a complete waste of time, to me. But of course this watch has all those functions. If someone needs all those functions get one of those exercise watches.

Would it be nice if it lasted 2, 3, or 5 days....hell, even a week? Damn straight! But it doesn't. Either deal with it because you're an early adopter or wait until the next version or get one from another manufacturer.

 

[EastDallas]

Saturday was my first full day with the 360. I put it on at 9AM and wore it all day. It wasn't a work day, so usage may have been lighter than a typical day. I ran for about 40 minutes Saturday afternoon with the display always on with RunKeeper stats. At about 8:30PM it reported 4% battery remaining, however it took 3 1/2 hours to go from 4% to 2%. At this point I was going to bed anyway, so I put it on the charger. While I don't think I'm going to get the 36 hours I could get with my G Watch, I suspect that it will get 20 hours with no problems.

I used it as normal yesterday (Sunday) without using RunKeeper (no long period with the display forced on). I was able to go from 9AM until 10PM and still had 32% remaining when I put it on the charger.

 

[atrain311]

Saturday was my first full day with the 360. I put it on at 9AM and wore it all day. It wasn't a work day, so usage may have been lighter than a typical day. I ran for about 40 minutes Saturday afternoon with the display always on with RunKeeper stats. At about 8:30PM it reported 4% battery remaining, however it took 3 1/2 hours to go from 4% to 2%. At this point I was going to bed anyway, so I put it on the charger. While I don't think I'm going to get the 36 hours I could get with my G Watch, I suspect that it will get 20 hours with no problems.

I used it as normal yesterday (Sunday) without using RunKeeper (no long period with the display forced on). I was able to go from 9AM until 10PM and still had 32% remaining when I put it on the charger.

These are such drastically different reports. Some are getting 8 hours and some are suspecting 20. I need 16 hours of moderate use (checking the time, checking it when a text or email comes in, perhaps a fast change of watch face. If it can do that, I'm in. If not, I'm concerned about dropping nearly 3 bills as us teachers don't get paid in money.

 

[halon]

These are such drastically different reports. Some are getting 8 hours and some are suspecting 20. I need 16 hours of moderate use (checking the time, checking it when a text or email comes in, perhaps a fast change of watch face. If it can do that, I'm in. If not, I'm concerned about dropping nearly 3 bills as us teachers don't get paid in money.

If that's all you need it for I don't see why you couldn't get 16 hours. Get it from BB and if you don't get 16 hours take it back.

 

[atrain311]

If that's all you need it for I don't see why you couldn't get 16 hours. Get it from BB and if you don't get 16 hours take it back.

I'll keep trying BB to see when they get it in, thanks.
Just out of curiosity, in case I'm missing things, what else would one use it for that would make the battery not last that long...other than exercise stuff, cause that's not me, lol.

Thanks.

 

[halon]

There's a store in Maryland that has at least one when I checked about 5 minutes ago.

Turn by turn directions would probably drain it fast?

Looking for a 360? http://zackboe.co/360/

On the BB website try different zip codes. I tried for my area, Pittsburgh area and Harrisburg area(this where I got mine. Drove 180 miles to get it).

 

[EastDallas]

These are such drastically different reports. Some are getting 8 hours and some are suspecting 20. I need 16 hours of moderate use (checking the time, checking it when a text or email comes in, perhaps a fast change of watch face. If it can do that, I'm in. If not, I'm concerned about dropping nearly 3 bills as us teachers don't get paid in money.

Based on my experience so far, I don't think 16 hours is unrealistic. As mentioned above, you could always return it if it's not meeting your needs.

 

[cigar3tte]

Having to take off the watch during the day is unacceptable and completely defeat its purpose I think. I see it as mainly for convenience of not having to take my phone out of my pocket to check notifications.

This watch needs to last from leaving home to going to bed. The charging station should be by bedside and not having to be taken with you unless you're not sleeping at home that day.

 

[Felecity]

(... Drove 180 miles to get it).

And here I thought I was the only one who would drive a distance for this watch.



Overall, after two solid days with the watch, I am underwhelmed with the battery life. Here is my usage today:

- Undocked from cradle at 7:30 am
- 150+ alerts (CloudMail, Hangouts, etc.)
- Brightness set to "auto"
- Ambient off
- Google "Now'd" about 6-8 times to show off features to individuals (whihc included a round of "navigate me home" and "what is the height of the Effiel Tower?" as well as "What's my current heart rate?". (NOTE: Once the navigation was activated, I would turn it off, as I was just showing what the watch could do)
- Using only one additional app, Timeless, for a custom clock.


Right now, at almost 4:30 pm, I am at 29%.

Which is far better than my first day with it (removed from charge and within an hour and a half, down to 35%). This was likely due to the different apps and watch faces that I was toying with that caused this fast drain on the battery.


All in all, I did get better battery like out of my Gear 2, which is rather disappointing. I am hoping a firmware update is sent out soon to help resolve this problem as I was concerned I had a defective unit.

 

[vzwuser76]

Just curious for the people who have it. Do you have ambient screen set to on or off? A reviewer mentioned that leaving the screen on, even though it's dim, greatly decreases the battery life.

I had always assumed that it would not be always on, and turning the screen on would be either gesture based (raise arm and twist wrist) or tapping the screen or pressing the crown (button on the side). So far the only smartwatch I know of doing always on screen is the pebble, but that's a monochrome screen ( e-ink or e-paper), so that gives it an advantage.

I know another android site mentioned turning ambient screen off for better battery life, so I'm not the only one who planning on that. But I am curious if doing that will be enough or not. In the video review I previously mentioned, the guy said with ambient screen turned off, after fully charging it he lost around 27% after 6 hours off the charger. That would translate to around 22-23 hours of battery life, which would be fine. Less than 12 however would not.

 

[halon]

Just curious for the people who have it. Do you have ambient screen set to on or off? A reviewer mentioned that leaving the screen on, even though it's dim, greatly decreases the battery life.

I had always assumed that it would not be always on, and turning the screen on would be either gesture based (raise arm and twist wrist) or tapping the screen or pressing the crown (button on the side). So far the only smartwatch I know of doing always on screen is the pebble, but that's a monochrome screen ( e-ink or e-paper), so that gives it an advantage.

I know another android site mentioned turning ambient screen off for better battery life, so I'm not the only one who planning on that. But I am curious if doing that will be enough or not. In the video review I previously mentioned, the guy said with ambient screen turned off, after fully charging it he lost around 27% after 6 hours off the charger. That would translate to around 22-23 hours of battery life, which would be fine. Less than 12 however would not.

Yes, ambient on will use more battery. Mine is set to off. I don't see the point of it always being on. No one is looking at their watch 12hrs a day. And the face will more than likely turn on when you raise your arm or do a quick flick of the wrist. If not it won't kill a person to touch the screen.

Tip: use the Android Wear app to pick which notifications you want your phone to show up on your phone.

 

[atrain311]

Please keep us posted with your battery drain now that is been a few days and you have your settings adjusted. I really need some real world results. I need to start hearing that this thing can make it a comfortable 16 to 18 hours with moderate use.

 

[halon]

Please keep us posted with your battery drain now that is been a few days and you have your settings adjusted. I really need some real world results. I need to start hearing that this thing can make it a comfortable 16 to 18 hours with moderate use.

I will. Fridays and Saturdays are my days off and will be used more then, especially this Friday. Like mentioned earlier I don't wear mine at work so 1 1/2 to 2 days is doable for me.

 

[halon]

Apparently Motorola fibbed a little on the battery. The iFixit teardown reveals a 300mAh battery but when you do the math with the other stuff in the watch it works out to 320mAh. So long story short....marketing.

Class action law suit in 3...2..