GPS On or Off

[shamim316]

Does leaving the GPS feature on constantly drain the battery? Going through some of the threads it seems GPS feature uses very little power on its own. GPS uses more power only when a location based app calls on it to determine the current location. Does anyone have any experience with battery life with the GPS setting on?

 

[MiDri]

Keep it off when you're not using it, It drains battery because it has to acquire satellites constantly, it's not a HUGE drain -- but it is there.

You can use this app (GPS Test v1.1.8 Application for Android | Tools) to show what I'm talking about on your phone.

 

[sitlet]

I believe it only uses battery when something requests the gps postion. For example, the weather app, depeneding on how often it syncs, the browser, maps and nav obviously. I leave mine on all day with no problems, i did it with my old phone too.

 

[acunn1]

I believe it only uses battery when something requests the gps postion. For example, the weather app, depeneding on how often it syncs, the browser, maps and nav obviously. I leave mine on all day with no problems, i did it with my old phone too.

I agree. I leave mine on all the time.No noticeable difference in battery life.

 

[Ken C]

interesting I keep it off because I feel it does eat the battery. I would think anything that causes activity through the phone would.

 

[tube517]

I keep mine on and it really does not eat the battery unless you are actually using it such as the Navigation app or Maps. Otherwise, it does not affect it.

 

[kct1975]

interesting I keep it off because I feel it does eat the battery. I would think anything that causes activity through the phone would.

Ya....I tend to keep my off to unless I am using it for Navigation.

I seem to get better battery life with it off

 

[acunn1]

interesting I keep it off because I feel it does eat the battery. I would think anything that causes activity through the phone would.

Keeping it off requires you to actually have to turn it on to use. Keeping it on allows it to be in standby for when you need it. This uses almost no power.

 

[kct1975]

Just thought I would add my two cents here...

I used to religiously turn off my GPS, but since I installed the last Sprint update with the Sprint Network Opitimizer, I started leaving it on along with my 4G antenna.
Oddly enough, I actually seem to be getting better battery life leaving both the GPS and 4G on, and letting the phone manage the antennas itself.

 

[tube517]

When this phone came out, all the complaints were the battery life. So, everyone was saying, turn this off, turn that off, turn off GPS,Wifi, Mobile,etc. I was like that the first year but I just left everything on after a year and just let the phone be.