Technologies
Stop Charging Your Android Watch Daily. Here Are 7 Tips for Longer Battery Life
From Samsung’s Galaxy Watch to Google’s Pixel Watch and other Wear OS models, these settings can add hours of extra battery life for sleep and fitness tracking.
Nothing kills the motivation of a midday workout faster than raising your wrist and seeing a dead, black watch screen. Honestly, did you even work out if your smartwatch didn’t give you credit for it?
Sure, most newer smartwatch models can now last more than a day, including a full night of sleep tracking. But even some of the top powerhouses, including the Pixel Watch 4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, tend to crap out midway through day two when there’s no charger in sight (mine’s on my nightstand).Â
After one too many days staring at a dark screen and missing key health metrics as a result, I finally started looking for ways to squeeze a few more hours out of my watch — long enough to at least get back to my charger at the end of the day without skipping a beat.Â
1. Lower the display brightness
Most people overlook this simple tweak: Your watch can usually run at a lower brightness setting without losing visibility. It’s one of the easiest ways to extend battery life without giving up any features, and it can add an extra hour or two of runtime. Just make sure to keep adaptive brightness on so that the display adjusts automatically as you move between indoors and outdoors, since the lowest setting can be unreadable in direct sunlight.
To adjust brightness, go to Settings > Display > Brightness.Â
2. Disable ‘Hey Google’ or hotword detection
Being able to summon Google’s voice assistant (now Gemini) hands-free is convenient, but it’s hardly essential and comes with a steep battery cost. Your watch is constantly listening in the background for the “Hey Google” cue, which drains power throughout the day.
To cut back on that battery toll, switch to manual activation instead. On most watches, you can summon the assistant with a long press of the side button.
Go to Settings > Google > Digital Assistant and toggle off Hey Google.
If you’re using the Pixel Watch 4, you may also want to disable “Raise to Talk”, which triggers Gemini in a similar way without even having to say the magic phrase. Go to Settings > Gestures > Raise to Talk and toggle it off.
3. Use a battery-friendly watch face
Brighter watch faces with lots of animations or complications that need frequent updates (like the heart rate or weather widgets) generally drain the battery faster than darker, simpler ones with static complications.
Some platforms, such as the OnePlus Watch, even assign a battery score to watch faces so you can see which ones consume the most power. Third-party apps like Facer also have a “power impact” rating for their watch faces. Needless to say, the lower the power rating, the longer your battery life.Â
4. Turn off the always-on display
If you want to see a major jump in battery life — I’m talking five-plus hours — try turning off your watch’s always-on display. Glancing at the time (and other info) without lifting your wrist may be convenient, but it’s also one of the biggest battery hogs on any smartwatch.
The exact steps vary by model, but you’ll typically find the toggle under Settings > Display > Always-On.
Just note that on some models, this also means your workout metrics won’t stay visible during exercise, though others, like the Pixel Watch 4, keep workout stats on even when the AOD is disabled.
5. Turn on Power Saving (Battery Saver) mode
If all else fails, you can always turn on whatever permutation of low-power mode your smartwatch offers. On Samsung and OnePlus watches it’s called Power Saving/Saver, on Pixel it’s Battery Saver and on Mobvoi’s TicWatch it’s Essential Mode.
These modes typically disable the AOD, pause or limit background health tracking (you’ll still get full metrics during workouts) and may delay notifications. Since the specifics vary across manufacturers, it’s best to check your device’s settings so you know exactly what you’ll be missing out on.
You can usually access power-saving mode from the quick-settings menu (tap the battery icon) or by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver.
And if you want to go truly extreme, some watches offer a mode that turns your device into a dimly lit, time-only analogue. Samsung’s Watch-Only Mode, for example, can push battery life up to 27 days.
6. Max out the charging speed
Even with the longest-lasting batteries, you’ll eventually need to recharge, which is why it’s important to make sure you’re getting the fastest charging speeds possible. The less time your watch spends off your wrist, the more credit you’ll get for the sleep and exercise you actually do.
Charging speeds vary by manufacturer, but you can only take full advantage of them if you’re using the right power adapter. Check your watch’s specs to confirm the wattage required for fast charging. The Galaxy Watch, for example, needs a 10W (or higher) charger to reach the super-fast charging speed.
7. Prioritize battery life before you buy
Even with all these tips, your battery may still drain faster than you need. In that case, it might be time to upgrade to a newer model. Smartwatch batteries naturally deteriorate over time and aren’t always replaceable. Here are a few things worth knowing upfront if you’re looking to optimize battery life.
Go bigger when possible. In most lineups, the larger case size typically has a bigger battery that lasts a bit longer than its smaller counterpart — at least a couple of extra hours, depending on the model. The larger Pixel Watch 4 (45mm), for example, gets roughly 10 hours more running time than its smaller (41mm) counterpart. The downside to larger watch sizes is that they tend to be more expensive and may look and feel bulky on smaller wrists.Â
“Ultra” or rugged models last the longest. These watches often pack the biggest batteries in a company’s lineup. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, for instance, has the largest battery of the brand’s current models and can push close to 48 hours of use.
Brand matters. While you can’t expect any Wear OS watch to deliver the week-long (or longer) battery life that dedicated sports watches like Garmin can, there are still significant variations from brand to brand. At 631 mAh, the OnePlus Watch 3’s battery is the largest of any Wear OS watch I’ve tested, followed closely by Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro 5, which has a 628 mAh battery. There will be other trade-offs in terms of features, but they both outlast Samsung’s and Google’s flagship models by at least five hours, depending on size and usage.
Newer models may charge faster. You can save money by choosing an older model of a watch, but companies tend to optimize charging speed with each upgrade. So check that the watch you’re getting has the fastest possible charging speed. This year’s Pixel Watch, for example, can reach a full charge in under an hour or give you enough juice for a full night of sleep tracking in the five minutes it takes you to brush your teeth.Â
Whatever combination of tricks you use, or new model you upgrade to, hopefully you’ll find the right mix of settings and features to keep your Wear OS watch tracking the data you truly care about before the battery runs out. And once you see how useful the health and sleep information these devices can surface is, keeping them powered up feels worth the effort.
Technologies
Passengers and crew foil co-pilot’s apparent attempt to crash FlyDubai flight to Israel
One of the pilots on a FlyDubai flight headed for Israel stabbed the second pilot, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On-duty flight crew and passengers managed to foil a pilot’s apparent attempt to crash a FlyDubai flight, after reports emerged of a fight in the cockpit.
The incident on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv happened when a co-pilot stabbed a pilot, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised the victim’s quick thinking.
“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.
FZ1073 was diverted to the Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, the airline said, after being successfully secured and diverted by flight crew.
FlyDubai in a statement said that an “altercation” occurred on the flight deck of the plane, but did not mention a stabbing.
However, the airline added that the underlying reasons and motives for the clash is currently unknown, urging all parties to refrain from speculation.
The injured pilot was identified by Netanyahu as Indian national Smit Machchhar. No details have been released on the identity of the attacker, except that he was being interrogated by Saudi authorities.
The Indian embassy in Riyadh said on X that Machchhar is in a hospital in Tabuk, and is reported to be in stable condition.
The Israeli Prime Minister also identified the passenger who broke into the cockpit as Yaniv Hayun, calling him a “hero” and adding he deserved “a global medal of honor.”
Flight data from tracking site FlightRadar24 showed that the plane had experienced extreme altitude fluctuations before broadcasting a “general emergency” squawk code.
FZ1073 had dropped from over 14,000 feet in just 29 seconds, and FlightRadar24 also added that vertical speeds ranging from approximately -30,000 to +10,000 feet per minute were observed from the transponder data.
For context, vertical speeds during normal operations rarely exceed plus or minus 4,000 feet per minute, it added.
Technologies
South Korean President Lee resists Alaska LNG project after Trump highlights Seoul’s involvement
South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung has conditioned his country’s participation in the Alaska LNG project on financial viability and legal compliance, pushing back against President Trump’s push for the $50‑billion venture while other $200‑billion U.S. investments move forward.
South Korea’s $200 billion investment in the United States, which President Donald Trump said would transform America “for generations,” is not yet finalized in full.
The South Korean investment blueprint includes nuclear power plants, a natural‑gas power facility in Texas, and potentially the long‑planned Alaska liquefied natural gas project.
Trump posted on Truth Social late Wednesday that the two nations had agreed to move forward on the Alaska LNG venture, estimating its value at $50 billion. This prompted a response from South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung, who stressed that participation in some projects remains tied to commercial considerations.
In an X post Thursday local time, Lee said that involvement in the Alaska LNG project hinges on its financial viability and legal compliance. He added that investments in nuclear power plants would also require a plant‑by‑plant assessment of commercial feasibility.
The US‑South Korea joint statement Wednesday also noted that work on the project is contingent on “commercial reasonableness,” without detailing allocations toward the venture.
The Alaska LNG project aims to move natural gas roughly 1,300 km (800 miles) from fields on Alaska’s North Slope to the state’s southern region, where it would be liquefied for export to markets including Asia, according to Yonhap. The initiative has long faced scrutiny over its economics, given the substantial upfront capital required.
Industry Minister Kim Jung‑kwan labeled it “high‑risk” last year and said participation would be challenging unless the project could generate sufficient cash flow.
Overall, the investment package allocates $22.3 billion for a 6,472‑megawatt natural‑gas power plant in Encinal, Texas, which will supply electricity to nearby data centers. The venture will be led by developer Related Cos. and U.S. power provider NextEra Energy.
Trump said the investments would turn South Korea’s commitments into “huge construction projects” and create “tens of thousands of American jobs.”
“These are massive energy projects, adding power capacity in the United States,” Trump remarked. “This is new construction, new manufacturing, and great jobs for American workers.”
The two countries said they would seek to broaden Korean firms’ involvement in the Texas project across equipment supply, engineering, construction, and long‑term operations and maintenance. The U.S. also plans to give Korean companies opportunities to supply equipment, including turbines, for similar projects domestically.
Another $120 billion has been earmarked for plans to build eight large‑scale nuclear reactors in the United States. Of that sum, $100 billion is designated for construction costs and $20 billion for contingency reserves.
The nuclear accord was signed by both governments as well as Westinghouse Electric, Korea Electric Power Corp., and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. The plan also calls for Korean firms to pursue a potential significant minority stake in Westinghouse, with terms subject to commercial negotiations.
Technologies
Washington’s big crypto bill is stuck. The SEC is pushing ahead anyway
The SEC has proposed new rules that would make it easier for investment advisers and regulated funds to hold cryptocurrencies on behalf of clients.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed new rules that would make it easier for investment advisers and regulated funds to hold cryptocurrencies on behalf of clients, as U.S. regulators push ahead with writing crypto rules after a sweeping legislation stalled in Congress.
The proposal, announced Thursday stateside, would establish a tailored framework governing how registered investment advisers, investment companies and business development companies hold custody of crypto assets.
The changes are aimed at modernizing decades-old custody requirements and removing regulatory barriers that the SEC says have limited advisers’ ability to offer crypto-related investments.
Under the proposed rules, crypto assets could be held in self-custody under “certain circumstances,” while state trust companies could also serve as custodians for crypto assets belonging to clients and regulated funds.
The changes could also give regulated funds greater scope to offer investors crypto-related investment strategies, according to the SEC.
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said existing regulations had failed to keep pace with the rapid expansion of digital assets, which have grown into a multi-trillion-dollar market.
“Today’s proposal would provide a clear regulatory framework for the custody of crypto assets, giving investment advisers and funds a compliant pathway where none existed before,” Atkins said.
The proposal comes as U.S. regulators push ahead with building out a crypto rulebook under their existing authority after the Clarity Act, a sweeping crypto market structure bill, stalled in the Senate in September.
That marks another step in the SEC’s broader effort to rewrite the U.S. regulatory framework for digital assets under Atkins, and will be open for public comment for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
With broader crypto legislation stalling in Congress, regulators are exerting their existing powers to address individual parts of the market, said Jeff Ko, chief analyst at blockchain infrastructure service provider ViaBTC.
“What we’re increasingly seeing is the SEC using the authority it already has to solve individual bottlenecks one by one, issuance, tokenization, trading exemptions and now custody,” he told CNBC via email.
The regulatory push also comes as crypto markets show signs of renewed momentum following a volatile start to the year. Bitcoin has rebounded over 40% from its July low, as improving risk appetite have helped revive demand for digital assets.
The recovery follows a prolonged downturn from late 2025 into the first half of 2026.
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