Less battery usage under Wifi

thenameisgabe

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Jul 18, 2010
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I know this sounds odd, but is anyone else seeing the battery last longer while you leave your phone on wifi instead of just 3G?

My old iPhone would drain battery like crazy when it was on wifi, but this one seems to conserve more battery. I'm not particularly sure why.
 

anneoneamouse

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Yes, battery lasts longer under wifi for me. I keep wifi on, with credentials for home and work entered, and I let the phone manage the switching.

Likely the wifi signal is stronger than the 3G.

AoN
 

Jeremy

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Oct 24, 2008
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Wi-Fi will always use less battery than a 3G signal even on a iPhone. If it was reversed for you, something else was going on.
 

Ludicrous

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Jun 23, 2010
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Not unusual... your system fighting to hold a 3G (Data) signal which may or may not be strong compared to a strong WiFi connection. I have a strong wireless (WiFi) connection at home... my phone does not have to constantly roam to draw a signal to maintain a 2 or 3 bar signal.

When using a wifi connection to transfer files/calls, wifi does it more efficiently and faster. I would not leave wifi on unless you know of a HOT SPOT, leaving your phones wifi on will make your phone keep searching for a hot spot using battery power. Leave your WiFi off unless a Hot Spot is available.
 

alphadog

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So Android does not turn off wifi when the phone sleeps? I keep wifi off because i have had WinMo and iPhone in the past and Wifi would disconnect or turn off when the phone sleeps.

I assume that no one is saying that the phone is maintaining connections over WiFi when it sleeps. I guess I could test it by putting the phone in Airplane mode, turning on wifi, put phone to sleep and send it email.
 

anneoneamouse

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With WiFi enabled, coming out of sleep, the 3G indicator initially comes up (and is empty), the phone then switches to the wifi symbol, and the 3G symbol goes out.

I've assumed that this means that wifi is not active while the phone is sleeping- which would presumably mean that if you use exchange (pushed) the data will come via 3G.

AoN
 

gtg465x

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Jun 29, 2010
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So Android does not turn off wifi when the phone sleeps? I keep wifi off because i have had WinMo and iPhone in the past and Wifi would disconnect or turn off when the phone sleeps.

I assume that no one is saying that the phone is maintaining connections over WiFi when it sleeps. I guess I could test it by putting the phone in Airplane mode, turning on wifi, put phone to sleep and send it email.

There's a setting for it. By default it turns off wifi when the screen turns off, but I set mine to keep wifi on even when the screen is off.

Settings > Wireless and network > Wi-Fi settings > Menu > Advanced > Wi-Fi sleep policy