Why didn't Microsoft include battery percentage?

[tgp]

Because, I think, everything in the status bar is supposed to be a second thought. No need to check it. Its like the no stress bar on Windows Phone. All Windows Phone devices as a general rule get decent battery life. Why do you need percentage on a device that never runs out of power in a normal days use.

There is a reason the status information disappears. You don't need to keep checking it. I would say that in stead of laughing at Microsoft maybe Apple and Android should be concentrating on building a more efficient OS.

OK, I don't agree with you. However, your opinion is every bit as valid as mine, so I respect yours. But if the reasons you give are true, how then do we explain displaying battery percentage in WP8.1 (assuming the rumor is true)? Did Microsoft decided that everything in the status bar should no longer be a second thought? Did battery life all of a sudden become a problem, necessitating keeping a close eye on it? Is WP now less efficient, like Apple and Android?

I am just saying if Microsoft built into the OS a battery percentage toggle that when turned on consumed battery. I would not turn it on. I don't need battery percentage bad enough to loose battery to use it.

I'm not sure how it would consume battery, outside of the few pixels that will be white instead of black. The battery percentage is calculated anyway.

 

[Boris Lozac]

No...lol

I am just saying if Microsoft built into the OS a battery percentage toggle that when turned on consumed battery. I would not turn it on. I don't need battery percentage bad enough to loose battery to use it.

Offcourse, me neither, but that's not how it works. And i also love the auto-hide status bar, would've preffered that clock hides too.

 

[Dave Blake]

OK, I don't agree with you. However, your opinion is every bit as valid as mine, so I respect yours. But if the reasons you give are true, how then do we explain displaying battery percentage in WP8.1 (assuming the rumor is true)? Did Microsoft decided that everything in the status bar should no longer be a second thought? Did battery life all of a sudden become a problem, necessitating keeping a close eye on it? Is WP now less efficient, like Apple and Android?



I'm not sure how it would consume battery, outside of the few pixels that will be white instead of black. The battery percentage is calculated anyway.

First I have not heard that this will be added to WP 8.1.

The way I understand WP to be apps can only update every 30 minutes when not in use. This is to save battery. My device uses about 8-10 percent per hour. To give an accurate reading the OS would need to update the battery percentage about every 5 minutes minimum. I can only assume this will take at least some battery to do. Microsoft wants to build a popular OS. Microsoft will try to give people what they want. Maybe even sacrificing the efficiency of the OS go do so. I can only hope that when it comes to redundant information like this and a notification center, I hope I am allowed to turn that stuff off.

 

[EauRouge]

let's say you're on the bus and you unlock the phone, you have 15% battery left but you don't know that(unless you go to setting) and you start watching videos on youtube without realizing you've only got 15% battery left. now if you unlock your phone and immediately you see 15% battery left would you still go on youtube and watch videos? or open here maps? probably not. at least MS should've made the battery icon turn red when it drops to 20%.

Defending MS for not having a battery percentage indicator is ludicrous! And then going on to bash other companies for not building an efficient OS? Just because you dont need to know your percentage every second doesn't mean it should be there. There have been plenty of times that I've consumed media on my phone and then noticed it dropped 20% really quickly. I then kept this in mind for the rest of the day, as in I knew I had a late night coming up so I topped the battery up in the afternoon.

Maybe we don't need the 12 hour clock. I mean airports and everyone use the 24 hour clock, you can still tell time, and why push more code into the OS unnecessarily... so why bother with the 12 hour clock?

 

[Boris Lozac]

First I have not heard that this will be added to WP 8.1.

The way I understand WP to be apps can only update every 30 minutes when not in use. This is to save battery. My device uses about 8-10 percent per hour. To give an accurate reading the OS would need to update the battery percentage about every 5 minutes minimum. I can only assume this will take at least some battery to do. Microsoft wants to build a popular OS. Microsoft will try to give people what they want. Maybe even sacrificing the efficiency of the OS go do so. I can only hope that when it comes to redundant information like this and a notification center, I hope I am allowed to turn that stuff off.

You seriously need to think this whole how OS works through. Battery percentage should work just like the clock in the upper right corner or on the lockscreen, it's realtime right? And no, that does not waste battery.. if done properly not "live tile/background task" style.

 

[Dave Blake]

You seriously need to think this whole how OS works through. Battery percentage should work just like the clock in the upper right corner or on the lockscreen, it's realtime right? And no, that does not waste battery.. if done properly not "live tile/background task" style.

Unfortunately I didn't design the OS I am just regurgitating the information.

 

[Jas00555]

I'll admit that I would like the option to turn it on since I like to gauge my usage throughout the day e.g. Lets say I'll be gone for 8 hours, I try to give myself at least 60% battery left halfway through the day, but its not necessary and I left my iphone for my 920 knowing that this feature didn't exist, so its not that big of a deal.

@Dave I think that WPCentral wrote an article about upcoming rumors or a leaked OS screenshot or something where they had battery percentage right next to the battery, but there have been so many articles on 8.1 that I don't remember which one it was.

 

[doeboiO]

Battery saver icon turns on at 20%, at least that's the situation on my 620

 

[doeboiO]

When you open settings and scroll down to battery saver, right there you would see the battery percentage (i think its not on the status bar because microsoft wants to keep a clean and minimalist os, same way the battery icon doesn't come up)

 

[Dave Blake]

When you open settings and scroll down to battery saver, right there you would see the battery percentage (i think its not on the status bar because microsoft wants to keep a clean and minimalist os, same way the battery icon doesn't come up)

That percentage is updated when you open settings when static it goes back to the usual update cycle. Just because it is updated when you open settings that doesn't mean it is constantly updated. Even battery apps with live tiles have to adhere to the OS update cycle. If the battery percentage in settings was constantly updated wouldn't you think that battery apps would tap into that and be more accurate?

 

[nokia6300]

Defending MS for not having a battery percentage indicator is ludicrous! And then going on to bash other companies for not building an efficient OS? Just because you dont need to know your percentage every second doesn't mean it should be there. There have been plenty of times that I've consumed media on my phone and then noticed it dropped 20% really quickly. I then kept this in mind for the rest of the day, as in I knew I had a late night coming up so I topped the battery up in the afternoon.

Maybe we don't need the 12 hour clock. I mean airports and everyone use the 24 hour clock, you can still tell time, and why push more code into the OS unnecessarily... so why bother with the 12 hour clock?

huh? are you talking to me? i have no clue what you're talking about.

 

[nokia6300]

You seriously need to think this whole how OS works through. Battery percentage should work just like the clock in the upper right corner or on the lockscreen, it's realtime right? And no, that does not waste battery.. if done properly not "live tile/background task" style.

i agree with you 100%

 

[Dave Blake]

i agree with you 100%

How can you agree with that without knowing the amount of battery it takes to accomplish this task? If this increases your battery drop from 10%/hour to 50%/ hour would you use it. I didn't design WP OS so I dont have enough information to tell you what I agree with. Maybe the battery percentage is why some Android devices have such bad battery life.

 

[bsayegh]

Some pretty defensive responses to this guys question (granted, I haven't read any of page 2). WP SHOULD show you the percentage. It isn't that important since you can tell just based on the battery icon, but most people want a percentage. It has become common to users. I have had multiple people who used Android or iOS as me why it doesn't show a percentage. It isn't entirely necessary, I agree, but if you are trying to gain ground in the mobile space, you shouldn't give people a reason to think its inferior. There just isn't a good reason for that. I don't believe for a second that they did it to conserve battery life. Over the course of a day that would probably drain about 3 minutes off of the battery at most.

 

[xandros9]

my take:
its often a nice to have, I enjoyed it in my iOS days and wouldn't mind having it on my WP.

I feel MS hasn't bothered yet because it isn't that high of a priority on the list of stuff that needs to be done.
I also feel it may clash a bit with the overall feel of the status bar.

 

[nokia6300]

How can you agree with that without knowing the amount of battery it takes to accomplish this task? If this increases your battery drop from 10%/hour to 50%/ hour would you use it. I didn't design WP OS so I dont have enough information to tell you what I agree with. Maybe the battery percentage is why some Android devices have such bad battery life.

Relax. I agree with the idea that the percentage should be beside the battery icon that is all and nothing more. you are right we don't know if it will consume more power.

 

[Dave Blake]

Some pretty defensive responses to this guys question (granted, I haven't read any of page 2). WP SHOULD show you the percentage. It isn't that important since you can tell just based on the battery icon, but most people want a percentage. It has become common to users. I have had multiple people who used Android or iOS as me why it doesn't show a percentage. It isn't entirely necessary, I agree, but if you are trying to gain ground in the mobile space, you shouldn't give people a reason to think its inferior. There just isn't a good reason for that. I don't believe for a second that they did it to conserve battery life. Over the course of a day that would probably drain about 3 minutes off of the battery at most.

I don't know what the percentage is but neither do you.

I think at the end of the day when my Android toting budy says "my battery is at 15% what's yours at?" I would rather be able to say "I am not sure exactly but I can tell by the icon its over 50%". Wouldn't you?

 

[Mr Lebowski]

it turns battery saver on when the battery is at 15% and it gives you a notification at 10%

Conserve battery
O When battery is low
heart appears at 20% this is MS OS default %
and obviously the other two options
O Now until next change
O Always (not recommended)
heart symbol appears all the time.

 

[cuwe]

I don't know what the percentage is but neither do you.

I think at the end of the day when my Android toting budy says "my battery is at 15% what's yours at?" I would rather be able to say "I am not sure exactly but I can tell by the icon its over 50%". Wouldn't you?

Agreed .

 

[KustomAU]

I always thought the reason why MS didn't show a percentage indicator was because it didn't fit in with their metro/modern design vision and the fact that the status bar disappeared was to help create that clean, simple look and feel of Windows Phone.
To be fair, my Nexus 5 running KitKat doesn't show the percentage by default either. I either have to swipe down and check via quick settings or install a 3rd party app just like on Windows Phone.
A good app for WP is called Battery Pro+. I think it's the only one that shows a 100 on the tile.