What uses more battery: Push or Fetch?

Question

Level 1

5 points

What uses more battery: Push or Fetch?

I have recently downloaded MobileMe and using it mainly to add / edit my contacts and callender.

Im just wondering, which setting will be best for me, Push or Fetch?

I'll only be editing things on MobileMe about once a day, so is it best to use Push? I.e only using the connection when its needed.

Is it fair to say that Fetch uses more battery life because its connecting more frequently and often for no new data?

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks

James

Posted on Jul 14, 2009 4:30 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 14, 2009 10:02 AM in response to baikey_uk

Push uses more battery power. The second bit of advice from Apple increasing battery life is to turn off Push (the third is to reduce the Fetch frequency).

Fetch, at most, can check every 15 minutes. Push must ping the server frequently to maintain a 'live' connection, so updates can be pushed to the phone as soon as they hit the server.

In your case, Jim's advice seems best - just turn off Push, set Fetch to Manual and check when you like.

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Answer 2

JoeZinVA

Level 2

431 points

Jul 14, 2009 5:02 AM in response to baikey_uk

I would leave it at "Push" instead of Fetch. It retrieves messages and events when a live connection is available. You can turn on Airplane Mode that stops using the internet but the battery drains not just from the Push messages, but also from games and videos and music and the internet usage.

Your best bet is to place chargers wherever you go. An AC adapter in your lunch bag or at your desk if you have one, in your car, or a battery pack that's sold in many stores for iPod/iPhone.

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Answer 3

baikey_uk Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2009 10:25 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Thanks for your replies!

Thats exactly what I was wondering, because at first I thought that qith the Push system its only once a day that a connection is made and so use hardly any battery at all, but if it has to ping all the time then that will sure run down the battery more than an hourly fetch!?

Also...

if I am to turn Push off, and Fetch to Manual, how do I initiate the sync of my contacts and Callender with MyMobile?

Thanks

James

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Answer 4

Jul 14, 2009 10:29 AM in response to baikey_uk

Yep - the point of Push is you get your email and calendar/contacts updates pushed to the phone as soon as they come in. With Fetch set to Manual, a sync will be initiated when you open the appropriate app (i.e. contacts will sync with 'the cloud' when you open the Contacts app, and calendar events will sync when you open the Calendar app).

You could certainly try an hourly Fetch and see what that does for battery life. I have a 15 min Fetch interval and have no problems with battery life (I do charge up every night).

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Answer 5

Jul 14, 2009 11:43 AM in response to JoeZinVA

JoeZinVA wrote:
I would leave it at "Push" instead of Fetch. It retrieves messages and events when a live connection is available.

Actually, Fetch does that. Push tries to proactively maintain a live connection, even if nothing is there to be retrieved. Thy both, of course, require a "live connection," but Push keeps it "live" whereas fetch lets it "die" in between checks.

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Answer 6

Jul 14, 2009 8:19 AM in response to baikey_uk

If you only edit once a day, I would turn off both push and fetch and check manually.

http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html

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