The biggest question about the Apple Watch is how long it will last on its battery. Apple has a detailed explainer of how long the battery will last during a workout, during a phone call, during the day and how long it takes to charge. Here’s what you need to know.
At its press conference this morning, Apple quoted 18 hours of battery life for the Apple Watch. That’s “all-day battery” according to Tim Cook. The reality of the situation according to Apple’s disclaimers is a little more complicated.
All-Day Battery
Here’s what Apple considers normal usage, and how it got that 18-hour figure:
“Testing conducted by Apple in March 2015 using preproduction Apple Watch models and software, paired with an iPhone using preproduction software. All-day battery life is based on 18 hours with the following use: 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use, and a 30-minute workout with music playback from Apple Watch via Bluetooth, over the course of 18 hours. Battery life varies by use, configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary.
So how long can it last doing other stuff?
Workout Test
So how can we be sure that the Apple Watch’s battery won’t die mid-workout? Because Cupertino have been obsessively testing it that way.
You’ll get seven hours of battery life during a workout. Here’s how it was tested:
Testing conducted by Apple in March 2015 using preproduction Apple Watch models and software, paired with an iPhone using preproduction software, with a workout session active and the heart rate sensor on. Battery life varies by use, configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary.
Suffice it to say you won’t be working out for 7 hours straight unless you’re Ronda Rousey-level fit, so else what are lazy couch potatoes like you and I going to do with it?
Talk Time
Here’s the real battery sucker: transmitting audio back and forth through the Watch to your iPhone. It activates the microphone, the speaker and the Bluetooth radio constantly, which gives it a time from 100 per cent full to totally empty in just three hours.
Standard Audio Playback gets you up to 6.5 hours of battery life.
Watch Time
What if you just want to use your smartwatch just as a watch? Well, in that case you’ll get up to 48 hours of life out of it.
Interestingly, when the battery life gets too low, it slips into a sort of coma called Power Reserve.
You’ll be able to see just the time for up to 72 hours. That time was calculated based on checking the time for four seconds every hour. Interesting for all you watch battery hypermilers.
Charge Time
Once your watch runs out of battery, you want to get it back on your wrist as soon as possible.
Apple says you’ll be able to do it within 90 minutes from empty to 80 per cent charge. 100 per cent charge will take 2.5 hours.
Is the battery good enough for you? Tell us in the comments.
[Apple]