Need specifics on Airplane Mode & Mobile toggle.

[nathanotis]

In a recent thread, someone suggested to me that using Airplane Mode can chew up battery. Initially, I thought this seemed pretty silly, cause all it's really doing it turning off the wireless connections (how could that use more power?), but I had no reason to doubt this person.

I figured this evening, I would simply turn off my WiFi and Mobile Radio using the toggles. I noticed that your signal bars do not disappear when you turn off the mobile radio via the toggle. In fact, I can even place a phone call!! Not a very effective toggle in my mind.

Can anyone drop a little science on what's going on here? Is the Mobile radio ONLY for data? If so, is there a missing toggle widget in HTC's collection on this device? And ultimately, what is the airplane mode doing (and how could it not conserve battery over a fully "on" state)?

Lots of questions. Let's chat...

 

[cbarth3]

airplane mode (there is a HTC Sense widget for this)
What Is Airplane Mode on a Cell Phone?

Flight mode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The mobile icon is for data only or "connection to internet"

You can access an option to disable/enable both of these features by holding the end call button and getting the phone options screen.

 

[nathanotis]

Very clear, CB3. Thank you. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear in my original post. I guess I didn't so much have questions about what Airplane Mode does, as much as why it might "chew through battery" as this other user stated. Any ideas?

 

[cbarth3]

You have stopped 2 items from using power so I don't see that happening. Now if you are in airplane mode and decide to watch a movie I could see that causing a misconception that airplane mode "chewed" through the battery