Location, Location History and their possible battery drain

[erasat]

I've been asked dozens of times if by turning off location History it will not allow to locate the device if stolen or lost, and the answer is No, you'll lose that just when you turn off Location completely. I decided to create this thread just to advise on this Location Settings according to my experience and others that I have helped setting the phones.

First of all, I know a lot of people who only has Location on all the time just for their Weather widgets and apps to refresh your weather information, you don't need your Actual Location to have that, you can simply turn that off on the weather app or widget and enter your city or cities manually, it will give you the same information the only difference is that it will not ping your location all the time to do it.

I have tested all settings and I have found that the one that does the job while preserve the battery life the most is the Wifi and Cell signal only option, in other phones it's called Power Saving Mode. I've been using this option all the time for the past couple of months and it really uses very low battery, barely noticeable, this way I keep my location on to be able to use the locate device and other location services. I only change to high accuracy (GPS, WIFi and Cell) for my daily 5k runs or if I need to use Google maps or any other Maps apps. There are people who use GPS only but I've noticed that it increases (obviously) the gpsd service in my battery stats and it drains battery a lot more than Power saving Mode.

Location History is not needed for the Location Services to work, this is just a Google Service to enable other features. Take a look at this information. Google’s Location History is Still Recording Your Every Move.

Until mid April, when we had 2 separate options, Location reporting and Location History, I had location history on but Reporting off as it was besides the Screen, the number 1 battery drainer on Android, and I frankly didn't want to be "reporting" Google all my moves, but now that they incorporated both into just one setting, I just prefer to turn it off. Check this other link. Understanding Google's Android location tracking | Android Central.

Some people will say that they don't see any difference by leaving this off or on, I do, and a lot of people I have helped personally or via advices here and in other forums, also do, so for those of you who consider that your battery is draining too fast, take a look at this in your Location settings and adjust according to your needs.

 

[Ryan Wallace]

GPS only actually saves more battery for me because it doesn't allow Google to constantly use wifi or mobile networks to scan for my location. GPS will hardly use any battery when it's on, in fact it's only activated when you use maps or an app that needs location. Then it shuts back off. I get at most a 5% drain from play services in a 24 hour period and GPSD never shows in my battery stats.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

 

[Janet OSully]

you know i have to politely disagree with you. i have been following your battery preservation thread and its myriad of recommendations. the truth of it is that you basically have instructed us to turn off and delete almost every single feature that made us want to purchase the galaxy 6 in the first place in order to get the battery to last more than three hours which is absolutely ridiculous. The list of things we cannot keep on if we want our power to last more than 3 hours is absurd. i have been loyal to samsung for years.... they totally dropped the ball here and should address it. i can't have sync on, my screen on more than 25%, my location has to be off, i need to keep bluetooth off and only turn it on if making a call, i have to have doze or greenify working to shut off the apps that they pre installed and keep running... among a million other things. and yet anytime anyone questions samsung's product the post is quickly removed as being offensive. thanks for your help but really you're really just making excuses for a horrible product and I can't figure out why. Do you work for them?

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[razza1987]

Someone's over thinking too much ^ He is only making suggestions. Calm down

 

[erasat]

GPS only actually saves more battery for me because it doesn't allow Google to constantly use wifi or mobile networks to scan for my location. GPS will hardly use any battery when it's on, in fact it's only activated when you use maps or an app that needs location. Then it shuts back off. I get at most a 5% drain from play services in a 24 hour period and GPSD never shows in my battery stats.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

That's why you disable Always allow scanning, then Google can't use your Wifi for those purposes. When you have that setting off, you'll see that by using power saving mode you barely notice any drain on your battery, remember, GPS is an additional radio that needs to be on, so it will use more power than the already activated Wifi and cell radios alone, hence the reason why it's called power saving mode.

 

[razza1987]

Erasat just ignore the people putting you down. You are only trying to help them and people act like you are forcing them into doing things. It's ridiculous

 

[warpdrive]

you know i have to politely disagree with you. i have been following your battery preservation thread and its myriad of recommendations. the truth of it is that you basically have instructed us to turn off and delete almost every single feature that made us want to purchase the galaxy 6 in the first place in order to get the battery to last more than three hours which is absolutely ridiculous. The list of things we cannot keep on if we want our power to last more than 3 hours is absurd. i have been loyal to samsung for years.... they totally dropped the ball here and should address it. i can't have sync on, my screen on more than 25%, my location has to be off, i need to keep bluetooth off and only turn it on if making a call, i have to have doze or greenify working to shut off the apps that they pre installed and keep running... among a million other things. and yet anytime anyone questions samsung's product the post is quickly removed as being offensive. thanks for your help but really you're really just making excuses for a horrible product and I can't figure out why. Do you work for them?

Posted via the Android Central App

Almost nobody has to go and do what you are doing to get good results with battery. I personally think that you have a broken phone and need to get a new one or try a different phone and see if that helps.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[razza1987]

Almost nobody has to go and do what you are doing to get good results with battery. I personally think that you have a broken phone and need to get a new one or try a different phone and see if that helps.

Posted via the Android Central App

The entire time I have had this phone I have NEVER only gotten three hours off the charger with it. The minimum I got was about four and a half hours screen on time before implementing battery saying techniques and even now I still get push email and Facebook notifications as well as syncing to my one Drive when I choose while still getting over five hours of screen on time

 

[erasat]

you know i have to politely disagree with you. i have been following your battery preservation thread and its myriad of recommendations. the truth of it is that you basically have instructed us to turn off and delete almost every single feature that made us want to purchase the galaxy 6 in the first place in order to get the battery to last more than three hours which is absolutely ridiculous. The list of things we cannot keep on if we want our power to last more than 3 hours is absurd. i have been loyal to samsung for years.... they totally dropped the ball here and should address it. i can't have sync on, my screen on more than 25%, my location has to be off, i need to keep bluetooth off and only turn it on if making a call, i have to have doze or greenify working to shut off the apps that they pre installed and keep running... among a million other things. and yet anytime anyone questions samsung's product the post is quickly removed as being offensive. thanks for your help but really you're really just making excuses for a horrible product and I can't figure out why. Do you work for them?

Posted via the Android Central App

Janet, I've been trying to help you for this past months every time I can, and I've honestly sympathized with your issues all this time so I'll try to reply to your post forgetting the absurd tone and accusation on your part.

First of all, what I have posted here is nothing new, it's part of what I posted in my initial tips and tweaks thread, I just used a new thread to give more details and explanations about it as I was asked about it today.

If you read carefully, I'm just giving advices on what to do if you have issues, not forcing you to do them, like I've always said, it's up to you if you do them or not. The links I've posted are from different places including one old Android central article, read them and instruct from them and understand the logic and reason behind it.

I've never, ever make any excuses for Samsung, in fact, like I've mentioned tons of times, I'm not a blind and loyal fan of any brand or company, I buy the phone that satisfy me the most at the time, I've had over 14 phones over the past 12 months, basically all brands, such as Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, One Plus, Motorola and Alcatel, AND IN ALL OF THEM I'VE DONE THE SAME THINGS, why? because the tweaks I've posted are not exclusive to Samsung issues, basically all of them are Android's "issues".

You are funny thinking that I'm making excuses for Samsung, and your conclusions are that I'm a Samsung employee, well, the above paragraph should make it clear for you. if you have done the tweaks posted in my other thread and you still have issues with your battery, then you have one of the defective ones, have bad cell signal or a rogue app, it's that simple, you were the one that needed to take matters in your own hands and ask for a replacement or something, we are just trying to fix your issues with suggestions so you avoid that headache.

For last, no, if you read my tweaks I'm not saying to cripple your phone, besides the brightness level that is something very personal, all the other suggestions have their reason, if you want, turn everything back on as it came from factory, let all your radios running all the time without using them, enable or re-install all the bloatware, and let the location history running all the time, be my guest, because as far as I know the above is a summary of what I've been suggesting you to do, I'VE NEVER told you or anybody else to stop Sync completely, I've said to stop sync on the services you don't use, big difference.

Well, let me finish by saying, posts like yours is the reason why I come less and less each day here to the forums, it doesn't worth my time and the energy to keep up with people like you.

 

[razza1987]

Erasat please don't think your efforts on here are undervalued. I literally followed every single battery saving tip you gave from Weyo as my theme to the wallpaper to the doze and greenify apps to turning off ant and that weather thingy and it's thanks to your tips that I now average five and a half hours of screen on time every single charge. I haven't had the same screen on time like I was getting on 5.0.2. I'm starting to wonder if my phone disagrees with the Indian software and I should go back to the Telstra software. Either way it's very much appreciated on my end. I'm a disabled person who stays home all day and is a high power user so every tip is helpful. I even give people your tips when you aren't on these forums xd

 

[razza1987]

I haven't decided yet whether I should try the Telstra firmware or the XSA firmware

 

[Ryan Wallace]

That's why you disable Always allow scanning, then Google can't use your Wifi for those purposes. When you have that setting off, you'll see that by using power saving mode you barely notice any drain on your battery, remember, GPS is an additional radio that needs to be on, so it will use more power than the already activated Wifi and cell radios alone, hence the reason why it's called power saving mode.

Turning off 'Always allow scanning' prevents Google from locating you when Wifi is off. GPS, like bluetooth, is a radio that uses virtually no power when on but not in use. Settings like 'High Accuracy' mode allow Google to constantly poll on wifi, mobile data, and GPS to get an accurate estimation of where you are at all times (battery drainer if you use Google Now). 'Power Saver' mode does in fact use less power than 'High Accuracy', but Google still polls your location via Wifi and Mobile networks so your Google play service drain from location can still be pretty high depending on what you have using location services. 'GPS only' prevents Google from polling your location in the background unless the screen is on and your specifically tell a Google app (or any app) to fetch your location. It does not activate unless a specific app needs it and most apps won't rely on just GPS and will refuse to update their location automatically (a drawback if that matters to you). I'm just going based off the experience I've had with some previous Android devices, not trying to argue or disprove you in anyway as some others here would have you believe.

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[erasat]

Turning off 'Always allow scanning' prevents Google from locating you when Wifi is off. GPS, like bluetooth, is a radio that uses virtually no power when on but not in use. Settings like 'High Accuracy' mode allow Google to constantly poll on wifi, mobile data, and GPS to get an accurate estimation of where you are at all times (battery drainer if you use Google Now). 'Power Saver' mode does in fact use less power than 'High Accuracy', but Google still polls your location via Wifi and Mobile networks so your Google play service drain from location can still be pretty high depending on what you have using location services. 'GPS only' prevents Google from polling your location in the background unless the screen is on and your specifically tell a Google app (or any app) to fetch your location. It does not activate unless a specific app needs it and most apps won't rely on just GPS and will refuse to update their location automatically (a drawback if that matters to you). I'm just going based off the experience I've had with some previous Android devices, not trying to argue or disprove you in anyway as some others here would have you believe.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

You are right in your information but you are basing it in the fact that having it in Power saving mode with only WiFi and cell will still allow Google to ping the location via wifi, and that will be true only if I leave Location History on, but I don't. My actual settings of Power saving mode and location history off combination will prevent what you are mentioning here.

Again, I've tried all settings and for ME, this is the best combination, but if for you, your settings are better, that's great, and there is no issue with you sharing it here, but you should explain your Location and Location History combination so people can try it also and choose the best for them based on their own usage.

 

[Ryan Wallace]

You are right in your information but you are basing it in the fact that having it in Power saving mode with only WiFi and cell will still allow Google to ping the location via wifi, and that will be right also if I leave Location History on, but I don't. My actual settings of Power saving mode and location history off combination will prevent what you are mentioning here.

Again, I've tried all settings and for ME, this is the best combination, but if for you, your settings are better, that's great, and there is no issue with you sharing it here, but you should explain your Location and Location History combination so people can try it also and choose the best for them based on their own usage.

Oh, okay, you're correct in that usage sense; forgot about that. I leave it set to GPS only, Location History off and Google Now off. With these settings, location drain is pretty much 0% and I can still use navigation without having to turn it back on in settings, and I can leave SOS mode on all the time in case I'm ever in an accident so my exact location can be given.

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[erasat]

Oh, okay, you're correct in that usage sense; forgot about that. I leave it set to GPS only, Location History off and Google Now off. With these settings, location drain is pretty much 0% and I can still use navigation without having to turn it back on in settings, and I can leave SOS mode on all the time in case I'm ever in an accident so my exact location can be given.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

That's good to know but I do use Google Now, not the voice command, I turn that off from all screens, but I use the Google Now cards and with my settings I can even use the Nearby locations feature. And then just activate the High Accuracy when I need Google Maps pinpoint location, which is very rare but I do use it once I a while.

 

[Ryan Wallace]

That's good to know but I do use Google Now, not the voice command, I turn that off from all screens, but I use the Google Now cards and with my settings I can even use the Nearby locations feature. And then just activate the High Accuracy when I need Google Maps pinpoint location, which is very rare but I do use it once I a while.

Ah so is it the location history part that's killing my battery when I leave Google Now on? When I had it on, my phone was in High Accuracy mode and Location History On. I would lose 11-15% battery overnight. With it off and Just GPS only, 1-2% drain. But, I mean it's just not as useful when you turn off location history, because that's how Google learns your travel habits... so I ended up turning it off all together. And as for voice commands, I actually use svoice to activate 'OK Google'. It actually uses like no power (at least for me) because, I may be wrong, the Exynos 7420 has a dedicated core for an always listen microphine. Again, I could be wrong.

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[drone3]

Well, let me finish by saying, posts like yours is the reason why I come less and less each day here to the forums, it doesn't worth my time and the energy to keep up with people like you.

Erasat, first of all --your awesome and you can see by how many thanks and likes on your battery thread that people do appreciate your time and advice. Secondly -- ignore the kvetchers, they just looking for someone to blame. Thirdly -- we don't blame you for spending less time on this forum, you have already given more than enough of your time and energy.

So, thank-you from all of us you have helped!

p.s. I will see you in the Note 5 forums

dreaming of electric sheep

 

[drone3]

That's why you disable Always allow scanning, then Google can't use your Wifi for those purposes. When you have that setting off, you'll see that by using power saving mode you barely notice any drain on your battery, remember, GPS is an additional radio that needs to be on, so it will use more power than the already activated Wifi and cell radios alone, hence the reason why it's called power saving mode.

I just wanted to double check. In my WiFi settings for always allow scanning I only have two options

1. Scan always and
2. Scan only while WiFi is on.

I don't have the option to turn this off. Is that normal?

dreaming of electric sheep

 

[erasat]

I just wanted to double check. In my WiFi settings for always allow scanning I only have two options

1. Scan always and
2. Scan only while WiFi is on.

I don't have the option to turn this off. Is that normal?

dreaming of electric sheep

Just use the Scan only while wifi is on, it's the same. Yes, see you at the N5 forum more often now. Thanks for your kind words.

 

[Gator352]

The entire time I have had this phone I have NEVER only gotten three hours off the charger with it. The minimum I got was about four and a half hours screen on time before implementing battery saying techniques and even now I still get push email and Facebook notifications as well as syncing to my one Drive when I choose while still getting over five hours of screen on time

But the technique you use razza are out of the normal for most people, like 0% screen brightness. I get good battery life with your techniques too but the point is is that i shouldn't have to resort to turning my smartphone into a feature phone to make it last a day.

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