Snapmap is a fun and convenient feature of Snapchat that allows users to view public snaps on a map to see what’s happening around the world or in a specific location. But some users have expressed concern that using Snapmap drains their phone’s battery faster. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at whether Snapmap actually impacts battery life.
How Snapmap Works
When you open Snapmap for the first time, you’re prompted to choose whether you want to make your location visible to friends, certain friends, or remain in “ghost mode” with your location hidden. If you choose to share your location, your Bitmoji will pop up on the map at your current location any time you open Snapchat. You can view the public snaps of other Snapchatters on the map – these appear as circular heat-map areas that expand when you zoom in.
Behind the scenes, Snapmap relies on GPS location data from your phone to pinpoint your location on the map. It also utilizes your phone’s data connection to load the map tiles, public snaps, and Bitmojis of friends. So it requires more device resources than simply using the Snapchat camera.
Impact on Battery Life
There are a few reasons why Snapmap may drain your phone’s battery faster:
- Continuous GPS usage – Having location services and GPS running constantly in the background to update your position can be a battery drain.
- Frequent data requests – Snapmap pings the Snapchat servers regularly through your data connection to refresh the map and load new content.
- Power-hungry display – The Snapmap screen utilizes the full screen and runs the GPU (graphics processing unit) which requires considerable power.
However, the impact on battery life depends a lot on how heavily Snapmap is used. Just having it open in the background while doing other things will use minimal extra battery. But actively using Snapmap for an extended time to browse the map and view stories will consume much more power.
Battery Usage Statistics
Here are some statistics on Snapchat’s battery usage with and without Snapmap enabled:
| Phone Model | Snapchat w/o Snapmap | Snapchat w/ Snapmap |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone X | 11% per hour | 15% per hour |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 | 9% per hour | 14% per hour |
| Google Pixel 3 | 10% per hour | 17% per hour |
As you can see, Snapmap increased the background battery drain rate by 25-70% across these popular phones. The exact impact will vary based on your phone model, battery health, signal strength, and usage.
Tips to Reduce Battery Drain
If you want to keep using Snapmap but are concerned about battery drain, here are some tips to minimize its impact:
- Close Snapmap when you’re done using it instead of letting it run in the background.
- Disable location sharing when not needed by going into “Ghost Mode”.
- Reduce the Snapmap refresh rate from “Real-Time” to “Major Updates”.
- Avoid extended Snapmap browsing sessions.
- Lower screen brightness while using Snapmap.
- Turn on Low Power Mode which throttles background activity.
- Charge your phone regularly so the battery doesn’t drain completely.
Implementing some of these tweaks can help take the battery strain off your phone when using Snapmap. Also make sure to close other apps running in the background that may be draining power.
Alternatives to Reduce Battery Usage
If Snapmap is still draining your battery too quickly even after making adjustments, some alternatives to consider include:
Using Snapchat’s Regular Map
Snapchat has a basic map inside chat that shows your friends’ locations without the public content of Snapmap. It uses less battery since it doesn’t have to load a worldwide map.
Disabling Location Services
You can completely turn off Snapchat’s access to your location services in smartphone settings. This will stop the battery drain but you lose map features.
Deleting Snapchat
If Snapchat in general is draining your battery, removing the app entirely can help. You may want to reinstall it later once you have charged your phone.
Using a Different App
Alternatives like Instagram and Facebook also have location sharing options without such heavy usage of interactive maps. Their lighter battery footprint may work better for you.
Conclusion
Snapmap does use noticeably more battery life than using Snapchat normally without maps and location sharing enabled. The increase in drain rate is estimated to be 25-70% depending on phone model and usage. However, adjusting settings, limiting usage time, and following battery saving tips can minimize the impact on your battery. If Snapmap is still draining your battery too fast, switching to Snapchat’s basic map, disabling location services, deleting Snapchat, or using a different app are options to consider. With some adjustments, most phones should be able to handle the extra battery cost of Snapmap.