Why does the Apple Watch have such a short battery life? Can Apple improve this?

I was comparing the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a Garmin watch. How is it that the Apple Watch only lasts 2 days max without charging? When do you think Apple will make a better battery for its watches?

Apple would have to get rid of some of the features that make it an Apple Watch and not a Garmin.

The Apple Watch has to power so many more features than a Garmin.

Zola said:
The Apple Watch has to power so many more features than a Garmin.

But they still give it a small battery.

The Apple Watch is a smartwatch first and a fitness tracker second. It’s different from Garmin or other running-specific watches.

Harlem said:
The Apple Watch is a smartwatch first and a fitness tracker second. It’s different from Garmin or other running-specific watches.

I got my watch mainly for fitness, but I also use it to check notifications and reply to texts. I wouldn’t want to miss out on those features. Battery life is fine for me, lasting about two and a half to three days on one charge. The charging is quick too.

I think in a few years, when I upgrade my watch, it’ll probably last longer. Right now, the tech just isn’t there yet.

Apple Watches have more powerful processors compared to Garmin, mainly for things like motion graphics and Siri commands. This drains the battery more.

I agree Apple should improve the battery life to stay competitive. There are newer battery technologies that could help, but who knows when those will be available in their products.

Apple Watches are real smartwatches, with tons of features that Garmin doesn’t have. You can make calls, unlock your car or house, control lights, check your bank account, and even check on your dog through a camera. You can do a lot of things that Garmin watches can’t, and they still do everything Garmin can do. All of this uses up battery.

Garmin’s battery is good because it’s really just a fitness tracker. It doesn’t do much outside of tracking activities. You need your phone nearby to get notifications, and the ones with speakers and microphones only let you take calls, not make them. Garmin users have been asking for cellular options, but Garmin’s models like the Forerunner 945LTE still don’t really support full cellular. Adding full cellular would drain the battery, and Garmin users wouldn’t be happy about that.

I get about 55 hours of battery life with all features turned on. I’d love it if it lasted 80 hours or even 4-5 days.

It’s also about how you use the watch. I switched to a Garmin last year, and it died faster for me because I didn’t charge it regularly. I’d get down to 10% and then decide to go for a run, and it would die before I finished.

With my Apple Watch, I charge it every day while having breakfast and showering, so it’s always ready to last through the day, even if I run. I’ve got a routine now, and I always remember to bring the charger if I travel.

I still keep the Garmin for more adventurous activities where I need maps, since the Apple Watch isn’t great for that yet. But I always plan ahead to charge it.

All the “features” of the Apple Watch just seem to drain the battery.

Really, the only thing the Apple Watch has over a Garmin is the ability to run apps.