Apple announced a new low power mode for the Apple Watch range, including the Apple Watch Series 8 and super-premium Apple Watch Ultra smartwatches. Helpfully, the feature isn’t limited to new devices; Low Power Mode will be rolled out as a watchOS 9 feature and thus made available for Apple Watch Series 4 and later devices. WatchOS 9 will launch as a firmware update for all compatible devices on September 12, Apple announced at its recent Far Out event.
It is worth noting here that the Apple Watch series already has a power reserve mode to save battery, but this disables all functionality on the smartwatch except for indicating the time of pressing the button. Moreover, the only way to get out of power reserve mode is to turn off the Apple Watch and restart it, which is very inconvenient and time-consuming.
The new low power mode will allow users to extend the battery life on the Apple Watch without completely shutting down the main functionality. The mode will turn off features like Always On Display and some automatic detection features for health and workout tracking, leaving the rest running normally.
The complete list of functions affected by Low Power Mode is not yet clear and will depend on the specific features of various devices. Apple claims the mod can extend battery life on the new Apple Watch Ultra from 36 hours to 60 hours. On other Apple Watch devices, the impact is expected to be much less, depending on the device’s specifications. For example, many Apple Watch models receiving watchOS 9 don’t have Always On Display as a feature, which would naturally reduce the effectiveness of Low Power Mode.
Apple’s recent Far Out event saw the launch of the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen), priced at Rs. 45,900 onwards and Rs. 29,900 respectively in India ahead. The company has also launched the super-premium Apple Watch Ultra, priced at Rs. 89,900 in India. The device is expected to go on sale in India in the coming weeks.
