Battery drain
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I know this is been mentioned a lot but I used the app each day when I went to Europe in June and had no issues with battery usage when on quad lock wireless charger and mra running and Spotify . Today I am half way through the day , started on 93% with mra running and on charge like above and ive currently dropped to 38% . Has sometimes changed in the updates to make it worse ? The only difference is that the auto track log is on but surely that wouldn’t drain so much ? I will continue to use but may have to abandon it today as I have a feeling it will run my phone right down. iPhone 12
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@Ian-foster-0
This is known, has been reported to Here, it is being worked on. -
@Ian-foster-0 I travelled 3200km in Eastern Europe, a total of 14 days. On two days I had the phenomenon that my Huawei p30 Pro was completely discharged. I don't know what triggered it. I hope they will find a solution soon.
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@Kudee, I have the same phone (P30 pro). I don't use it for navigating on the motorbike, but I do in my car. I notice a relative high discharge when using the MRA app, but nothing too serious. I have never seen it discharge while charging though. I don't mean to insult your intelligence, but did you check for the charging icon? Are you sure it was charging at all? On my bike I need to switch on the charger with a button, and I often forget that. My CAT holds on for many hours without charging. The P30 pro probably won't.
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Happy New Year 2024. Unfortunately, the app still consumes an unjustifiably large amount of battery. I've tried several phones and tablets, and they all yield the same result.
According to data from the device, the MyRoute app consumes about 550mAh in one hour of usage. While, for example, Google Maps on the same device with the same settings consumes about 400mAh. An extra consumption of 150mAh doesn't seem like much. However, it's almost a 30% difference in consumption, and it's evidently enough that lower-powered chargers can't keep up.
Google Maps, of course, is a very optimized application and is practically made by the same people who work on Android. Naturally, on Google Maps, you can set the screen brightness to the highest to be clearly visible in the sun, run other applications in the background (for music and similar). And still, chargers will be able to at least minimally maintain the battery at the same level.
Unfortunately, the MyRoute app in this regard is not functional. Today, it's very practical to use wireless chargers in vehicles. They are usually low-powered and inefficient, but most other navigation apps don't consume so much that they're inadequate. The MyRoute app on the Honor Magic 5 Pro can drain the battery (5100mAh) on a wireless SP connect charger, making it impossible to complete a one day route.
Unnecessary heating of the phone is a bonus.The MyRoute app is a very good application, but it's not free or cheap. And simply, it takes too long to resolve such a problematic bug. Which, apart from making the app non-functional on longer trips, also destroys our phones by shortening the battery life and unnecessary overheating.
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@Mario-Ivancic said in Battery drain:
The MyRoute app is a very good application, but it's not free or cheap. And simply, it takes too long to resolve such a problematic bug. Which, apart from making the app non-functional on longer trips, also destroys our phones by shortening the battery life and unnecessary overheating.
Mostly valid points, Mario, but it's unfortunately out of MRA's hands. HERE, the map and route supplier, is the main battery-drain culprit and finding alternative suppliers is extremely hard - maybe impossible at a sensible cost.
MRA can't be free - developers need to eat too!
As you no doubt understand, the only reason Google Maps is free is because of unfair market advantage, namely owning both the platform (Android) and the main revenue stream on the internet (advertising). A small company cannot fight that.I'm not sure what HERE's excuse is though.
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@richtea999
I myself work in the IT industry and I fight to ensure that those who develop software and infrastructure are always adequately paid. And not only them, but everyone who creates something. Because without that, there is no progress and we might as well go back to stone pounding.
The price was not the point of my comment. Rather, it's the fact that something has been commercialized and charged for, yet it's not fully usable. Specifically, the seller never mentioned that the application won't work all day on devices with a small battery capacity and a weaker charger. And that's a problem. How would it be if someone sold a motorcycle, but after the sale said, 'Ah look, we have a bad engine supplier and you can only drive 100 km a day'?
Since I also participate in development and projects, I am aware of the problems with limited or poor software SDKs or third-party software components. Just as manufacturers struggle with various suppliers who deliver something below standard, the entire product has to be changed.
I don't mind paying double,triple, as much as it takes to get a fully functional product that is standard with the competition. Also, if I'm warned that something doesn't work, I might still be willing to pay, or maybe I'll skip it. However, when I'm sold something that doesn't work as expected, it's initially too expensive even if it costs 1 euro. Especially when the seller doesn't offer info on how/when it will be resolved, and that goes on for months.
And here's the point: the solution is not in sight, they surely knew in the test that there was a problem, but they kept quiet and sold anyway. And now we're supposed to accept that because they are 'small' and because it's a 'third-party supplier' problem? That's simply not professional and good practice. -
@Mario-Ivancic Again, your post has many valid points that I agree with. The difference (IMHO) compared to the motorbike/engine example you've given is that we're talking about a huge $multi-billion supplier being used by a $low-millons app developer - not the other way round. In other words MRA has almost no leverage. If HERE ignore requests for improvements, then it's no skin off HERE's back. They'll swat MRA away and carry on making money elsewhere.
That lack of leverage is high risk, but there isn't an obvious alternative once you've set off down that development road - not one that is affordable anyway.
I definitely agree that MRA's main weakness is not declaring that there may be charging issues in certain situations, and I would welcome it if they did make very clear that you need to 'try before you buy' specifically on the charging front.
For all that, the app has 4.5 and 4.6 stars on Android and Apple respectively, so the vast majority of users are happy with the app, and either find it usable, or work around the issue (USB charging rather than WiFi charging, dark mode versus light mode, etc).
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@richtea999
I completely understand your perspective. The problem arises when you are small and dependent on a bigger entity. However, we are customers, and even the initial beta testers. Issues with battery consumption were reported back in February, yet the app was still released into production and commercialized, despite the clearly evident problem that people were constantly reporting. We didn't purchase the app from Here, but from MRA. We don't need to know what the problem is, its solutions, or who's at fault.How can we even be sure that Here is the problem? The issue was initially ignored, and the app was released to the market. Now they could blame Google, Here, TomTom, or anyone else for each bug. People are leaving positive reviews because most are still using a USB connection. When I first used the app, I noticed the battery consumption but thought it would be resolved by the time I upgraded. Almost a year later, I upgraded, but the app still hasn't addressed this issue.
So, what now? Should I contact Here? People don't reach out to Bosch when their ABS fails; they go to the vehicle seller. Note that there are smaller manufacturers who are smaller than their suppliers, yet I've never seen a practice where the supplier is blamed. Such excuses are made by amateurs. Professionals, no matter how small, find solutions or alternative suppliers.
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@richtea999
Just to be clear, I still believe that the app is unique in the market. I'm not one to write negative reviews on the Google store and bring down the ratings just because I'm dissatisfied with one aspect. However, I do not hold back on criticism here on the beta forum. Because all of us have helped in its creation - financially, in terms of time, and nerves testing it. Perhaps that's why I express sharper criticism than I would for another app -
@Mario-Ivancic, The app has a trial period in which a buyer can see if it works for him. Also I think some settings on your phone can be tweaked to prevent a too harsh a drain. MRA never promised that the app will work in all quadriziljon different setups. Also they never promised that it will work all day on a wireless charger. There are too many different devices of which charging capacity is out of their control, to make such a promise. Like ALL other apps, customers will need to try for themselves if it suits their needs. The app is fully usable for the vast majority of users, even with the known battery drain problem.
Which does not take away the fact that the problem is indeed there. Like @richtea999 mentioned, it is due to the HERE platform/SDK. Even HERE's own WeGo app, that uses the same platform, shows the exact same problem (even worse in fact). The good news is that Devs are talking directly to HERE Devs since a few weeks, instead of passing arguments through some reseller and customer departments. So at the moment there is good hope for betterment at acceptable schedule (I hope
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@Mario-Ivancic Thanks for you elaborate post!
Greatly appreciate the level of detail in which you commented.As I kinda have a say over the issue I'll give my perspective
Since the issue was first reported we have taken it very seriously.In April 2023 we first informed HERE about the issue.
Over the months that passed we gave them more details and they researched the issue. The mere fact that their own app has dramatic battery usage kinda says enough. Are we happy with this situation? Not at all!It's also very hard to make the best of the situation. We are extremely proud of the reviews we are getting despite of some core issues that are out of our own control. There are enough users that don't experience the issue and those that do, I am truly sorry. For those we always offer a refund or extended trial period. We aim to keep customers happy, which we do quite well
In December I had a call with the HERE product manager for the SDK team (finally direct contact!
) and now I have a monthly session with them to discuss core issues. We attempt to contribute directly to their development so the issues we encounter are fixed sooner than later. A resolution before the coming motorcycle season is critical to us. About the internal discussion I cannot reveal too much but believe me that HERE is aware of the issues.We will continue to work together with our community, partners and suppliers to create the best app possible
Thanks
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Corjan, Con, thank you for your responses.
@Con, I understand that I can always opt out and ask for a refund... However, I don't think that's much of an option, as I've pointed out, the app is unique, with great potential, to give up because of one bug.
However, the bug is quite serious and I think many take it lightly. Or they are not aware of the potential damage. Unfortunately, this summer I lost a motorbike due to a fire caused by overheating of a tablet's battery/charger.
Of course, I don't blame any app, and I mostly hold myself responsible. Primarily because, before my IT career, I spent 16 years in the auto industry, so I'm more than technically knowledgeable about some causes and consequences.
Without going into details, I had a Samsung Active tablet designed for outdoor use and extreme conditions. It was connected to a fast charger with its own fuse. The installation was 100% professionally done. However, I ignored the tablet's overheating (probably the charger's as well). Thinking everything was made never to leave the safe zone.
I was running several apps on the tablet at the same time and the system was definitely strestd, but working great. One hot summer day, the motorbike caught fire, starting from the tablet and charger.
Whether it was a manufacturing defect, whether I overloaded the charger and battery, or something else. I will never know. The motorbike is gone, tears wiped, losses written off, a new motorbike has been bought.
However, now, there's no chance I will ever use a system that is so strestd again. No fast chargers are considered. Nothing that would overheat the battery, and needs 40+ watt to work. Once you get burned, you blow on even what is cold.
And again, I emphasize, maybe I just wasn't lucky.
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@Mario-Ivancic Sweet lord, that's a horrible experience!
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@Mario-Ivancic Holy moly
! What a stroke of bad luck!!! That little fire really spread quickly. Luckily, you came out of it unharmed. Wishing you many safe miles with your new machine 
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@Mario-Ivancic, Aiai, that's bad luck! I won't take anything away from that. I must admit that I have had a badly melted USB connector myself once:
The cause was a bad USB socket with a shortage. I guess I barely escaped your doom...
By the way:
the bug is quite serious and I think many take it lightly.
I don't think anyone is taking this bug lightly.
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I too find MRA app really perfect, but I think the Here maps far from that. I read that a different map supplier is a problem. That's too bad. Last summer I tested the accuracy of different map suppliers.
1 Openstreetmap (By far the best)
2/3 Tomtom/Google maps.
Then nothing for a very long time
4 Here.So my solution for the Here drain problem would be: Openstreetmaps.
I do not understand that, for example, phones with the same android version some suffer from draining and others do not? There must be a different way of processing the data in the phones then.
Is it correct that the old app suffered less from the Here map problem?Last summer I spent several months on the road using mainly the old app, and it definitely had no draining problem. If it fails to solve this draining problem before the 2024 motoring season, can I find the old app somewhere? I lost it as a result of a phone crash.
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@C-A-Kielen
You're right, using Here Maps feels like you've gone back 10 years in terms of navigation. It's inaccurate, delayed, and often reloads routes for some reason, not to mention the strain it puts on battery life and processing power. But considering the technology of phones, processors, and memory back then, such issues were to be expected from navigation apps. Honestly, Here doesn't offer any revolutionary improvements compared to previous navigations, but it certainly couldn't operate with the resources of earlier phones.As you mentioned, the MRE system is really excellent, especially the web part for planning. Without it, the navigation app itself is at best average, primarily due to Here's shortcomings. I've gotten used to the delays and inaccuracies, probably because I used navigations that relied on CRT monitors and calculated vehicle wheel rotations. So, I can live with that. However, today's phone resources are on par with modern PCs, yet the basic functionality of the app is so poor and inefficient that it irrationally consumes energy. That's really baffling to me.
I think today's developers have become a bit lax. We used to be careful with every kilobyte of memory and every loop that would strain the processor. There was simply no room for inefficiency. And now, my 1000 euro phone with a Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm), 8 CPU cores, and 16GB of memory overheats and drains the battery just because of navigation... We've really 'progressed'
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@Mario-Ivancic said:
yet the basic functionality of the app is so poor and inefficient that it irrationally consumes energy. That's really baffling to me.
The functionality of the app is superb, probably second to none.
It's HERE'S implementation of the API that is inefficient. Let's not lose sight of that in this thread.I think today's developers have become a bit lax.
Yeah, bloody slackers!
I think the issue is two-fold:-
modern development systems (like Flutter and Unity) distance the developer one more layer from what's actually running underneath. It's necessary to do that to make Swift (ha!) progress nowadays. If your app isn't out in 6 months, you'll get eaten by the next startup. Time matters more than computing resources in general. You only come back round to tuning when there's a problem. We're there now, and it's someone else's APi that needs tuning. Oops.
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phones are MORE complex than PCs. They're much more resource-bound (CPU, memory, battery, temperature, screen space, etc), less open (security, legal APIs only, etc) and have more complex sensors.
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@C-A-Kielen said in Battery drain:
Last summer I tested the accuracy of different map suppliers.
1 Openstreetmap (By far the best)
2/3 Tomtom/Google maps.
Then nothing for a very long time
4 Here.I wonder how you tested that, did you test that WorldWide? OSM is fine in Western Europe for example, but there are parts of the world where is could be considered unusable.
@C-A-Kielen said in Battery drain:
I do not understand that, for example, phones with the same android version some suffer from draining and others do not?
Because all those phones use different hardware. My guess is that some process in the rendering engine does not comply the the screen refresh rate. In the early beta's the platform has been tested with different refreshrates, but it had no impact on the battery drain. In my own experience it looks like the faster the processor, the uglier the drain gets. So something is maxing out processing power, no matter the settings.
@Mario-Ivancic said in Battery drain:
Here Maps feels like you've gone back 10 years in terms of navigation. It's inaccurate, delayed, and often reloads routes for some reason
I experience none of those problems.
I am not affiliated with MyRoute-App. The help I am offering is entirely voluntary.
I am just an enthusiastic user, and hope you will be one too!Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebar to the saddle.
