Cellular off = More battery life?

[mrmister]

I get that turning cellular off equals more battery life if the watch is using cellular...but does it equal more battery life if the watch is on wifi? How about if the watch is doing its 'tethered to the iphone' thing?

 

[Bigwaff]

I get that turning cellular off equals more battery life if the watch is using cellular...but does it equal more battery life if the watch is on wifi? How about if the watch is doing its 'tethered to the iphone' thing?

It's hard to measure as the Apple Watch switches between these connections automatically.. but here is a link describing how Apple Watch uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to connect to the paired iPhone.. including cellular connectivity.

About Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Learn about Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for your Apple Watch and how your watch uses both. And learn how cellular on GPS + Cellular models fits in.

support.apple.com

 

[rKunda]

I’ve had my watch on cellular for a while, and then, for a few months, canceled it, and then turned it back on. The amount of battery usage on cellular was very noticeable.

 

[Shirasaki]

I got best battery life possible by using my Apple Watch Series 4 in airplane mode only. Go figure.
Airplane mode can be configured to maintain tethered use with iPhone.
To me, tethered mode using Apple Watch is the least Battery intensive way to use Apple watch.

 

[mrmister]

I’ve had my watch on cellular for a while, and then, for a few months, canceled it, and then turned it back on. The amount of battery usage on cellular was very noticeable.

Is this bc of drain when you are doing stuff with no phone and the watch beyond wifi, or did it seem like having cellular on just comes with an inherent energy cost?

 

[mk313]

Supposedly the Apple Watch will always use the most battery efficient method of connecting, so bluetooth to iPhone if in range, then wifi if no phone in range. Then cellular if no wife & no phone. And the other options connectivity are shot down while it's on the more efficient method (so it won't actively seek wifi networks if it's connected to a phone, etc).

I can't point to a specific document that says that (although I've seen this discussed many times here on the forums), but I do think it makes intuitive sense, as Apple tries to pack as much battery life as they can into the watch, without making it any thicker, and the cellular connection probably uses the most (or second most) battery life of all the battery drains in the watch.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Unless your watch has a weak cellular connection, leaving the cellular option on shouldn't cause excessive battery drain.

 

[Howard2k]

Supposedly the Apple Watch will always use the most battery efficient method of connecting, so bluetooth to iPhone if in range, then wifi if no phone in range. Then cellular if no wife & no phone. And the other options connectivity are shot down while it's on the more efficient method (so it won't actively seek wifi networks if it's connected to a phone, etc).

I can't point to a specific document that says that (although I've seen this discussed many times here on the forums), but I do think it makes intuitive sense, as Apple tries to pack as much battery life as they can into the watch, without making it any thicker, and the cellular connection probably uses the most (or second most) battery life of all the battery drains in the watch.

Right here:

About Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular on your Apple Watch - Apple Support (CA)

Learn about Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for your Apple Watch and how your watch uses both. And learn how cellular on GPS + Cellular models fits in.

support.apple.com