Input please....considering this watch but......

[LuvMusic]

I'm really concerned about the conflicting reports related to battery life. I have Android Smart Watches now, an LG G Watch R and a Huawei Watch. Both of these watches make it easily through an 18 hour day. What I like about the Watch Sport is LTE connectivity. At this point I really don't have a need for another smart watch that remains tethered to my phone.

I have two phones, a V20 and an iPhone. The V20 is personal and the iPhone is for work (I like the "separation"). So when I am at work I generally leave the V20 at my desk and carry the iPhone. The idea is I could wear the Watch Sport as I am moving through my work day and still get notifications and calls using LTE. Based on your experiences, could I make it through an 18 hour day. I'd rather not toggle on / off the LTE.

Your thoughts and experiences? Will the Watch Sport make it through my day?

 

[Richard Servello]

Been great here. Easily lasts 18 hrs. Only battery issues I've had is if I turn on LTE in a bad signal area. I have Bluetooth and wifi always on. Always on display, gestures, and auto brightness.

 

[LuvMusic]

Thanks for your reply, I saw your post in another thread and it gave me hope. It seems there are so many differing experiences, that is what is concerning.

On a different but related concern, my favorite watch faces are the Pilot and Ranger watch faces. Any experiences using these 3rd party watch faces on the Watch Sport?

 

[hagar852]

Thanks for your reply, I saw your post in another thread and it gave me hope. It seems there are so many differing experiences, that is what is concerning.

On a different but related concern, my favorite watch faces are the Pilot and Ranger watch faces. Any experiences using these 3rd party watch faces on the Watch Sport?

I have the SkyMaster Pilot and Sportive watch faces and have made it through the day easily with them. When using the weather complication it will consume a little more battery since it is checking every 45min(default setting) for updates. But you can decrease the time it checks for weather updates to help save battery.

Here is a video where battery testing was done with the Skymaster Pilot watch face:

 

[Richard Servello]

I have the SkyMaster Pilot and Sportive watch faces and have made it through the day easily with them. When using the weather complication it will consume a little more battery since it is checking every 45min(default setting) for updates. But you can decrease the time it checks for weather updates to help save battery.

Here is a video where battery testing was done with the Skymaster Pilot watch face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTw-UWJvBkw

Weather complications killed my battery life.

 

[LuvMusic]

I have the SkyMaster Pilot and Sportive watch faces and have made it through the day easily with them. When using the weather complication it will consume a little more battery since it is checking every 45min(default setting) for updates. But you can decrease the time it checks for weather updates to help save battery.

Here is a video where battery testing was done with the Skymaster Pilot watch face:

Awesome video, thanks! Another optimistic review. Are you using your LTE radio? If you are, how much? I'm beginning to think I may have to toggle the LTE on / off to get the battery life I need. Kind of a pain.

 

[Richard Servello]

Awesome video, thanks! Another optimistic review. Are you using your LTE radio? If you are, how much? I'm beginning to think I may have to toggle the LTE on / off to get the battery life I need. Kind of a pain.

I've found a considerable decrease in battery life when LTE is on.

 

[hagar852]

Awesome video, thanks! Another optimistic review. Are you using your LTE radio? If you are, how much? I'm beginning to think I may have to toggle the LTE on / off to get the battery life I need. Kind of a pain.

LTE does use a lot of battery especially if you live in, or are going to use the watch in a weak signal area. I did a test where I used ONLY LTE on the watch and was barely able to get 12 hours, but I don't live in a strong signal area. Most of the time I do have my phone with me so I leave it off, but if I don't want to take my phone with me somewhere then I fire it up. It is actually more useful than I first would have thought, but in no way can this replace your phone as a primary device. I don't think it was ever intended to be able to be a primary device.

If used as it is intended for, you will get good battery life out of it. At least I do.

 

[Richard Servello]

LTE does use a lot of battery especially if you live in, or are going to use the watch in a weak signal area. I did a test where I used ONLY LTE on the watch and was barely able to get 12 hours, but I don't live in a strong signal area. Most of the time I do have my phone with me so I leave it off, but if I don't want to take my phone with me somewhere then I fire it up. It is actually more useful than I first would have thought, but in no way can this replace your phone as a primary device. I don't think it was ever intended to be able to be a primary device.

If used as it is intended for, you will get good battery life out of it. At least I do.

The original intent was to just elongate your connection. You can actually control media on your phone over LTE... Which is weird.

 

[Kenneth Bishop]

I've had the Sport for about 3 weeks now and I love it. With normal use, I get about 18 hours. Normal for me means maybe 15-20 phones calls that I answer from my phone (Call forwarding feature ringing my phone). However, on days I use it to go running for about an hour, at the same time I am using the Runtastic App, which constantly monitors my heart rate, while the Sport is connected to my wireless Bluetooth headphones, while playing my music with Google Play Music and then if I go about my normal day without recharging the watch, I can get about 8 to 10 hours use.

 

[afblangley]

The idea is I could wear the Watch Sport as I am moving through my work day and still get notifications and calls using LTE. Based on your experiences, could I make it through an 18 hour day. I'd rather not toggle on / off the LTE.

I'd also like clarification on this.
I am under the impression that the Sport will not be able to last all day with LTE always on. That's how I use my Gear S3 (18 hours drains down to 15%) and didn't think the Sport could match it. Please speak up if your experience says otherwise.

 

[Richard Servello]

I haven't tried a full day with LTE, but I don't think it would make it.

 

[LuvMusic]

I haven't tried a full day with LTE, but I don't think it would make it.

Thank you to all who have shared your experiences, I appreciate it!

The conclusion I am beginning to form is the Watch Sport won't make it through an 18 hour day with LTE on but it may work for me if I toggle LTE on / off as needed. The only way I will really know is to try since battery usage is so dependent on personal use cases for the watch.

So, as soon as the Watch Sport becomes available again in the Play Store, I guess I'll give it a try.

 

[Richard Servello]

Thank you to all who have shared your experiences, I appreciate it!

The conclusion I am beginning to form is the Watch Sport won't make it through an 18 hour day with LTE on but it may work for me if I toggle LTE on / off as needed. The only way I will really know is to try since battery usage is so dependent on personal use cases for the watch.

So, as soon as the Watch Sport becomes available again in the Play Store, I guess I'll give it a try.

I got an email when it was available last time. I actually got it the next day. Surprising.

 

[E60351]

This is AFTER I exchanged it thinking it was a faulty battery...

 

[LuvMusic]

So, am I reading your graph correctly.....your watch drained 25% in about 2 hours? Is this with LTE and / or other radios on?

 

[hagar852]

This is AFTER I exchanged it thinking it was a faulty battery...

What apps or watch faces are you using?

 

[Richard Servello]

This is today for me. Been very consistently amazing. Wifi and Bluetooth on. Always on display. Gestures, etc.

Portions watchface.

 

[LuvMusic]

Interesting.....I think the watch idle numbers look high in both graphs. I wonder if there are some "kinks" that need to be worked out with the new Wear 2.0 and this watch?

 

[Richard Servello]

Idle just means you aren't actively using the device. That will always be #1 ... Not like you're sitting there playing with your watch all day. Usage is like 10 seconds at a time.

The comparison also shows one graph with 3 hours of use and the other with 12.