Always on Display and battery life

[Wizzy]

I thought I'd do a little experiment on how the Always on Display (AOD) affects battery life and also the phone's ability to deep sleep using Doze. This is not a tightly controlled scientific experiment. I simply charged the phone before I went to bed over 2 nights and unplugged it before I went to sleep. One night I turned AOD on, and the next night I turned AOD off. The next morning I immediately took screen shots in my GSAM app.

NIGHT 1: The first night I left the AOD on. After 7 hours of sleep, my phone used 11% of its battery life. During this time, Doze fired up 3 times for 5 hours and 38 minutes(81% of the time). Pretty good for 7 hours of sleep. Not sure why it turned on 3 different times and not just 1 time.




NIGHT 2: The second night I turned the AOD off. After 6 hours of sleep, my phone used 7% of its battery life. If I extrapolate the battery life to match the 7 hours of the first night, it used 8% of its battery life and Doze came on again 3 times during the night for a total time of 4 hours and 42 minutes (79%, 2% less than the first night).




If I take the delta between the 2 nights (after adjusting for the difference in time), it seems that in my little experiment the AOD only used an additional 3% of battery life (11% less 8%) over 7 hours, or .5% per hour. This seems pretty minimal and is worth it for me personally, since I like having this information handy. Admittedly, live notifications would make it more useful.

Also, it seems that the AOD does not affect whether Doze gets activated or not, which is obviously good. I realize that I would probably need a few more samples to make a 100% conclusion, but based on this simple test, I'm pretty happy with the results. I'll be leaving my AOD on and hopefully Samsung will make it more useful in the future!

 

[anon(238680)]

If I take the delta between the 2 nights (after adjusting for the difference in time), it seems that in my little experiment the AOD only used an additional 3% of battery life (11% less 8%) over 7 hours, or .5% per hour. This seems pretty minimal and is worth it for me personally, since I like having this information handy. Admittedly, live notifications would make it more useful.

I leave AOD on all the time, turn do not disturb on at night and see less than 0.5% per hour battery use overnight when phone laid on its face.

 

[Wizzy]

I leave AOD on all the time, turn do not disturb on at night and see less than 0.5% per hour battery use overnight when phone laid on its face.

Everybody's usage will be different. Also, doesn't turning your phone onto its face turn the AOD off? That's pretty good standby usage, however.

 

[anon(238680)]

Yes, AOD is turned off but I don't use it as a clock or alarm at night.

 

[xocomaox]

Your phone seems to drain a bit faster than mine while idle. I did some extensive testing over about ten nights and found that with AOD on it would drain 0.9%/hour. With AOD off it would drain about 0.3%/hour.

We probably have different settings causing different drain amounts. My Doze stats pretty much match exactly what yours are.

 

[Wizzy]

Your phone seems to drain a bit faster than mine while idle. I did some extensive testing over about ten nights and found that with AOD on it would drain 0.9%/hour. With AOD off it would drain about 0.3%/hour.

We probably have different settings causing different drain amounts. My Doze stats pretty much match exactly what yours are.

I leave bluetooth and wifi on all the time, so that would make a difference if you don't. Seems that the AOD uses about 0.5% per hour on both phones, so that's consistent. I thought Samsung said about 1-2% per hour.

I wonder if my Doze activating 3 different times made a difference in my battery life? 1% per hour isn't too bad.

Posted via the Android Central App from my S7 edge

 

[ssj100]

Your phone seems to drain a bit faster than mine while idle. I did some extensive testing over about ten nights and found that with AOD on it would drain 0.9%/hour. With AOD off it would drain about 0.3%/hour.

We probably have different settings causing different drain amounts. My Doze stats pretty much match exactly what yours are.

I don't have any formal "stats", but I've noticed about the same idle drainage as you with AOD enabled/disabled. Essentially with AOD enabled, battery use is an extra 0.5%/hour.

 

[xocomaox]

I leave bluetooth and wifi on all the time, so that would make a difference if you don't. Seems that the AOD uses about 0.5% per hour on both phones, so that's consistent. I thought Samsung said about 1-2% per hour.

I wonder if my Doze activating 3 different times made a difference in my battery life? 1% per hour isn't too bad.

Posted via the Android Central App from my S7 edge

My BT and WiFi is never turned off. I use low battery location, perhaps that is the difference?

I thought I read Samsung stated it would drain 0.9%/hour with AOD on? Maybe that was LG with the G5..

 

[oneformula]

great thread and i appreciate the data from the experiment.

here's what i do: i leave AOD on always, but flip the phone over when i don't need it for long periods (overnight). this way, i get the best of both worlds.

 

[xocomaox]

great thread and i appreciate the data from the experiment.

here's what i do: i leave AOD on always, but flip the phone over when i don't need it for long periods (overnight). this way, i get the best of both worlds.

I do this from time to time as well. It works perfectly.

 

[mayconvert]

Here is how I judge battery life. It may be overly technical but maybe I can explain it where others can understand it.

I charge it. I use it. and I make it home with battery to spare.

I can add screen shots and graphs and pie charts and use a delta to explain all that. but I won't.

Battery: Very Good.

 

[Mexico619]

great thread and i appreciate the data from the experiment.

here's what i do: i leave AOD on always, but flip the phone over when i don't need it for long periods (overnight). this way, i get the best of both worlds.

Why do you flip the phone over? Is there a feature or something when it's flipped?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jeetu4444]

Why do you flip the phone over? Is there a feature or something when it's flipped?

Posted via the Android Central App

When u flip it over...the AOD is turned off

Posted via my Awesome Lumia 950 , Beautiful S7 Edge Gold or Surface pro 4

 

[xocomaox]

Here is how I judge battery life. It may be overly technical but maybe I can explain it where others can understand it.

I charge it. I use it. and I make it home with battery to spare.

I can add screen shots and graphs and pie charts and use a delta to explain all that. but I won't.

Battery: Very Good.

That's nice, but nobody but you knows what "very good" means. This is subjective until you provide actual statistics.

Why do you flip the phone over? Is there a feature or something when it's flipped?

The proximity sensor knows when the phone is covered and it will turn off AOD temporarily until it is uncovered. It's not immediate, so don't go trying it for 5 seconds and say that it doesn't work.

 

[sangs]

I have to ask - am I the only one that charges my phone(s) overnight? I understand the OP did this as an experiment, but basically, the last thing I do before getting in bed is charge my phone so that it'll be at 100 in the AM. Have been doing it that way, well, since my first phone back in the mid-90's. I know I can't be alone in this practice though.

 

[Averix]

I have to ask - am I the only one that charges my phone(s) overnight? I understand the OP did this as an experiment, but basically, the last thing I do before getting in bed is charge my phone so that it'll be at 100 in the AM. Have been doing it that way, well, since my first phone back in the mid-90's. I know I can't be alone in this practice though.

I would think most sane people would put their phone on a charger overnight. I have a wireless charging stand on my nightstand so I can see the clock and it charges. If my phone wasn't ready at 100% each morning, I think I'd be twitching all day. lol

 

[oneformula]

I have to ask - am I the only one that charges my phone(s) overnight? I understand the OP did this as an experiment, but basically, the last thing I do before getting in bed is charge my phone so that it'll be at 100 in the AM. Have been doing it that way, well, since my first phone back in the mid-90's. I know I can't be alone in this practice though.

i charge overnight 99% of the time

 

[Swamp55]

I have to ask - am I the only one that charges my phone(s) overnight? I understand the OP did this as an experiment, but basically, the last thing I do before getting in bed is charge my phone so that it'll be at 100 in the AM. Have been doing it that way, well, since my first phone back in the mid-90's. I know I can't be alone in this practice though.

That's my everyday approach, too. I put it on the wireless charging stand on my bedside table every night, and wake up every morning at 100%. (The phone is at 100%, that is; I rarely am anymore!)

 

[Wizzy]

I have to ask - am I the only one that charges my phone(s) overnight? I understand the OP did this as an experiment, but basically, the last thing I do before getting in bed is charge my phone so that it'll be at 100 in the AM. Have been doing it that way, well, since my first phone back in the mid-90's. I know I can't be alone in this practice though.

Yes, I charge my phone every night. I only did this for the experiment since that's the time when a phone would be on standby and, therefore, the best time to do some testing.

Posted via the Android Central App from my S7 edge

 

[mayconvert]

I have to ask - am I the only one that charges my phone(s) overnight? I understand the OP did this as an experiment, but basically, the last thing I do before getting in bed is charge my phone so that it'll be at 100 in the AM. Have been doing it that way, well, since my first phone back in the mid-90's. I know I can't be alone in this practice though.

I never leave mine on charger over nite. I charge it to 100%. Take it off the charger, use it as an alarm clock.
I don't charge it again until I get home from work the following day. I usually charge it from 10pm to 11-11:30 at night.
It only uses about 7% over night. 93% lasts all day with no problems.
I think mine lasts all day and all night because when I am at work, I work. I don't get paid to check facebook and twitter all day.

I don't own a car charger. Mine is usually off the charger for 22.5 of 24 hours.