Why didn't Microsoft include battery percentage?

[WNxAshik]

u dont need an app for battery %, just go to settings, and see whats right under battery saver.

 

[ardaozkal]

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?

Great info, they shouldn't create a usual check, they should hide it up to status panel too and when it is visible, it can check!

 

[despertador]

I don't believe that the battery indicator would take up much battery at all. In fact, it'd probably take less power than the time being displayed, but they should use so little energy that it's not even worth comparing. The battery indicator is a good idea, and MS should have included it as an option. It'd be great if it was coming with WP8.1!

 

[sejgiul]

seems kinda silly to me to have to download a battery app to keep track of the percentage. i'm sure the folks at iOS and android are laughing at MS.

Stock Android doesn't have a battery percentage. Neither did iOS (I believe it was added in 4 or 5, it's been a few years..). Go home, you're drunk!

 

[sejgiul]

A battery percentage would add a certain amount of strain to the battery itself since it has to constantly poll it (if you want continuous, up-to-date levels reported). But I also feel there is no need for a battery percentage on WP in the status bar. When you turn it on, you can see the battery icon on the lockscreen, when unlocked it goes away again. This is the whole point of the operating system, at a glance information.

The only reason you'd want a percentage is if you are the kind of ***** that can't read an analogue clock.

Here's a breakdown for those of you that have difficulty reading a battery icon:

Full = 100% (you don't say?)
3/4 = 75% (that's three quarters btw)
Half = 50%
1/4 = 25% (and this is a quarter)

Good luck!

 

[Vincent Krisna]

A battery percentage would add a certain amount of strain to the battery itself since it has to constantly poll it (if you want continuous, up-to-date levels reported). But I also feel there is no need for a battery percentage on WP in the status bar. When you turn it on, you can see the battery icon on the lockscreen, when unlocked it goes away again. This is the whole point of the operating system, at a glance information.

The only reason you'd want a percentage is if you are the kind of ***** that can't read an analogue clock.

Here's a breakdown for those of you that have difficulty reading a battery icon:

Full = 100% (you don't say?)
3/4 = 75% (that's three quarters btw)
Half = 50%
1/4 = 25% (and this is a quarter)

Good luck!

Then 76% and 99% had the same indicator.
I think he need detailed information of his battery. :evil:

 

[neo158]

The reason there isn't a battery percentage is because Microsoft want you to concentrate on using the device, not the status of the battery. If it's statistics of your phone that you want then Windows Phone isn't for you.

We don't need a percentage because unlike iOS and Android devices Windows Phones don't really need charging every day.

 

[ronty]

I need a 12 hour clock,I hate 24 hour clocks.But I agree on the part that WP should have battery percentage indicator.

 

[manicottiK]

Regarding the tone of this thread, part of what's going on appears to be a small culture clash. The long-time WP users were drawn to the OS early and in part by its simplicity, despite missing many familiar apps. Now that the app gap is being filled in, new users are coming to seek something new. The new-comers are asking for features that they had before and the long-timers don't want to lose the simplicity that drew them to WP initially.

The number of requests for live battery meters, notification centers, and quick-toggle buttons for radios is increasing. On the bright side, it means that more users are coming and new features will follow them. On the down side, it means that possibly unwelcome change is coming. I trust that the folks who designed WP had some key principles in mind and won't lose them. They also likely know what a mess WM6 had become and won't be eager to repeat it.

To the OP, several folks have answered this thread's title question: because Microsoft believed in both simplicity and that people use phones as appliances rather than computers. Microsoft wants you to be a "user" of your phone, not the "system administrator" of it. You may not like that philosophy, but complaining here won't change it, although suggesting improvements at windowsphone.uservoice.com might over time. (Or it could be that they just copied the battery indicator from Windows 7.)

That said, there are lots of ways to solve problems. Microsoft could copy its own implementation for status icons near the clock of the regular Windows desktop. (The status bar in WP and the area near the clock of regular Windows are both called the System Tray.) That lets users choose which icons appear all of the time and which ones appear only when they have something significant to say. If MS built some sort of Status Bar Settings page, we could each choose which icons should we treated like the clock (i.e., always visible when the running app lets the tray show) and which should be hidden unless called upon (by tapping the tray) and the battery indicator could have a toggle for "iconic/percentage".

 

[Kellzea]

Battery %s don't actually mean anything. It satisfies a certain lust for statistical data humans crave, but its ultimately useless and only ever a guess the system makes based on current voltage.

Its a made up number.

 

[nyc_rock]

WP does show battery %, live battery % as a matter of fact. It is buried three layers deep in the settings menu. Having it on the main page would consume no more battery life than the OS is already consuming. I would also add, the problem wouldn't be so terrible if MS had included an API that would allow 3rd party app developers to show users the real time %. In its infinite wisdom, MS decided that every 30 minutes should be enough.

And just for the record, MS isn't the only stubborn one out there. Google itself, on stock android builds, does not show the battery % next to the battery icon. Google just had the good sense to let others fix their mistake.

 

[bsayegh]

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?

Sure, I would prefer to have more battery life, but if displaying a number that the OS knows internally drains a lot of battery, there is something wrong. At worst it should be something that can be turned on and off. I wouldn't say Android users tote it like its the greatest thing ever. Its more that they are shocked that it isn't available on WP.

I would say its similar (though not exactly the same) to how WP doesn't get all of the official apps, but gets 3rd party apps that are exactly the same. There are plenty of perfectly functioning youtube apps, but people will still be put off by the lack of an official app. Insignificant features are only insignificant if you have them.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Regarding the tone of this thread, part of what's going on appears to be a small culture clash. The long-time WP users were drawn to the OS early and in part by its simplicity, despite missing many familiar apps. Now that the app gap is being filled in, new users are coming to seek something new. The new-comers are asking for features that they had before and the long-timers don't want to lose the simplicity that drew them to WP initially.

The number of requests for live battery meters, notification centers, and quick-toggle buttons for radios is increasing. On the bright side, it means that more users are coming and new features will follow them. On the down side, it means that possibly unwelcome change is coming. I trust that the folks who designed WP had some key principles in mind and won't lose them. They also likely know what a mess WM6 had become and won't be eager to repeat it.

To the OP, several folks have answered this thread's title question: because Microsoft believed in both simplicity and that people use phones as appliances rather than computers. Microsoft wants you to be a "user" of your phone, not the "system administrator" of it. You may not like that philosophy, but complaining here won't change it, although suggesting improvements at windowsphone.uservoice.com might over time. (Or it could be that they just copied the battery indicator from Windows 7.)

That said, there are lots of ways to solve problems. Microsoft could copy its own implementation for status icons near the clock of the regular Windows desktop. (The status bar in WP and the area near the clock of regular Windows are both called the System Tray.) That lets users choose which icons appear all of the time and which ones appear only when they have something significant to say. If MS built some sort of Status Bar Settings page, we could each choose which icons should we treated like the clock (i.e., always visible when the running app lets the tray show) and which should be hidden unless called upon (by tapping the tray) and the battery indicator could have a toggle for "iconic/percentage".

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.

These two posts give all the answers anyone moaning about battery percentage should need.

It is totally different to what "you need" or what "you think MS should make WP have" - but if you have been here long enough, especially during the transition from WM6.5 to WP7.0, you would know what WP was supposed to be. More users ranting about notification centre and toggle drop downs are clearly those migrating from other slower OS' phones because they thought or were told WP was slim and fast. I completely agree, that absence of disgusting percentage sign from the status bar and absence of status bar itself was to compliment the gutter on the right for WP7. The reason being WP7 was aesthetically pleasing. I am one of those few hundreds out here who did not like removal of gutter (we have massive threads on it if you search). The reason being design philosophy of WP was to have information coming to you when it has to. Not constantly nagging you.

WiFi icon appears when phone is trying to connect, appears when you are using WiFi so that you know your mobile data is not being used. Disappears when its off - you don't need to know its off. However, greys out when you lost the connection.

Ringing bell icon appears when you put phone on silent or changes to vibrating phones when its on vibrate. In normal circumstance - the phone doesn't shove it on your screen to tell you that your phone can ring!

Same theory - with network appears (drops down literally!) to tell you you've lost network! Otherwise if you are connected, it doesn't need to keep shoving those bars in your face and waste the clean Modern look. The battery icon - appears when you have less than 20% battery to tell you this is when you need to be careful - otherwise as long as it doesn't appear you have enough juice. At 20% you can even have battery saver automatically kick off and you know - that will last you twice your normal time!

That is what WP does and does beautifully. But as told earlier by users, new folks join the crew, they want Android that is faster. They want Android that has Xbox points and they want Android that has Office docs and an Android that will sync to their home PCs so in the next few iterations we will get that Android. We will end up having a file explorer, a quick toggle, a notification centre, a live wallpaper, folders etc - it will be an Android. Why? Because MSFT is in to earn money, not win design awards. It will see that people don't get the whole "Modern design" philosophy and it will kill it before we know it. We will say its "adaptation" or "evolution" and move on. MSFT has always had things before time and suffered. Flat design was there since 2010 but iPhone has it in 2013 and all of a sudden Flat design is in! Can we not see even Nexus is following the trend and removing those features and going flat like Metro of 2010?? No.

 

[T Moore]

Unecessary information. Next it will be % signal strength, then WiFi signal strength.
If it is full in the morning, that is all I need to know.
Just like the gas gauge on the car, I don't need to know %. The car tells me when it is low so I stop and put gas in and the phone does the same thing.

Have you seen discussions: Mine drops 5% an hour. Mine drops 5.5% an hour. Oh my, what is going on!

 

[DennisvdG]

lust for statistical data humans crave.

sometimes I just want to check my battery percentage... What's so strange about that?

 

[rockstarzzz]

sometimes I just want to check my battery percentage... What's so strange about that?

Nothing wrong and for exactly those sometimes, there is a percentage value in settings -> battery saver.

 

[DennisvdG]

Nothing wrong and for exactly those sometimes, there is a percentage value in settings -> battery saver.

I guess you are right but that takes too long for me, so ideally there will be an option to put it on the top bar

 

[boovish]

Battery Percentage was cut after it fell out of a moving car. Apparently it owed massive amounts of money to the Battery Mafia

 

[fieldbaker]

The reason there isn't a battery percentage is because Microsoft want you to concentrate on using the device, not the status of the battery. If it's statistics of your phone that you want then Windows Phone isn't for you.

We don't need a percentage because unlike iOS and Android devices Windows Phones don't really need charging every day.

Really? Seach these forums for "Battery drain" and you will see many threads about battery problems on WP8 on different devices. There are unknown problems causing battery drain on WP8, thats why many people need to check the battery %. You can also search Nokia-forums and you will find the same problems there.

I've had alot of problems with battery drain, worst drain I had was 30% discharge rate/hour.... and this was with no sim card, every setting turned off. Don't give me battery tips, I've gone through em all. I can tell you it was frustrating going into settings all the time to check my battery percentage.

Atleast we should have the OPTION to turn on battery percentage on home screen.

 

[manicottiK]

Battery %s don't actually mean anything. It satisfies a certain lust for statistical data humans crave, but its ultimately useless and only ever a guess the system makes based on current voltage.Its a made up number.

This made me laugh at 39.2 dB. :wink:

Seach these forums for "Battery drain" and you will see many threads about battery problems on WP8 on different devices. There are unknown problems causing battery drain on WP8, thats why many people need to check the battery %.

I'd rather they fix the defect that causes the drain than give me a percentage so that I can keep an eye on the defect. Of course, they could do both.

Maybe we need a new guideline that says that we disclose what general kind of phone we had previously each time we request a new WP8 feature. The choices would be: feature phone, smartphone as shipped, smartphone that had been jailbroken, rooted, or had its ROM replaced. That would let us all know if the user is coming at the suggestion from the perspective of someone who is just starting off, willing to use the product as designed, or willing to tinker to get just what they want.

In my case, before WP, I had WM6.5 with a custom ROM and a heavily customized shell atop it. (The switch to WP 7.0 was semi-traumatic for me.)