Battery drain when navigating

[Rob Verhoeff]

Today I took a drive with connected iPhone 13 to the USB port via cable. I have no idea if the phone became too hot (you can't feel it with gloves on ), but the battery logging indicates that charging stopped at 85%. The iPhone has an internal safeguard to protect the battery. I have complete confidence that everything will be fine.

[Karl Mumford]

I have just returned from a trip to Ireland where I tried to use the new MyRoute app to navigate with my Android 10 Ulefone Armour X7 Pro. I found that even with the phone on charge with a 1.5A charger it was draining the battery enough to not be able to last the day.
I switched back to using the MRA Navigator stand-alone app because that is able to allow the phone to charge up even when in use.
MyRoute app version 4.0.1 - 194
MRA Navigation version v1.6.12

[CD130]

@Karl-Mumford are you able to try a 2.4A or 3.0A charger? The 3.0A charger works fine with my iPhone 12.

[Karl Mumford]

@Karl-Mumford I have just see that MyRoute-app on my phone updated itself automatically yesterday so I would have been using the previous version while in Ireland

[Karl Mumford]

@CD130 my charger is hard wired into my bike but I could replace it, yes. However the face that the MRA navigation app uses much less power hints that MyRoute-app could probably do so too.

[M PRP]

I encountered the problem after updating my Samsung 32A. What also was in a change with 'normal' working was that the connection with the phone function didn't work anymore. I can see someone was calling me but there was no sound and it wasn't possible to pick up.
Maybe this last one was the origin of battery drain, constant seeking to connect with my bleu tooth device???
Battery drain from +- 85% to 10% in 51 minutes. The Phone was very hot.

[Paul 41]

I also have this issue, latest version installed from App Store. Just back from a 9 day tour of Europe and using my phone (iPhone 14 Pro Max) on a QuadLock wireless charger head.

With MRA running all day (regardless of the temperature) I was barely getting to the end of a days ride as the phone was sub-20% battery. For one of those days I switched to Calimoto and experienced no such issues and on the last day I had Waze running all day long, also no issues so it's definitely an MRA app problem.

On my iPhone though, switching into Low Power mode instantly fixed the issue, so I wonder if MRA is using the full 120hz screen refresh and battery saver reducing this is the key? Anyway, that solves it for me when using MRA. Like I said, all other nav apps are not a problem.

[richtea999]

You might want to consider using Dark Mode next time, although judging by that screenshot, you may already be there!

Change both Map layer and App theme in the Navigation Settings. The Map layer one doesn't kick in until you actually start navigating, so ignore the default map view being, confusingly, light mode!

[Paul 41]

@richtea999 I’ll try that, although using Low Power mode solved the issue. I wish I knew what MRA was doing to consume so much battery though.

[Rob Verhoeff]

@Paul-41 a lot of battery drain is due to the rendering the maps on your device when online navigating. I guess the rendering remains although you've downloaded maps. The mapsupplier (Here) has to do (also) something to solve this. Google for 'battery drain' on this forum and you'll find more topics. It's under the attention of the MRA-team.

[richtea999]

@Paul-41 said in Battery drain when navigating:

@richtea999 I’ll try that, although using Low Power mode solved the issue. I wish I knew what MRA was doing to consume so much battery though.

Probably redrawing the screen too often is my guess. However, that's easily written in a glib message like this, and a nightmare to fix as a developer!

One setting that might be useful would be a choice to decrease the app's screen refresh rate, so 1/5th second, 1/10th second, etc, so users could feed back on their findings. Maybe just in the beta.

I have to say I couldn't use my iPhone because it overheats and dims the screen, so I'll also be trying low battery mode this afternoon/evening. I had the same problem on a new Samsung Galaxy A54 this past weekend, so I'll also be experimenting that one too, at some point.

[Con Hennekens]

@richtea999, I happen to know that this has been tried, to as low as 40fps. It did not make any significant difference for the battery drain. It looks like something in the SDK is maxing out the processor. Slower phones seems to have less problems with battery drain, but that too is not always fully true.

[richtea999]

@Con-Hennekens Thanks for the update Con. My bad guesswork.

[Con Hennekens]

@richtea999, I don't think it is bad guesswork at all It makes perfectly sense, but was already guessed by someone else before. Somehow it does nothing to the battery drain, and that surprised the devvers too. I will not be surprised when that turns out to be part the problem: the rendering engine does not limit itself to the set screenfrequency...

[Simannjo]

Any advances on battery drain issues?
Like the OP, I am using a quadlock wireless charger on Pixel 6 Pro and with 2.4a USB supply that just cannot keep up...

[Rob Verhoeff]

@Simannjo Still under investigation. I think Here has to come up with a solution.

[richtea999]

@Rob-Verhoeff Is there anything that users can do to help? A little direct customer pressure often hastens a result.

However, I don't want to step on MRA's feet, and sour their HERE relationship, of course.

[Rob Verhoeff]

@richtea999 I think Corjan is on top of this issue. In all honesty, I don't think that we can't do more than what's done as far.

[Stephen Rowland]

I have been out this morning to have a nice ride in the UK heatwave. Very happy with the newest update. Firstly, I now have sufficient volume in my Sena Intercom. Secondly the phone didn’t overheat (although it was hot) and actually charged up to 99% by the time I got home. The motorway signs are good too.