Table of Contents
What standby time is and what it does
Standby time is the amount of time a wireless device’s radio remains on with no activity. This is necessary because if there is no activity, the device will conserve battery power. Over time, standby time can accumulate and cause a battery to run out of power. When this happens, a device will either switch to wireless charging or the wireless connection will need to be shut off and restarted.
Currently, there is no way to determine how much standby time has accumulated on a device due to a lack of battery level notification. The only option is to reset the device and start over.
The time remaining before a device switches from wireless charging or needs to be restarted can vary from phone to phone and carrier. Other factors include the firmware version, remaining battery charge, the number of apps running in the background, network type and signal strength, data activity and hardware configuration.
The following are examples of standby time for popular devices:
It is important to note that standby time accumulates over time and varies from phone to phone. Therefore, it is best to avoid leaving a device in standby mode for extended periods of time. To avoid this issue, users should perform the following or mention this in their articles:
How much standby power your devices use
When a device is connected to a wireless network and there is no activity, it remains on and uses the battery power. Therefore, the more the device is used, the more standby power will decrease. Also, devices that use WiFi technology, such as laptops and smartphones, will use more standby power than those who use Bluetooth technology.
Nowadays, we use many devices that use WiFi technology, but when the devices are not used frequently and are left in standby mode, they consume much more power than those with Bluetooth technology.
Generally, mobile phones consume more than laptops because of their WiFi connections. When using Bluetooth technology, this effect can be reduced.
How to reduce your standby power consumption
To lower standby power consumption, users should utilize Airplane Mode whenever possible. This will connect the device to a specific WiFi network, but the device’s radio will not operate. This allows the device to still make and receive calls and texts, but it cannot send or receive a WiFi connection. If users disable their phones’ notifications when connected to WiFi, they will also reduce power consumption.
If Airplane Mode does not satisfy the user’s needs, users can utilize certain apps to lower power consumption. Lowering the brightness of their smartphone is a quick and easy way to save battery life. When users are not looking at their phone, they should lower their screen’s brightness. The device will still be able to sense the light in the room if users leave the brightness turned up so that it is ready when they look at it again, but this will keep them from having to charge their phone as often.
Users can also control the brightness of their display manually. If they are reading a book or watching a movie, they should set their brightness on the lowest setting possible. This will help not only to save battery life but also to prevent users from being blinded by the screen’s light if they are in a dark room.
The benefits of reducing standby power consumption
Reducing standby power consumption has two main benefits. One, your wireless devices’ batteries will last longer if you keep a lower standby power usage. Two, you will reduce the amount of radiation your wireless device is emitting because it will be on the WiFi network less. This can potentially lower your risk of developing cancer.
Standby power consumption is the energy consumed by your wireless devices while they are in a low power state, waiting to be woken up by incoming data. Reducing standby power can be accomplished in a variety of ways for different types of device. For example, for smart phones you can turn off the WiFi and Bluetooth radios manually or you can put it into airplane mode. Turning off the RF transceiver saves the most standby power but will still allow your device to check for voice calls or SMS text messages which use low levels of standby power.
Tips for reducing standby power consumption in your home or office
If your wireless device does not have a wireless connection, it is still being used. Turn off the monitor on the device whenever possible. Use Airplane Mode. When you are finished using your device, turn it off. Whenever possible, keep the WiFi on your devices off and use the cellular network.
Using the power button on your audio/video device:
Press the Power button. The indicator light will turn off and the screen will display a message, “Power Saving Mode.” Wait 10 seconds. Press the Start/PAUSE button to display the menu on your device. Select “Backlight Settings,” then select “Maximum backlight time” from the menu that appears. Press OK. You will return to a blank screen and have approximately 1 minute of additional backlight life until it has completely turned off.
Using the power button on your computer:
Press the Power button. The indicator light will turn off and the screen will display a message, “Power Saving Mode.” Wait 10 seconds. Press the Start/PAUSE button to display the menu on your computer. Select “Sleep Settings,” then select “Maximum sleep time” from the menu that appears. Press OK. You will return to a blank screen and have approximately 1 minute of additional backlight life until it has completely turned off.
Using the power button on your home entertainment device:
Press and hold the Power button. The indicator light will turn off, and the power to the device will be turned off. Wait 10 seconds. Press and hold the Start/PAUSE button until you see a message on your screen such as “Sleep Mode Activated.” (3-5 seconds). Release the Start/PAUSE button. When you see “Sleep Mode Deactivated,” release both buttons immediately.
