Help Does turning off Data when using Wifi, save on battery?

[Double44]

Does turning off the Data help with battery, if you're using Wifi (wifi calling etc) to do everything instead?

It is difficult to understand how exactly Data and Wifi react in tandem with each other, if they do at all. Samsung's 'Download Booster' is the only thing I'm aware of. I've never tested this myself, but can the two actually perform a 'handshake' during a call, if the wifi signal becomes too weak?

 

[Crashdamage]

The mobile data connection is automatically inactive when you have a WiFi connection. Any power saving from turning off mobile data would be insignificant. I never turn off mobile data, WiFi or GPS. It doesn't affect the battery.

When using WiFi calling, if you lose the WiFi the call is handed over to the regular voice cell network. The call does not get handed over to mobile data.

 

[Double44]

I thought that leaving GPS on would force it to always attempt to track your location, or is that only when you're in map apps? I wonder if the GPS would continue to consume battery if the app was running in the background

Oh that's right, I nearly forgot about the cell towers ...but there are some messaging features that only work over Data

 

[chanchan05]

No, leaving GPS on only gets rid of the annoying popup where you are told that the GPS is off when turning on a Map app. Although it also makes it available for any app that may ping for location every now and then. An example would be Tasker. You can set it to say, disable the lockscreen when you are at home. However, to know you are home, it may regularly check your location. However, if you have no app set to do something like that, then no, leaving the GPS on won't eat your battery much.

 

[girolez]

I have found that if I am out of range of wifi, so that data is trying to connect, and I am in an area with poor mobile data coverage (everywhere near where I live!) the battery drains quite fast - presumably because the mobile data is continuously trying to connect - usually unsuccessfully. For me its best to turn the mobile data off unless I need it.

 

[Crashdamage]

I have found that if I am out of range of wifi, so that data is trying to connect, and I am in an area with poor mobile data coverage (everywhere near where I live!) the battery drains quite fast - presumably because the mobile data is continuously trying to connect - usually unsuccessfully. For me its best to turn the mobile data off unless I need it.

Yeah, that's an example where it would help to turn it off. It's effectively the same as getting out of range of the voice network. The phone will keep searching for a signal it can lock onto. But for normal use with decent signals mobile data can be left on without a significant hit to the battery.

Too bad you have to deal with a lousy signal.