Google Maps was one of the apps that got an upgrade, with a new feature that I was excited to try.
Turn-by-turn navigation takes a lot of energy and I’ve been watching my battery percentage melt away on longer trips, so I’m ready for any chance to reclaim some of that battery life.
Fortunately, there is now an energy saving mode Google Maps. This allows you to activate a full-screen black and white overlay on your always-on display. If enabled, lock your phone during navigation so it appears.
I decided to put it to the test and see if the new power saving mode actually did anything, or if it’s just better to leave Google Maps in dark mode for your next trip. Here are the results.
Three tests over the same route
Not exactly, but close enough to tell
I won’t claim to have done any scientific laboratory testing, and even performing turn-by-turn navigation over the same route repeatedly can yield different results.
The signal strength is not constant and background activities can drain the phone’s power.
Still, it’s checked enough to get a general idea of whether Google’s new power saving mode is lip service or has a real effect on battery drain.
I started every ride with the battery at 100%, and this is what happened.
I started with an hour of basic turn-by-turn navigation in Google Maps, with the screen in light mode for the entire ride.
I gave Google Maps a solid mix of highway driving and local streets, with a few detours along the way.
As expected, about an hour of sailing on mine Pixel 10 Pro fold costs me 8% of my battery life. Not devastating, but if you extrapolate that over a longer ride or if you’re walking around town all day, it adds up to quite a bit.
The next trip was similar, with the only change being the use of dark mode. I wasn’t expecting too much change, but dark mode did make a noticeable difference.
The same drive only used 5% of my battery. I’m sure this is within the margin of error, but it was such a big difference that I would consider using dark mode more in the future. You keep many of the benefits of Google Maps without draining your battery.
Enter energy saving mode
I was genuinely impressed, but not without reservations
For the last hour-long ride, I used Google Maps’ power saving mode. It was enabled by default on my Pixel 10 Pro Fold after the update, but the setting is easy enough to find if it isn’t.
I could still bring up the normal Maps view by unlocking my Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but otherwise I was limited to a black-and-white view of my route, turns, and ETA on the always-on screen.
It did its job and I only used 3% of the battery. It may not seem like much, especially compared to the 5% I used in dark mode. However, on a longer trip or all day navigation it will make a difference.
Even if you don’t care about the battery life benefits, I enjoyed the power saving mode for other reasons.
Previously I didn’t think it was a big deal, but I noticed that I enjoyed the distraction-free driving.
I still got voice prompts when needed, but the toned-down map was easy to read thanks to the high-contrast black and white display.
The display wasn’t full of points of interest, so even though I couldn’t see if there was a Starbucks on the way, I was willing to make the trade.
Not seeing points of interest along the way isn’t the only compromise you make in power saving mode.
You will also not receive traffic updates on the screen. Google Maps will still suggest diversions, but you won’t see a traffic jam coming.
Not everything has been removed, as train tracks, construction sites and other safety issues are highlighted in color on the map.
I didn’t notice any degradation in speed or quality in power saving mode. The rerouting was fast and accurate, and the map tracked my location smoothly.
I was afraid that I might have a problem on roads where you make several turns in a row, but Google Maps switched to the next direction in time.
Addition to an impressive list of Google features
I’m enjoying my Pixel 10 Pro Fold
The power saving mode on Google Maps isn’t earth-shattering. I won’t rave about it to my friends, and it certainly won’t change everything about my universe.
However, it is further proof that Google is moving in the right direction. It’s a simple feature with several useful features that works – something we can’t always say about the company’s updates.
If anything, I’m frustrated that it will most likely end up on phones other than the Pixel 10 series before the ink even dries on the patch notes.
I understand why, and Google is more interested in people using its platform and apps, regardless of phone manufacturer.
Still, it would be welcome if Google used some of these features to differentiate itself and sell more Pixel smartphones. It won’t happen, but a man can dream.
It works, but don’t expect too much from it
If you are curious about the energy saving mode Google Mapsgive it a try. You lose some information, but I appreciate the distraction-free driving experience that also saves battery life.
A few percentage points here and there won’t matter, but over a longer highway drive it adds up to significant savings, especially if you can’t charge your phone.
#tested #Google #Maps #power #saving #mode #miles #Heres