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Latest iOS 16 Beta Updates Battery Percentage Options in Low Power Mode

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The sixth beta of iOS 16 that was provided to developers and public beta testers today focuses mainly on bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements, but it does make one small change to the battery percentage status bar feature that was introduced in the prior beta.

ios-16-beta-6-battery-percent-low-power.jpg

When using Low Power mode, it is now possible to turn off the percentage indicator that is shown in the status bar, something that was not able to be done in the prior beta. The change was first noted by 9to5Mac, and it is useful for those who do not like the battery icon in the status bar to show the percent.

iOS 16 beta 5:
ios-16-battery-low-power-mode-beta-5.jpg


iOS 16 beta 6:
ios-16-battery-low-power-mode-beta-6.jpg


In iOS 16 beta 5, activating Low Power mode automatically turned on the battery percent feature even if it was not toggled on, with no option to have Low Power mode on without showing battery percent information. That's no longer the case with iOS 16 beta 6, and the two toggles are no longer linked.

It is now possible to turn on Low Power mode while also turning off the battery percent reading for the battery icon.

Battery percent was a standard iPhone status bar feature until the launch of the iPhone X in 2017, which saw it removed due to space constraints caused by the notch needed for the TrueDepth camera system hardware. Until the fifth iOS 16 beta, the status bar showed a visual representation of battery level, and viewing the specific battery percentage required swiping into the Control Center or checking the battery widget.

With the fifth beta, Apple added the option to turn on battery percent, with the number overlaying the battery icon. The number replaces the typical battery icon that shifts over time as the battery drains, and because of that, it has not been popular with some users.

Battery percent is available on the iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. It is not available on the iPhone 11, iPhone XR, iPhone 12 mini, or iPhone 13 mini.

Article Link: Latest iOS 16 Beta Updates Battery Percentage Options in Low Power Mode
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/08/15/ios-16-beta-6-low-power-battery-percent/
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In all these years going back to the first iPhone, this is one feature I have never used, low power mode that is.
 
JustinCymbal said:
I really would like for Apple to allow the ability to leave low power mode on all the time and not have it turn off after charging past 80%

Low power mode definitely adds a significant amount of battery life to the iPhone and allows me to get through the day on a single charge
Click to expand...
I wish you could pick what parts of low power mode you wanted. I would like everything except the super short screen dim.
 
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I just noticed that dependency and noted how good of an idea I thought it was in the Beta 5 thread. And now they decoupled it. Oh, well.

This actually made a ton of sense: it allowed you to not stress or worry about your exact battery % in ‘Normal’ mode, but then turned on more detailed visibility into your available % once you’ve entered Low Power Mode (indicating that you’re concerned about conserving the rest of your battery). I wish they’d kept it.
 
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TheYayAreaLiving 🎗 said:
this is becoming a rich feature. Apple probably wants you to upgrade to a newer iPhone probably.
Click to expand...

They can try but I will probably hold onto the iPhone 11 for another cycle or possibly even 2. It’s crazy that they act like they can’t insert a number into the battery icon when it’s the same size on devices where it’s currently supported. Make it make sense…
 
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Bawstun said:
They can try but I will probably hold onto the iPhone 11 for another cycle or possibly even 2. It’s crazy that they act like they can’t insert a number into the battery icon when it’s the same size on devices where it’s currently supported. Make it make sense…
Click to expand...
It is Apple that we are talking about. I think apple tries to find a way for people to upgrade their iPhones to a latest model. I think this is just a big factor that may play into upgrades this year.
 
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Unfortunately there is no toggle now for it to behave like it used to. I found it perfect to be an icon normally, but show the percentage only when in low power mode - no longer possible. I hope this is fixed by release!
 
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UltimateSyn said:
I just noticed that dependency and noted how good of an idea I thought it was in the Beta 5 thread. And now they decoupled it. Oh, well.

This actually made a ton of sense: it allowed you to not stress or worry about your exact battery % in ‘Normal’ mode, but then turned on more detailed visibility into your available % once you’ve entered Low Power Mode (indicating that you’re concerned about conserving the rest of your battery). I wish they’d kept it.
Click to expand...
Especially considering this is how it worked on home-button iPhones since iOS 9, which is now broken in 16b6. I hope its fixed by release
 
JustinCymbal said:
I really would like for Apple to allow the ability to leave low power mode on all the time and not have it turn off after charging past 80%

Low power mode definitely adds a significant amount of battery life to the iPhone and allows me to get through the day on a single charge
Click to expand...
LPM pauses very critical tasks that needs to run at some point - like photo sync, iCloud backup, app updates, the list goes on. You should not leave your phone in low power mode all the time - at the *very* least give it a chance to run those processes on the charger, after the fast-charging portion to 80% is complete. You can set an automation in shortcuts for it to automatically turn back on once you disconnect the charger or it drops below a certain percentage - but it needs to be out of low power mode at some regular interval.
 
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kalafalas said:
LPM pauses very critical tasks that needs to run at some point - like photo sync, iCloud backup, app updates, the list goes on. You should not leave your phone in low power mode all the time - at the *very* least give it a chance to run those processes on the charger, after the fast-charging portion to 80% is complete. You can set an automation in shortcuts for it to automatically turn back on once you disconnect the charger or it drops below a certain percentage - but it needs to be out of low power mode at some regular interval.
Click to expand...

I never take my phone out of LPM. I don’t use any of the features that need it, and I find it gives me another 20% or so usage on a charge.
 
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