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Series 6 Battery Life - How long does your S6 last?

B

bluegt

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 3, 2015
463
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So far the Series 6 has had spectacular battery life and charging speeds. I wanted to make a thread so that we could post our findings and compare.

For Series 3/4/5 on WatchOS 7, please post here.

>>> Model: S6 44mm GPS Blue <<<
Cycle A1: Friday Evening -> Saturday Evening
Cycle A2: Saturday Evening -> Monday Afternoon
Cycle A3: Monday Evening -> Wednesday Afternoon

>>> Model: S6 44mm Cellular SS Graphite <<<
Cycle SS1-1: Monday Midnight -> Tuesday Afternoon
Cycle SS1-2: Tuesday Afternoon -> Thursday Morning

>>> Model: S6 44mm Cellular SS Graphite <<<
Cycle SS2-1: Saturday Midnight -> Monday Afternoon

>>> Model: S6 44mm Cellular SS Silver (WatchOS 7.0.1) <<<
Cycle SS3-1: Wednesday Midnight -> Thursday Afternoon
Cycle SS3-2: Thursday Evening -> Saturday Morning

Watch Face: Infograph with 8 Complications (no 3rd party)
Screen Brightness: 2/3
Settings: AOD On, Background HR/SpO2 On, Background Refresh On, Sleep Mode On, Handwashing On, Noise Notifications On, Handoff On, Siri On, AW Mac Unlock On.


Cycle A1 - First Full Cycle (Calibrating)
Workouts: 70min Indoor workout, music was playing off my iPad
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 21.6 hours = 4.6% per hour
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + a few non-background SpO2 measurements

Cycle A2
Workouts: 70min + 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 40.1 hours = 2.5% per hour
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + a few non-background SpO2 measurements

Cycle A3
Workouts: 35min + 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 40.2 hours = 2.5% per hour
Notes: 2 ECG measurements + a few non-background SpO2 measurements, more notifications (work week)

Cycle SS1-1 - First Full Cycle (Calibrating?)
Workouts: 35min + 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 39.0 hours = 2.6% per hour
Notes: A few non-background SpO2 measurements, more notifications (work week)

Cycle SS1-2
Workouts: 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 39.5 hours = 2.5% per hour (5h12m usage)
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + a few non-background SpO2 measurements, usual notifications

Cycle SS2-1 - First Full Cycle (Calibrating?)
Workouts: 60min + 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 38.5 hours = 2.6% per hour (5h33m usage)
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + few non-background SpO2 measurements, usual notifications

Cycle SS3-1 - First Full Cycle (Calibrating?)
Workouts: 35min + 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 39.0 hours = 2.6% per hour (5h21m usage)
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + few non-background SpO2 measurements, usual notifications

Cycle SS3-2
Workouts: 35min indoor workout, same setup
Battery Life: 0% Remaining after 39.8 hours = 2.5% per hour
Notes: A few non-background SpO2 measurements, usual notifications


SS Charging Results
All tests from 0% Battery

SS2-1 (~~23C ambient): 48% in 30 minutes | 87% in 60 minutes - ~1h30m for a full charge
SS1-1 (23-24C ambient): 36% in 30 minutes | 66% in 60 minutes - ~1h45m for a full charge
SS1-2 (24-25C ambient): 38% in 30 minutes | 67% in 60 minutes - ~1h40m for a full charge
SS2-0 (25-26C ambient): 30% in 30 minutes
SS3-2 (25-26C ambient): 26% in 30 minutes (stopped charging on its own after this point...)
SS3-1 (28-29C ambient): 25% in 30 minutes | 45% in 60 minutes - ~2h25m for a full charge
SS3-2 (28-29C ambient): 25% in 30 minutes | 45% in 60 minutes - ~2h25m for a full charge

Based on what I saw in the SS2-1 cycle (fast charge), this is how the watch regulates charge speed:
0-80% - ~0.52A
80-90% - ~0.31A
90-95% - ~0.19A
95-100% - ~0.13A
 
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Before my workout yesterday I avaraged 2.6-2.9%/h. During my workout with cellular and listened to offline music I lost ca 28% in 60 min. After the workout it dropped around 3%-3.5%/h
 
I picked mine up around 3 pm yesterday and it was at 93 % when I finished setting it up from backup. I wore it throughout the day and for sleep tracking (by Pillow) at night and it was at 63 % by 8 am
 
Thanks everyone, very interesting data points... I'll keep updating my original post above with progress for the 3rd cycle. Hopefully the battery life improves further.
 
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I’ve had a 3, 4 and now 6 and battery life always improves after about a week.
To start with you are using it more and even a handful of touches more uses up a lot of this little battery.

I always leave all features on including background app refresh and according to the Apple docs it will learn your usage patterns and actually stop updating things you don’t use. Which explains why after a week I tend to hit my max battery life.

my advice is to use it as normal and wait. It really gets to me when I see someone who’s installed an update and 8 hours later is saying battery life is bad. Not even 24 hrs.

this thread is good as it has some method to it.
 
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sadly my S6 doesn't last long enough. really hoped for over 24yr between charges (36 would have been great)
After 6 generations, watch still isn't there sadly
 
So now are exactly 8h since i since I use my watch. I lost 20% which means 2,25% = 44h of usage wow!
 
I'm actually seeing pretty poor battery life and don't have specific data but more anecdotal. I generally put my watch to charge by the side of my bed at night but with the new sleep features thought I'd give it a try wearing in bed, this has not been possible to date.

With my old S3 I would generally have about 30-40% battery life left at the end of the day (depending on workout etc). With my new S6 it has barely made it through the day, 1% Sunday evening, 10% last night, both days without a workout. Even have closed down all apps that were open. Doing a workout today so see what that effect has.

Love the new watch and is a massive upgrade from my S3 (even with look and feel as gone to SS from Aluminium S3) but at the moment I'm not getting full use out of it due to the battery performance. Hoping that this is a short term thing and either it settles down from whatever is being indexed or there is an update.
 
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not long. mine usually has about 20% left by 10-11pm when i go to sleep. i get my watch off the charger every morning around 745-8am
 
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dogegg said:
I'm actually seeing pretty poor battery life and don't have specific data but more anecdotal. I generally put my watch to charge by the side of my bed at night but with the new sleep features thought I'd give it a try wearing in bed, this has not been possible to date.

With my old S3 I would generally have about 30-40% battery life left at the end of the day (depending on workout etc). With my new S6 it has barely made it through the day, 1% Sunday evening, 10% last night, both days without a workout. Even have closed down all apps that were open. Doing a workout today so see what that effect has.

Love the new watch and is a massive upgrade from my S3 (even with look and feel as gone to SS from Aluminium S3) but at the moment I'm not getting full use out of it due to the battery performance. Hoping that this is a short term thing and either it settles down from whatever is being indexed or there is an update.
Click to expand...
Today for example, I am currently running at 4.7%/hr. Yet to do my workout.
 
Hasn't been stellar for me so far but it's early days. In the past I've always worn it throughout the day and night and then charge while I'm getting ready in the morning. I charged it up to full the night I got it and haven't really paid attention up until recently. This morning I woke up to 25% and when I put it on before leaving it was at 67%. We'll see where I end up tonight after my usual 50 minute workout. I'm guessing it'll have to charge up to full every other day or so to make this schedule work.
 
bluegt said:
So far the Series 6 has had spectacular battery life. I wanted to make a thread so that we could post our findings and compare.

For Series 3/4/5 on WatchOS 7, please post here.

Cycle 1: Friday Evening -> Saturday Evening
Cycle 2: Saturday Evening -> Monday Afternoon
Cycle 3: Monday Evening -> Now

Model: S6 44mm GPS
Watch Face: Infograph with 8 Complications
Screen Brightness: 2/3
Settings: AOD On, Handwashing On, Background HR/SpO2 On, Background Refresh On

Cycle 1 - First Full Cycle
Workouts / Streaming: 70min Workout, music was playing off my iPad
Battery Life/Time: 0% Remaining after 21.6 hours = 4.6% per hour
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + a few non-background SpO2 measurements

Cycle 2
Workouts / Streaming: 70min + 35min Workout, same setup
Battery Life/Time: 0% Remaining after 40.1 hours = 2.5% per hour
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + a few non-background SpO2 measurements

Cycle 3
Workouts / Streaming: 35min Workout, same setup
Battery Life/Time: 50% Remaining after 21.5 hours = 2.3% per hour
Notes: 1 ECG measurement + a few non-background SpO2 measurements, more notifications since it's the workweek now
Click to expand...

Did you fully charge and then let it run down to 0?
 
srahman321 said:
Did you fully charge and then let it run down to 0?
Click to expand...

Yep, that's exactly what I have been doing, but more to have a controlled test. I don't know if that has helped with "calibration" but the numbers speak for themselves.

I just updated the first post, hit the 24 hour mark on my 3rd cycle.
 
Now I did a 16 min bike ride with cellular and gps. No iPhone nearby. In 16 min I lost 5% which means 20%/h which is less than my Gym setup with Cellular and AirPods Pro with 23-27%/h. I think the Signal makes a difference.. I really thought gps + cellular hit the battery more, but with that I can reach the 5h workout claim by apple. With Series 5 I had around 30%/h with a bike ride.
 
I am almost done with my first full day as a new series 6 owner.

Cycle 1
Time since last charge: 23:24
Watch Face: Typograph
Hand washing and reminder: ON (requires location services be reading my precise location continuously)
Blood Oxygen: ON
Always On: ON
Background App Refresh: All ON
Usage Type: messages, notifications, phone calls, email, multiple hand washings and 1 home alert, 2 manual Blood Oxygen test, 2 Breathe app sessions.
Battery Level: 21%
Cellular model: T-Mobile
Size 44mm
Style: Graphite
Phone Location: On my person all day.
Brightness level: Default
Sleep App: Enabled
Default Settings: All turned ON
Charging Time from 19% to 100%: 2hrs
 
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BasicGreatGuy said:
I am almost done with my first full day as a new series 6 owner.

Cycle 1
Time since last charge: 23:24
Watch Face: Typograph
Hand washing and reminder: ON
Blood Oxygen: ON
Always On: ON
Background App Refresh: All ON
Usage Type: messages, notifications, phone calls, email, multiple hand washings and 1 home alert, 2 manual Blood Oxygen test, 2 Breathe app sessions.
Battery Level: 21%
Cellular model: T-Mobile
Phone Location: On my person all day.
Brightness level: Default
Sleep App: Enabled
Default Settings: All turned ON
Click to expand...

Would of been easier for you to say “I’ve got all settings turned on” 😂
 
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The S6 seems a bit better than my S4. I charge it while I wash up at night and it gets to 100%. I wear it at night and the rest of the day till the following night. When I put it on the charger I have about 60% left.
 
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