App: Turn screen off in navigation

Hello,
as already written elsewhere, the battery of my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 deflates despite connected charging cable, especially in cold weather. My idea to save power is that the app turns off the display while driving and automatically turns on again just before the next turn (or instruction). This could be offered as an option.

Hallo, wie an anderer Stelle schon geschrieben, entleert sich der Akku meines Samsung Galaxy Note 4 trotz angeschlossenem Ladekabel, vor allem bei Kälte. Meine Idee zum Strom sparen ist, dass die app das Display während des Fahrens abschaltet und kurz vor der nächsten Abzweigung (bzw. Anweisung) automatisch wieder einschaltet. Dies könnte als Option angeboten werden.

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Thanks for the request!

It’s in our plans to offer such functionality.

Android is strict in screen on/off and permissions, so need a careful procedure.

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Hatte auch ein Note 4, und da hat sich der Akku nicht “entleert” (höchste Helligkeitsstufe, Diplay immer an, und Bluetooth zum Helm an).
Auf folgendes ist zu achten:

  • Evtl. Akku tauschen (beim Note 4 noch möglich)
  • Hochwertiges Micro USB Kabel nutzen (viele günstige lassen nicht genug Ampere durch)
  • Darauf achten, das die Bordstechkdose bzw. Der USB Adapter min. 2 Ampere abgibt)

So habe ich auch keine Probleme beim
Note 8 oder S5.

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Thanks @diesel6876.

@Klinge_Georg most smartphones shouldn’t discharged when connected to 2A (some tablets might, but smartphones should be alright). Have you tried apps like this one to check how much power your charger is delivering to your smartphone? If this is somewhere in the 1A area, this might not be enough and you should either try a different cable or charger.

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I checked it with Ampère. Without charging the smartphone is dircharging with -500 to -900 mA. While charging on the bike, it is charging with 50 mA to 800 mA (with activated kurviger-app and GPS). That’s okay for me. I don’t know why there was sometimes a discharging while charging.

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Thanks for letting us know. It’s great to hear that you issues seems to be resolved :slight_smile:. Please don’t hesitate if anything comes up again.

Please have a look here:

Naavigationsapps ziehen mehr Stom als die andern genannten Anwendungen. Vor allem wenn der Bildschirm an ist. 1A ist für die heutigen Smartphones zu wenig. Die Stromabgabe sollte min. 2A haben. Zudem sollte es auch ein “hochwertiges” Ladekabel sein das die 2A durchlässt.

Gruß Oliver

I use Kurviger for long trips and the phone uses a lot of power. Is it possible for the phone to turn on automatically say 1-2 minutes before and after each turn or waypoint and turn off automatically on the long parts of the route.

I imagine that this would save a lot of battery power and would allow me to run the phone without having to plug it in to the bike’s power. Would be very useful in the rain.

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@Walter_A_Google_User probably you mean lot of power with open screen?

I moved your post here in the relevant feature topic, it’s already in our todo list. :slightly_smiling_face:

If you take a quick charge charging plug (eg revolt) and use a fast charging cable with a larger diameter (eg UGREEN with 20AWG) to connect the smartphone, there are no problems.
I even charge my Sony Z5 (and also the XZ1) with full-fluted display during navigation - today for example from 50% to 100%.

I would enjoy such a feature for a different reason: Burning in on OLED displays.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 and after about 5000km of navigating with the display on (mostly maximum brightness), I can see the display burning in. So switching off the display while you are on the correct track and there is no upcoming turn would prolog the lifetime of the OLED display of today’s expensive phones.

I would suggest the following:

  • Turn the whole display black (this should be easier to implement than actually turning off the display but serves the same purpose with OLED)
  • Turn on the display while the next turn is less than 1km (configurable) away
  • Turn on the display for 1 minute when the touch screen is touched
  • Turn on the display while navigated route has been left, stay on until back on track

P.S.: About your charging problem: For my S7, 1A is enough. It keeps charging slowly throughout the ride even while the display is at maximum brightness.

P.P.S.: I am now using the “inverted” map color scheme. Maybe that causes a bit less strain to the display because it is darker. It might also help you guys save some engery (only with OLED)…

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It’s a gray area…

Turn off / on / unlock screen seems to require some device administrator permissions.
Google Play policies became very strict with these and even remove apps from Store.

Several apps removed such functions to avoid problems, so need very careful search.

You wouldn’t actually have to turn off or lock the screen. Just show a black picture across the full screen and it saves OLED displays from burning in as well.

I wanted to post a more detailed version of my suggestion (focussed on saving OLED displays rather than battery) under “New features” but I don’t have permission. Should I just create a new post in the app-discussion?

All app ideas should be discussed first in its main category.

Anyway I prefer to implement all features in the proper way. :slightly_smiling_face:
Not everyone has OLED display, so better to turn off screen.

The buttons from Kurviger have burned into my screen too (Galaxy S8+ and S9+), nevertheless turning off the screen is no option to me unless I do it manually. The feature of hiding all buttons is working. Maybe there can be some other screensaving features.

@devemux86
Screen on_off by admin rights are functional but indeed adds operation troubles.
General rule: “The app that turns the display OFF must turn the display ON”.

One Locus user however suggested another (newer) set up. Do not know but maybe helps ?

In the car, I use a navigation app that dims the screen to a minimum level - perhaps it does so instead of turning the screen off to maintain compatibility, or for the sake of easier to obtain permissions(?) On an OLED screen it makes sense.

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My opinion: the less permission an app needs to work the better.
Also dimmining is no option to my point of view at all. Especially when the sun is shining you don’t see anything any more on the screen when it is dimmed.
The brighter the screen, the better.

I think that is a very good idea @Ciutnik . You could add it as an option, so @Tom doesn’t have to activate it, for example.