Test and trace app

[shakenandstirred10]

How does the app work? Do I need to keep my Bluetooth on my phone constantly turned on for it to work?

[lljkk]

yes on constantly. I'm intrigued at people who turn it off. Do you turn off Data too? I turn off Data, because I'm a cheapskate on true PAYG and am scared of apps that might use Data in background costing me £. What is your reason for turning off bluetooth?

[lljkk]

oh, and you have to leave the phone turned on too. And try to have it with you.

[shakenandstirred10]

@lljkk

yes on constantly. I'm intrigued at people who turn it off. Do you turn off Data too? I turn off Data, because I'm a cheapskate on true PAYG and am scared of apps that might use Data in background costing me £. What is your reason for turning off bluetooth?

@lljkk

It drains the battery! ☹️

But the app is always open and says it’s as scanning and that’s without my Bluetooth turned on.

[lljkk]

Keeping the phone on at all drains the battery.

I am one of those people who only turns the phone on if I think I need it for something. Because I'm too lazy to have a routine for recharging it.
So I can't notice that bluetooth has an extra fast battery draining effect.

Funny how I'm labeled irrational person to only turn the phone on if I think I need it, but it's sold as perfectly rational to find the bluetooth too draining to have on constantly otherwise.

[Hugosmugo]

@lljkk some people use their phones nearly all day for work (emails, calls, so on and so on) Bluetooth really drains it so much faster.

Op, I turn my Bluetooth off at home to save battery and then turn on when heading out.

[lljkk]

I ran an experiment.
ipod touch 7 running latest IoS. No NHS App
Samsung S8 phone (android). Yes NHS app

room with 2 laptops & fitbit & another phone all on bluetooth

3 hours with Bluetooth on, battery charges went
iPod 99% to 88% (-11%)
S8 98% to 93% (-5%)

3 hours with Bluetooth off, battery charges went
iPod 85% to 77% (-8%)
S8 92% to 86% (-6%)

So S8: bluetooth made no difference to battery charge loss. iPod, the bluetooth made battery decline 1% / hour faster (apparently). 1%/hr doesn't seem very much. Don't most people expect to charge their phone at least once a day. I wonder how fast bluetooth being on makes other people's batteries decline. DH suspects relatively old OSs might have inefficient bluetooth that causes this problem.

About 13% of DH's iphone recent battery use has been to the NHS app. His iphone is never powered down.