Khaberni - The Pixel 10 phones have started to receive a long-awaited feature inside the Google Maps app, aimed at reducing battery drainage during navigation to facilitate prolonged use without the worry of running out of power, especially for lovers of travel and digital navigation.
Why are navigation apps the most energy-consuming?
Navigation apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze continuously rely on GPS, internet, and keeping the screen on throughout the journey, making them among the most draining applications for energy.
As a result, many find themselves needing to charge their phones as soon as they turn on the maps while driving.
Google has added a power-saving mode within the app itself, currently available exclusively for the Pixel 10 series, with expectations that it would be extended to other devices in the future.
How to activate the power-saving mode
For Pixel 10 phone users, the feature can be activated with simple steps:
1. Open the Google Maps app and click on the account image at the top.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Move to Navigation.
4. From the Driving Options section, activate the power-saving mode.
5. Start navigation and press the start button to display a low-power interface.
After activation, the screen will display a simplified map on the lock screen, including only basic details like the next turn, in monochrome and with a lower refresh rate to save as much energy as possible.
Despite the importance of the feature, it comes with several significant limitations:
- It only works in portrait mode, and trying to use it in landscape mode will show a message preventing that.
- Available only while driving, and cannot be used while walking or biking.
- Currently confined to the Pixel 10 series, with no official information on its expansion to other devices.
These limitations raise questions about the need to expand the feature to include various modes of transport, as conserving energy is important for all users, not just drivers.
This feature is a valuable addition for long trips that require continuous monitoring of directions.
So far, competing apps like Waze and Apple Maps do not offer a built-in battery-saving mode, although it is possible to use the general power-saving mode of the phone or download maps offline to reduce consumption.
