Expanded Low-Power Mode in watchOS 9 Will Work With More Apps and Features

[MacRumors]

watchOS 9 will feature a new power-saving mode that will let users use an Apple Watch and its apps and features without taking up a significant amount of battery life, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported today.

Currently, the Apple Watch features "Power Reserve" mode, which greatly limits Apple Watch functionality to only show users the time. With watchOS 9, Apple is looking to port over Low Power Mode from the iPhone to the Apple Watch, letting users use apps and features while using less battery life.

For watchOS 9, Apple also is planning a new low-power mode that is designed to let its smartwatch run some apps and features without using as much battery life. Currently, Apple Watches in low-power mode -- known on the device as Power Reserve -- can only access the time. The company is also planning to refresh many of its built-in watch faces currently shipping with the device.

The added new feature in watchOS 9 is part of Apple's overall efforts to improve battery life on the Apple Watch, which has remained mainly stagnant over the years.

watchOS 9 will also include a new detection feature for atrial fibrillation that will track how long an individual has been in a state of atrial fibrillation, according to Bloomberg. Apple will preview iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, and watchOS 9 during WWDC from June 6 through June 10.

Article Link: Expanded Low-Power Mode in watchOS 9 Will Work With More Apps and Features

 

[t0rqx]

It’s gonna be called…Ultra Low Power Mode.

 

[xyz369]

Finaly just make them work without depending on the iPhone.

 

[Kylo83]

Just let us make our own watch faces from
3rd partys

 

[mnsportsgeek]

How exciting

 

[orbital~debris]

Just let us make our own watch faces from
3rd partys

If anything, that would have the opposite effect.

 

[munpip214]

Would be nice to see 3-4 day battery while on low power mode

 

[jarman92]

Good. The current low-power mode is useless...it takes like 5 seconds for the time to show up.

 

[Vjosullivan]

Currently, the Apple Watch features "Power Reserve" mode, which greatly limits Apple Watch functionality...

For instance, you can't even go away for a weekend without having to recharge it twice.

 

[astrostu]

Battery life has been my main complaint. I went from Garmin, which had given me 1-month battery even when using the GPS daily, to Watch which is almost a day, 1.5 days if I stretch it hard. Tim keeps hyping when they make it half a millimeter thinner ... seriously, make it 2 mm thicker and double the battery life, your consumers would prefer that to an imperceptibly thicker device.

 

[_Spinn_]

Sounds good to me. I really wish I could get at least 2 days off my watch battery.

 

[Robert.Walter]

It’s gonna be called…Ultra Low Power Mode.

I can see the ads now:

“Limbo Power Mode …
… how low can you go?”

 

[kevcube]

seriously, make it 2 mm thicker and double the battery life, your consumers would prefer that to an imperceptibly thicker device.

count me out. I don't want a chunky tech watch protruding from my wrist.

I agree that current battery life isn't good enough, I had a Xiaomi Mi Fit that could do like 14 days, but also did about a tenth of the things my AW does.

At this point I've gotten used to finding an hour in my day to charge my watch. Whether it's during my shower, while sleeping, or working from my desk.

Upgrading from a s6 to s8 this year and I'm looking forward to the increased charging speeds that were introduced with s7. Even though I already charge over USB-C and I take advantage of the charge-speed improvements that came with series 6, it could always be better!

 

[sherwinzadeh]

If they're really going to make a Rugged Edition this year, then it's going to need longer battery life. Can't possible go camping and have to charge overnight.

 

[GermanSuplex]

This is great. I just need the time, music controls and for the app to continue monitoring my activity, or to pass the task off to my phone to log steps and such.

 

[sorgo †]

I’m strangely excited for this—my iPhone is nearly always in Low Power Mode whilst off the charger and it will be nice to have a (hopefully similar) way to extend battery life on the Watch that isn’t quite as restrictive as Power Reserve.

 

[allenvanhellen]

It’s gonna be called…Ultra Low Power Mode.

... Max

 

[allenvanhellen]

Please bring back Glances!

 

[Juiceboy]

I just want the always on screen to auto turn off when you reach 20%. But power reserve is utterly useless, so this is good news!

 

[cyanite]

It’s gonna be called…Ultra Low Power Mode.

Well, no, since it will use more power than the existing mode.

and for the app to continue monitoring my activity, or to pass the task off to my phone to log steps and such.

It does continue to count steps in power reserve, actually.

 

[svish]

This will be good. Will be able to extend battery life when required.

 

[mrow]

I’m curious what they can really do here. 90% of the time all a person is doing with their Apple Watch is receive notifications so what are they going to disable in the background that isn’t being done already? The only thing I can think of is they’ll completely disable the heart rate sensor which is the most power intensive thing the watch does.

 

[GermanSuplex]

Well, no, since it will use more power than the existing mode.


It does continue to count steps in power reserve, actually.

I wasn't sure, so that's good to know. I always have my iPhone with me and just assumed it switched over to using the iPhone to count steps.