One of the new features that watchOS 9 brings to the Apple Watch is the new Low Power Mode. Although this could be useful for heavy users, Low Power Mode does disable several key Apple Watch features.
WatchOS 9 Low Power Mode Disables Some Features
In a new support document, Apple details the specific features disabled when the Apple Watch is in Low Power Mode.
Low Power Mode turns off these features
- Always On Display
- Heart rate notifications for irregular rhythm, high heart rate, and low heart rate
- Background heart rate measurements
- Background blood oxygen measurements
- Start workout reminder
Low Power Mode turns off these features when your iPhone isn’t nearby
- Wi-Fi and cellular connections
- Incoming phone calls and notifications
Low Power Mode affects these features
- Making a phone call can take longer
- Background app refresh happens less frequently
- Complications update less frequently
- Siri can take longer to process a request
- Some animations and scrolling might appear less smooth
Workout App Continues to Work
When in Low Power Mode, the Workout app continues to measure metrics such as heart rate and pace. Low Power Mode can be automatically turned on at the beginning of a workout. To do this go to Settings > Workout > Low Power Mode on your Apple Watch.
To enable Low Power Mode outside of the Workout app, simply go to Control Center > Battery Percentage > Low Power Mode.
Once enabled, the next time your Apple Watch battery reaches 10%, the Low Power Mode alert will ask you if you want to enable Low Power Mode. Your Apple Watch disables Low Power Mode once it charges to 80% or when you set it manually.
For safety purposes, Apple said that Fall Detection also continues to work in Low Power Mode.
Finally, Apple also noted that when Low Power Mode is enabled without your iPhone nearby, your watch will reconnect with Wi-Fi or the cellular network if you open an app. That only happens, of course, if the app requires a data connection to function properly. However, this could result in “significant battery consumption,” Apple said.
Apple just released watchOS 9 to the public, offering several new features that will make Apple’s wearable device an even more important part of your life.