Apple Watch Has "Power Reserve" Mode to Save Battery Life

One of the biggest concerns that most consumers still have with the Apple Watch is its battery life. We already know that Apple hopes to deliver a device that can last all day on a single charge, but what exactly that means in terms of real-world use remains to be seen. But new reports indicate that Apple’s smartwatch has a special mode designed specifically to conserve power and get the maximum life out of the battery, albeit at the expense of the Watch’s more interesting and useful features.

According to the New York Times, the Apple Watch has a special “Power Reserve” mode that enables the watch to continue to function even when it runs low on energy. This special mode restricts the device to displaying only the time, preventing users from interacting with apps, or presumably using some of its more powerful functionality, including the much vaunted fitness features, interactivity with Siri, and even Apple Pay.

Just how Power Reserve will function remains a bit of a mystery. It is unclear if this is a mode that Watch users can enable themselves, or if the gadget will automatically shift into it once the battery reaches a certain level. It seems clear however that that this feature is intended to preserve the most important feature of any watch – its ability to tell time.

While these kinds of restrictive power-rationing modes have become common place on smartphones and other devices from Apple’s competition in recent years, this will the first time that such a mode had made its way onto a product from Apple itself. The mere fact that the Apple Watch includes a feature like this is an indication that Apple understands the concerns of consumers regarding battery life, and is looking for ways to lessen those fears prior to the Apple Watch launch.

As you probably already know at this point, Apple has announced a special event to take place on March 9. At that event we’ll likely learn a lot more about the Watch itself, including important information about its price, release date, and functionality. We should also learn more about battery life as well, although whether or not Apple mentions Power Reserve remains to be seen. This seems like one of those features that will likely be mentioned in the technical specs, and not as a part of a keynote address introducing the new product.

Either way, the Power Reserve functionality will likely play a vital role with Apple Watch users looking to maximize the use of their smartwatches. Just about every iPhone user has found themselves running low on power – without any way to recharge – at one time or another. Once your phone goes dead, it become pretty much useless, and the same can be said about the Watch as well. It seems Apple is hoping to prevent that from happening, although just how useful the Power Reserve mode really is will remains a mystery until the Watch can be put to the test in real-world situations.

We’re now just a little over a week away from the official unveiling of the Apple Watch. Soon, all of the device’s mysteries will be revealed. After months of waiting, I’m sure you’re just as eager to learn more about Apple’s new product as I am. Lets hope it doesn’t disappoint.