Rumor: Apple Watch to include “Power Reserve” mode to help extend battery life

It’s speculation until the media event in a week, but this could prove useful.

Apple might offer a low power mode on Apple Watch to help boost it through longer days, according to a new report that also takes a stab at dispelling rumors that the company may have elected to all some long-rumored sensors last minute.

With the exception of Pebble products, most current and upcoming smartwatches – including the Apple Watch – will last no more than a day on a single charge. To help mitigate this issue, Apple has reportedly developed a still unannounced software feature of the Apple Watch called Power Reserve. This mode is said to cut power to all non-essential functions and display only the time, helping to extend the watch’s life in cases where a recharge may not be possible. The function is similar in concept to the Battery Saver mode in Android 5.0, which can push smartphone battery life from minutes to hours by reducing processor use.

Apple previously stated that the Watch’s battery should last only a normal day, requiring a fresh charge at night. Although standard among smartwatches, the issue has created controversy, since many had been hoping Apple would solve the smartwatch industry’s battery woes with its inaugural effort.

The report also notes that despite some recent claims to the contrary, Apple’s decision to abandon some advanced health tracking features came over 18 months ago, rather than at the last minute. Early experiments in tracking factors like blood pressure and stress are said to have been ditched after the sensors proved unreliable and otherwise unworkable. Instead, the first-generation device only features motion and heart-rate sensors, once again mirroring some competing smartwatches.

Apple is due to reveal more details about the Watch at a San Francisco press event on March 9th.

Via AppleInsider and The New York Times