One of the great representatives of the iPhone is the Low consumption modea function that Apple introduced years ago with the promise of lengthening the battery at specific times, such as when you reach the end of the day with less than 20% load. However, more and more users are choosing to activate it permanently, even with the battery at 100%.
Does it make sense to do it? Are you missing something if you keep this active mode all the time? The answer is more complex than it seems, and in Cupertino they would probably prefer that you would not experience too much with it.
What does the IPhone consumption do?
Low consumption mode limits several system processes to reduce energy consumption. Among other things, deactivate the Update in the backgroundlimits visual effects, stops some automatic tasks and reduces processor speed. The latter is especially important, because it can have a real impact on the performance of certain applications, although most users do not notice it on a day -to -day basis.
The funny thing is that, by maintaining the low mode active permanently, many notice that their iPhone consumes much less batteryeven if they use it intensively. This is because the system stops spending energy unnecessarily on tasks such as checking emails in the background, synchronizing files in ICloud or refreshing apps that you don't even have open. All this sounds quite reasonable, and in many cases, it can mean the difference between reaching the end of the day or not. But, like everything in technology, there is a price to pay.
One of the consequences is that the iPhone can feel less “intelligent.” If you are used to receiving specific apps notifications such as Calendar, mail or messagesyou could notice that they arrive late or do not even appear until you open the application manually. In addition, if you use automation in shortcuts, it is possible that some of them stop executing automatically, since the system prioritizes energy savings above all. Graphic performance is also reduced, and although for most users this is not a problem, it is a limitation.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that the low consumption mode changes the behavior of the system without warning. For example, blocks synchronization and loading of photos and videos in the background in photos or Reduces the refresh rate In models with promotion, such as the iPhone 13 Pro onwards. In other words: the operating system is transformed silently, and that can translate into a less fluid and less complete experience, especially in powerful devices.
When should I activate the low mode on the iPhone?
So, is it worth leaving the low mode activated all the time? If your absolute priority is to squeeze the battery to the maximum and you do not mind sacrificing some fluidity or automation, the answer is yes. Many older iPhone users say that this practice has allowed them to extend the life of the battery and avoid having to load the device twice a day. But if you have a new iPhone, with good performance and decent autonomy, this strategy may make you lose part of what makes the Apple system so fluid and safe.
Apple does not promote permanent use of low consumption mode. In fact, when you activate it, it warns you that it is designed only to “When the battery is low”. But that doesn't mean you can't use it as you want. You just have to understand what it implies.
