Battery Tips for Long Activities
Long rides, few places to charge: that's exactly what oratrek was built for. With a few simple steps, you can get significantly more battery life out of your smartphone.
- Charge your battery to at least 80 percent
- Download your route and maps in advance – you can turn off mobile data during your activity if you don't need it for anything else
- Want to listen to music while riding? Switch Spotify, for example, to offline mode
- Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi if you don't need them during your activity
- Close any apps you don't need
oratrek is designed from the ground up to use as little phone battery as possible. This includes storing data efficiently and only refreshing the screen when new information is actually available. On top of that, the app offers several settings that let you track your activities in an even more targeted, efficient and battery-friendly way.
Use the display wisely
The display is almost always the biggest drain on your battery. Reduce the brightness to a sensible minimum and use auto-brightness. If you want to keep an eye on your live data, you can choose in the tracking settings to keep the screen on at all times.
Use your phone's dark mode – oratrek adapts automatically. You can also switch to it deliberately for rides in the dark.
You can also turn off the screen on steady stretches. Tracking continues as normal. If you don't want to keep switching the screen on and off while navigating, you can use one or a combination of the following features in the navigation settings:
- Alert sound for turns and route cues
- Wake the screen before turns (on Samsung and Xiaomi phones, this needs an extra permission – here is how to set it up)
- Push notifications to your phone and other smart devices (such as your smartwatch)
GPS settings
You can set a distance filter. This is the minimum distance before a new GPS position is saved and processed. It mainly saves battery while you're stationary. For normal activities, the default of 2 m is exactly the right balance between tracking quality and energy efficiency.
The update interval, however, has a bigger impact. It defines how often a GPS update is requested. The default of 2 s provides good tracking quality. But if you're planning a particularly long ride, you can increase the interval. A longer interval means fewer requests.
Configure your profile properly
Use a suitable activity profile in oratrek with a sensible auto-pause setting. This prevents unnecessary recording during stops and improves your data quality at the same time.
Only pair sensors when you need them
BLE sensors provide valuable data, but depending on the configuration they use extra energy. Only pair the sensors that are really relevant for your current session.
With these steps, your device lasts longer – and you can focus on what really matters: enjoying your activities.