Apple Reportedly Working on Proper Battery-Saving Mode for watchOS 9

The battery-saving mode on watchOS 9 is said to turn off more demanding features on an Apple Watch, along with Workout reminders.

The update brought improved battery life for users

• Apple rolled out watchOS 9.1 to compatible devices in October
• Overall performance is said to be reduced on battery saving mode
• Animations, and navigation will reportedly be reduced on battery saver

Apple is reportedly working on introducing a true power-saving mode for eligible Apple Watch models in an upcoming watchOS 9 update, extending the watch’s battery life when necessary. According to a report, this mode can be activated manually through the Control Center or the settings app. It also prompts the user when the battery level is at 10 percent. The automatic battery saver mode is also said to turn off on its own once the wearable device is charged to 80 percent.

According to a report by ITHome, Apple is working on a proper battery-saving mode for the Apple Watch for an upcoming watchOS 9 update. The feature is said to turn off more demanding features such as the always-on display (AoD), heart rate notifications, arrhythmia tracking, heart rate and blood oxygen measurements. Workout reminders are also turned off.

Interestingly, if there’s no iPhone connected to the watch nearby, it will turn off Wi-Fi and cellular connections. Incoming calls and notifications are also disabled, as per the report.

If a user needs a certain app that requires data or a Wi-Fi connection, the system will reportedly be able to re-enable them. And if the Apple Watch stays within the phone’s connection range, it will postpone notifications and deliver them every hour.

Meanwhile, the overall performance of the watch in the new battery-saving mode will also be reduced, so animations and navigation as a whole won’t feel as smooth, according to the report. Apple is yet to announce any plans to roll out a proper battery saver mode for currently supported Apple Watch models.

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• Sonos CEO Eyes Upbeat Holiday Season as Supply Chain Bottlenecks Ease

Last month, watchOS 9.1 was rolled out out to users with an Apple Watch Series 4) and newer models. According to the Cupertino company, the update brought improved battery life for users with Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Apple Watch Ultra, during Outdoor Walking, Running, and Hiking workouts. The company will also let users download Apple Music content while the watch is not charging, and on cellular data, according to the release notes for the latest update.

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Sonos CEO Eyes Upbeat Holiday Season as Supply Chain Bottlenecks Ease

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence said that existing customers accounted for 44 percent of new product registrations in the year to October 1.

Sonos is under pressure from a strong dollar

• Sonos beat quarterly revenue estimates
• Existing customers accounted for 44 percent of new product registrations
• The company added only 1.4 million net new households

Sonos, which has been grappling with weak demand for its high-end speakers, is counting on easing supply chain bottlenecks and a rare set of promotions to lift sales in the holiday quarter, Chief Executive Patrick Spence told Reuters.

The company beat quarterly revenue estimates on Wednesday, as it stays resilient even as the broader retail industry struggles with a consumer spending slump caused by decades-high inflation.

The trend mirrors the strength seen at other luxury goods companies such as LVMH, whose focus on higher-income consumers have shielded them from economic gyrations.

Sonos is seeing strong demand for its $349 (roughly Rs. 28,500) entry-level sound bar Ray and the wireless loudspeaker Sub Mini priced at $429 (roughly Rs. 35,000), Spence said.

He added that existing customers accounted for 44 percent of new product registrations in the year to October 1, a sign that brand loyalty was helping Sonos fend off competition from bigger rivals Apple, Google and Amazon.com — which offer cheaper, voice-enabled speakers.

Still, the company added only 1.4 million net new households in the period, compared with 1.8 million a year earlier.

Its growth was throttled by a shortage of chips and product components, exacerbated by strict COVID-19 lockdowns in China. Sonos also saw some softness in orders from peak pandemic levels as consumers spent more time outside.

"China is important in terms of our overall supply chain, but we are also in Malaysia and Vietnam. So, we have also recreated a more resilient supply chain," Spence said.

Sonos is also under pressure from a strong dollar, which is expected to shave off $79 million from sales in 2023.

"We have https://jiji.ng/ our fingers crossed that the holiday season will be good for us because it’s one of those rare times when we do put some things on sale," said newly appointed finance chief Eddie Lazarus, who served in the role on an interim basis since September.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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