Battery saving via Wi-Fi mode switching.

[zunami]

Thank you for the Android extension for Dawarich!
I've noticed that the app consumes a significant amount of battery. I have a suggestion for improvement that I've successfully implemented in Owntracks, and I believe it could be well integrated here.

Currently, I'm using Tasker to optimize battery consumption by dynamically switching between the standard monitoring mode and the "Significant location change mode" or "Move mode".

Specifically, I've created a Task TaskerNET functions based on my Wi-Fi status. When I'm connected to my known Wi-Fi networks (e.g., at home, at work, or other defined locations), Tasker automatically switches Owntracks to the "Significant location change mode". When I leave the Wi-Fi network, it switches back to the "Move mode". This method significantly reduces battery consumption. The Wi-Fi networks had to be entered into Tasker.

I suggest integrating a similar functionality directly into the Dawarich app to optimize battery usage for all users.

Mode	Interval (Default)	Accuracy	Power Consumption	Typical Use Case
Move Mode	10 seconds	Very high	High	Active movement, high precision
Significant Location Change	15 minutes	Medium	Low	Everyday use, background tracking

[sunstep]

Glad to see that the app works well for you!

Battery consumption is indeed an issue in this app, but I have to admit this is mostly because the tracker is still 'dumb'. I do want to improve the tracker though, and it is high priority, I take things in small steps. So first, make the app able to track a single point, then make the app be able to track points automatically, then allow the app to do that in the background (as reliable as possible). The next phase is improving it to be smarter, so it uses less battery.

I really appreciate this suggestion, I will definitely consider this when improving the battery consumption of the tracker. Thank you for suggesting this!

[Oni]

I'm in no way proficient in building Android apps, but the Home Assistant app is fantastic for background location tracking.

It uses non-GPS antennas for low battery tracking and it's working great. It uses Android Fused Location Provider API. Basically it queries the latest known position without waking up the GPS and, if an app is actively using it (like Google maps), Home Assistant app collects the GPS locations for free.

The relevant Home Assistant app code should be here.

[sunstep]

Thanks for giving me ideas, I can implement a button to disable the usage of GPS to mimick this. How does that sound as a start?

[Oni]

Perhaps a dropdown that switches between "Accurate position: use GPS (high battery usage)" and "Approximate position: use passive location providers (low battery usage)" could be more clear. Or perhaps it's too verbose.

[sunstep]

There already is a dropdown that already handles that. It's controlled by the location provider not the app though, but I think the low accuracy should make it act more passive. A solid toggle for using no gps would make it only use cached points no matter what setting you are on, which could be a win if you already use other apps like navigations a lot.

[Kitoune]

Hello, thank you for this excellent app ! My favorite so far, after all the ones listed for Dawarich.
I would like to suggest a simple feature that could very much save battery and provide better location tracking - attach WiFi to Places. If the device is connected to a designated WiFi mac or name, we might as well assume the device is at the attached Place coordinates, this way we can stop tracking completely. As soon as the Wifi mac isn't visible, resume tracking.
Not savvy in Android development but I would gladly help test it out ! Should I make a new feature request to avoid "hijacking" this one or is it close enough ?

[sunstep]

Hello, your comment puts a smile on my face. Really great to see you enjoy using the app.

Attaching to WiFi is an idea I have had in mind and definitely planned. I am currently working on stopping tracking without using WiFi so it saves battery and still is reliable, but manually adding WiFi entries to places is another good thing to have.

Feel free to make another issue for this

[zunami]

Please don't use MAC addresses; use Wi-Fi names instead. Why? Because mesh networks use the same Wi-Fi name but have different MAC addresses. I have three Wi-Fi antennas set up around the house, and it should work. OR you can simply use multiple MAC addresses.