Why does a "dumb" phone use less battery power?

[Quintrix]

I experimented with a Motorola RAZR XT910.

Turned off the wi-fi and mobile data and I am currently running for three days with 25 % battery power left. I would never reach 24h with mobile data on and wi-fi off - even when doing NOTHING on the phone.

What does this prove?

I assume there is no additional radio that needs to switch on to run mobile data so the where does the saving come from? The CPU working less?

 

[Lord Farquart]

If you have to ask, then the phone is not THAT dumb.:twisted:

 

[Sinbad]

every watt of radio power used to maintain a GPRS/Edge/3G connection uses battery power.
When I was in Moz I turned off my cellular, wifi and bluetooth. My iphone battery lasted 4 days.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

every watt of radio power used to maintain a GPRS/Edge/3G connection uses battery power.
When I was in Moz I turned off my cellular, wifi and bluetooth. My iphone battery lasted 4 days.

Conversely, the cheapy phones (those simple sub-R200 jobbies) with LCD displays will outlast a smartphone in terms of battery life.

 

[Quintrix]

If you have to ask, then the phone is not THAT dumb.:twisted:

LF - still awaiting your answer

every watt of radio power used to maintain a GPRS/Edge/3G connection uses battery power.
When I was in Moz I turned off my cellular, wifi and bluetooth. My iphone battery lasted 4 days.

Sinbad - is this different to /above your normal cell signal - as i still get SMS's and calls

Conversely, the cheapy phones (those simple sub-R200 jobbies) with LCD displays will outlast a smartphone in terms of battery life.

Why???

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Why???

A smart phone's CPU is busy with running an operating system.

A dumb phone's CPU is not that busy.

Plus a dumb phone does not make use of 3G etc, it simply is used for SMS'es and voice.

 

[Sinbad]

LF - still awaiting your answer



Sinbad - is this different to /above your normal cell signal - as i still get SMS's and calls



Why???

Yes it is different.
And a cheapy, small LCD uses a LOT less power than an OLED or other high-resolution backlit LCD panel

 

[ajax]

Yes, slower and lower power CPU and a monochrome screen do not chow the battery.
But if you were to talk on both phones non-stop for hours they will quite likely last the same time.

 

[kingrob]

I experimented with a Motorola RAZR XT910.

Turned off the wi-fi and mobile data and I am currently running for three days with 25 % battery power left. I would never reach 24h with mobile data on and wi-fi off - even when doing NOTHING on the phone.

What does this prove?

I assume there is no additional radio that needs to switch on to run mobile data so the where does the saving come from? The CPU working less?

The 3G radio takes a lot of juice, LTE is even worse.

I accidentally switched off packet data in my Galaxy S2's quick settings, and by the afternoon the battery level had only changed from 96% to 95%. It was magic.

Obviously the screen is the biggest culprit, hence the reason your laptop will automatically dim the display when it's not plugged in, but that is what a smartphone is all about and my screen time beats my laptop screen time handsomely.