iPhone GPS Battery Life

[Beignet]

Interested in upgrading from my old iPhone SE so I can utilize Apple’s sat messenger capabilities. However, a friend recently upgraded to some newfangled model and believes that OnX rapidly tanks his battery life. More so than on older model iPhones.

I’d like to widen my sample pool. What iPhone are you using and what kind of battery life are you getting out it with apps like OnX & Gaia running/tracking?

Not switching to android. Apple has its grubby claws in me as a captive consumer, for better or worse.

Edit to request battery life in airplane mode

 

[INMT]

Interested in upgrading from my old iPhone SE so I can utilize Apple’s sat messenger capabilities. However, a friend recently upgraded to some newfangled model and believes that OnX rapidly tanks his battery life. More so than on older model iPhones.

I’d like to widen my sample pool. What iPhone are you using and what kind of battery life are you getting out it with apps like OnX & Gaia running/tracking?

Not switching to android. Apple has its grubby claws in me as a captive consumer, for better or worse.

I have an iPhone SE I just purchased 6 months ago, I always turn on low power mode and very rarely use OnX tracking unless coming out of an unknown area in the dark. It could last days if I needed it too.

 

[npaden]

Generally it is going to be active screen time that drains a device, not just the GPS running. If you are constantly looking at the screen and it is lit up in full sun then that is going to drain the device much quicker than if you are checking it every 30 minutes or an hour or something like that and have the screen brightness turned down.

 

[Dsnow9]

If used in airplane mode with offline maps 2-3 days. I don’t want to deal with phone calls anyways when hunting. The search for service is what kills battery life

15pro

 

[atlas]

I've got an iphone 12. I've mostly been packing in for 2-4 nights at a time this archery season. I wouldn't be able to keep my phone going without a portable charger for more than 24 hours.

God forbid I have internet where I'm hunting. Then I drain it even faster.

 

[SAJ-99]

Interested in upgrading from my old iPhone SE so I can utilize Apple’s sat messenger capabilities. However, a friend recently upgraded to some newfangled model and believes that OnX rapidly tanks his battery life. More so than on older model iPhones.

I’d like to widen my sample pool. What iPhone are you using and what kind of battery life are you getting out it with apps like OnX & Gaia running/tracking?

Not switching to android. Apple has its grubby claws in me as a captive consumer, for better or worse.

i have the 14. Given its age, the battery has trouble even on a normal day in full cell service. On recent trip, the battery lasted a full day without a problem with OnX on and in airplane mode. It just depends how many things are running in the background and how much you look at the screen. Because I need the device as a monitor for medical reasons, it drains faster than for other people. I always bring a spare battery and charging cord just in case.

 

[Beignet]

I have an iPhone SE I just purchased 6 months ago, I always turn on low power mode and very rarely use OnX tracking unless coming out of an unknown area in the dark. It could last days if I needed it too.

That’s the thing, my SE works like a champ. I can track in airplane more on low power all the live long day.

Would really like to quit paying for garmin’s clunky service though.

I will however miss the damn “button” if I upgrade.

 

[Moserkr]

Iphone 12, onx maps, full day of tracking with onx and using inreach mini on airplane mode will zap around 60% of the battery. Battery is in good shape still but I figure its an item I charge daily. Thats using tracking though. With onx tracking turned off, I can go 2-3 days easily without charging.

 

[LuketheDog]

I have a 12 mini, max battery is at 80%, it still lasts 2+ days on airplane mode depending on how much I turn on the screen. I take a couple battery packs to recharge it, and leave a 12" solar panel in the truck to recharge those if I need on a multi-day trip.

 

[Ought Six]

iPhone 12Pro, one day on its own battery, a cheap charging case gets me another day, and a light battery bank gets me another 2 to 3 days

 

[Deez Nutz]

I can use onx all day with normal battery usage, but as soon as I turn on my tracks it really uses up the battery fast. 12pro

 

[Elktrack]

I am always messing around with my OnX even when I’m in country I know like the back of my hand. I get a solid day from my I Phone 13.
Just got back from Wyoming antelope hunt where I was using OnX nonstop all day and the battery was low each day by the time I got back to the pickup.

 

[INMT]

That’s the thing, my SE works like a champ. I can track in airplane more on low power all the live long day.

Would really like to quit paying for garmin’s clunky service though.

I will however miss the damn “button” if I upgrade.

I get Garmin's clunky service gripe, but does Apple satellite messenger have SOS capability? That's why I carry my inReach.

 

[Beignet]

I get Garmin's clunky service gripe, but does Apple satellite messenger have SOS capability? That's why I carry my inReach.

They do now!

Not on the SE though.

RIP Garmin Inreach … iPhones to allow satellite messages in ios18

The subject says it. iPhone users will be able to send iMessages via satellite when out of service starting with IOS 18. This is a great addition to the current SOS by satellite functionality of the newer iPhones. I will more than likely be retiring my inreach.

www.hunttalk.com

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I believe it's due to the new OS 18 and/or some of the new apps and how they suck battery in this version of the OS. I upgraded my 14 pro max and swear the battery life is worse than 17. I do know stopping apps instead of letting them run in the background seems to help a bit. Can't speak to OnX.

 

[Wild Bill]

I’m stubborn and am still using an 11 and have noticed a very sharp drop off in battery life since the newest iPhone was released.
I have my location turned off for all apps, unless I am using them. Seems to make a big difference.
As others have mentioned, killing apps in the background helps a lot as well.

 

[brymoore]

I have a 15, use On-X and sat messaging on a recent 6 day trip. I had a power bank I would charge during the day with a solar charger. I’d charge my phone once a day with the power bank. I could get 1 1/3 to possibly 1 1/2 days out of a charge. My battery life was usually 30-40% when I charged. I don’t watch videos or play games on my phone. I used On-X a lot and sat messaged quite a bit during the middle of the day. Battery life wasn’t a concern.

Sat messaging worked fine. I was able to message from inside my tent. I would have to spin the phone to stay attached to moving satellites. There were moments that I was told the next satellite would be 3 to 6 minutes away.

I had one midday period I couldn’t hook up to a satellite. I gave up after a little bit and didn’t press the issue.