Apple Watch battery drain on iPhone?

[Mascots]

Here is everything I have been able to gather from legitimate sources:

1. The Watch will utilize wifi, users do not have access to picking networks
2. The primary means of communication between the Watch and iPhone is Bluetooth
3. If a network exists and the iPhone sits on it, the Apple Watch will also join it, and in which case they will use a Bonjour-like method to discover & chat with each other instead of BT.
4. The Watch will not connect to the iPhone through the iPhone's hotspot, but that doesn't mean it's not possible (not much evidence on this).
5. The Watch can use BT High-speed (which is p2p wifi) for Bluetooth transfers if required, but will be unbeknowst to the user and if both devices are not connected to a mutual network.

A lot of people assume it "can connect via wifi" because of the "Use at home; away from phone" comment by Lynch, but he used home because it is a location with a router that can act as the bridge between the two devices instead of bridging directly through BT.

Apple Multipeer Framework

^ This is how Apple achieves this, but it doesn't allow for a device to sit on multiple wifi channels at once; it allows a device to see the wifi channels of other devices. Multipeer is the Rendezvous of 2015.

 

[Runt888]

Here is everything I have been able to gather from legitimate sources:

1. The Watch will utilize wifi, users do not have access to picking networks
2. The primary means of communication between the Watch and iPhone is Bluetooth
3. If a network exists and the iPhone sits on it, the Apple Watch will also join it, and in which case they will use a Bonjour-like method to discover & chat with each other instead of BT.
4. The Watch will not connect to the iPhone through the iPhone's hotspot, but that doesn't mean it's not possible (not much evidence on this).
5. The Watch can use BT High-speed (which is p2p wifi) for Bluetooth transfers if required, but will be unbeknowst to the user and if both devices are not connected to a mutual network.

A lot of people assume it "can connect via wifi" because of the "Use at home; away from phone" comment by Lynch, but he used home because it is a location with a router that can act as the bridge between the two devices instead of bridging directly through BT.



^ This is how Apple achieves this, but it doesn't allow for a device to sit on multiple wifi channels at once; it allows a device to see the wifi channels of other devices. Multipeer is the Rendezvous of 2015.

Please post your "legitimate" sources (especially for #3).

 

[dannyyankou]

It may actually be beneficial to your iPhone's battery during the winter because your phone will spend more time in your warm coat pocket.

 

[JuryDuty]

I don't think it'll affect it much. My phone always has bluetooth and wifi on, sends texts to my iPad, etc, and it doesn't drain much. In fact, it probably drains less than if I was actually accessing it instead of my other devices.

 

[Mascots]

Please post your "legitimate" sources (especially for #3).

Because I can't paste directly from the Apple Dev forums, the most I can do is paraphrase. But that is the result of stalking threads related to this where Apple has spilled additional details.

edit: btw, I'm not claiming to be 100% correct here, but based on the evidence, that is what I could best juxtapose.

 

[Runt888]

Because I can't paste directly from the Apple Dev forums, the most I can do is paraphrase. But that is the result of stalking threads related to this where Apple has spilled additional details.

edit: btw, I'm not claiming to be 100% correct here, but based on the evidence, that is what I could best juxtapose.

I'm a developer - can you give the thread names so I can verify?

 

[Mascots]

I'm a developer - can you give the thread names so I can verify?

I'd be more than happy to, but I don't have the time to jump through threads at this moment. I suggest you keep your eye on the WatchKit forum, in threads where people have asked about BT and Wifi and specifically where Apple employees (the folks) have mentioned along the lines of, "you shouldn't assume where data is coming from..." as it is in those responses that they've spilled those little tidbits I'm feeding from.

I vaguely remember a post that highlighted point #3, with behs or Tom (full Apple logo support member) alluding to the attachment of the phone and watch on the same network when available to reduce latency (that's what stuck in my mind). Alas, I can't remember what it was about though, so I'll try and look this evening.

 

[Runt888]

I'd be more than happy to, but I don't have the time to jump through threads at this moment. I suggest you keep your eye on the WatchKit forum, in threads where people have asked about BT and Wifi and specifically where Apple employees (the folks) have mentioned along the lines of, "you shouldn't assume where data is coming from..." as it is in those responses that they've spilled those little tidbits I'm feeding from.

I vaguely remember a post that highlighted point #3, with behs or Tom (full Apple logo support member) alluding to the attachment of the phone and watch on the same network when available to reduce latency (that's what stuck in my mind). Alas, I can't remember what it was about though, so I'll try and look this evening.

The reason why I ask is that I do keep a fairly close eye on the developer forums, and all Apple employees have been pretty tight-lipped about the exact details, telling developers to treat it as an implementation detail that they have no control over.

If you've seen additional info (even alluding to the watch connecting to a network) I would love to see it.

 

[nathanjbrown]

Another thing to ponder: what's the benefit of connecting iPhone to Watch via WiFi sans router? Why not stick with BT? Range? Well if range is the desired outcome, then wouldn't the router be a far more effective - and battery efficient - method?

The article someone referenced earlier was eye opening. I wasn't aware. Yet I don't understand what benefit would be realized in a "home" environment If the two devices continue to talk directly to one another.

Another thing to ponder...I'm counting on this "router approach" for MY use case: leave my iPhone at my desk while dining in the cafeteria three floors down and about a thousand feet away. There's no way the iPhone and the Watch would reach one another If operating peer to peer. Doesn't make sense.

 

[Mascots]

If you've seen additional info (even alluding to the watch connecting to a network) I would love to see it.

Like I said, I'll be glad to congregate together the evidence I found in the boards, I just need free time (and when I'm not at work to feel a little less guilty about it ). I'd enjoy a second set of professional eyes and opinions towards what they've stated.

Another thing to ponder: what's the benefit of connecting iPhone to Watch via WiFi sans router? Why not stick with BT? Range? Well if range is the desired outcome, then wouldn't the router be a far more effective - and battery efficient - method?

The article someone referenced earlier was eye opening. I wasn't aware. Yet I don't understand what benefit would be realized in a "home" environment If the two devices continue to talk directly to one another.

Another thing to ponder...I'm counting on this "router approach" for MY use case: leave my iPhone at my desk while dining in the cafeteria three floors down and about a thousand feet away. There's no way the iPhone and the Watch would reach one another If operating peer to peer. Doesn't make sense.

While entirely circumstantial, this is my general consensus.

 

[Runt888]

Another thing to ponder: what's the benefit of connecting iPhone to Watch via WiFi sans router? Why not stick with BT? Range? Well if range is the desired outcome, then wouldn't the router be a far more effective - and battery efficient - method?

The article someone referenced earlier was eye opening. I wasn't aware. Yet I don't understand what benefit would be realized in a "home" environment If the two devices continue to talk directly to one another.

Another thing to ponder...I'm counting on this "router approach" for MY use case: leave my iPhone at my desk while dining in the cafeteria three floors down and about a thousand feet away. There's no way the iPhone and the Watch would reach one another If operating peer to peer. Doesn't make sense.

I can think of a few reasons:
1. Works the same everywhere, regardless of router configuration. It's a pretty common configuration to allow anyone to connect to a router, but redirect them to a login page before allowing internet access (ie, hotels, coffee shops, etc). Apple says the wifi connection is "seamless" which just isn't possible with all routers and configurations.
2. Power - wifi is very power hungry. It's theoretically possible (and again, this is just my theory), that Apple is optimizing the protocol between the watch and the iPhone to only use wifi sparingly to save battery life.
3. Simplicity - the watch can have less advanced wifi hardware (it only has 802.11BG) and only needs to be tested against the three iPhone models that are supported.

Remember, the whole purpose of including wifi on the watch is to extend the range of bluetooth. The watch isn't meant to connect to anything except the iPhone.

 

[Mascots]

I can think of a few reasons:
1. Works the same everywhere, regardless of router configuration. It's a pretty common configuration to allow anyone to connect to a router, but redirect them to a login page before allowing internet access (ie, hotels, coffee shops, etc). Apple says the wifi connection is "seamless" which just isn't possible with all routers and configurations.
2. Power - wifi is very power hungry. It's theoretically possible (and again, this is just my theory), that Apple is optimizing the protocol between the watch and the iPhone to only use wifi sparingly to save battery life.
3. Simplicity - the watch can have less advanced wifi hardware (it only has 802.11BG) and only needs to be tested against the three iPhone models that are supported.

Remember, the whole purpose of including wifi on the watch is to extend the range of bluetooth. The watch isn't meant to connect to anything except the iPhone.

So, you advocating that the Watch stays connected to the phone through wifi-direct to increase range rather than an intermediate wifi network?

In scenario 1, the Watch merely needs to be accessible to the phone on the wifi network for its range to be extended, an Internet connection isn't required for the two devices to directly talk to each other. Much like what you see trying to Airplay (from the Internet) on a network that isn't internet enabled, the two devices themselves can happily connect and chat with each other, but the iPhone just can't funnel the data to the external device (unless it falls to cellular network, like back when that toggle was in Betas).

 

[Runt888]

So, you advocating that the Watch stays connected to the phone through wifi-direct to increase range rather than an intermediate wifi network?

In scenario 1, the Watch merely needs to be accessible to the phone on the wifi network for its range to be extended, an Internet connection isn't required for the two devices to directly talk to each other. Much like what you see trying to Airplay (from the Internet) on a network that isn't internet enabled, the two devices themselves can happily connect and chat with each other, but the iPhone just can't funnel the data to the external device (unless it falls to cellular network, like back when that toggle was in Betas).

I'm advocating that wifi-direct will increase range well over bluetooth. And I think, in the interest of battery life, that they will only use wifi when absolutely necessary (so much of the time it will be bluetooth only).

If a network has a login page, then the watch won't be able to talk to the phone (all data from the watch's ip will be redirected until a successful login).

 

[Armen]

How significantly will the watch impact the battery of the iPhone due to Bluetooth/wifi?

The watch will actually improve your iPhone's battery life. The less you have to reach for your phone for basic functions you can do on your watch the longer the battery will last. The screen being on uses a lot of battery on your phone.