Hi, Im currently using the Dexcom G6 sensor, with a Tandem Control IQ insulin pump. The challenge is the Dexcom G6 clarity app which I find really helpful, drains my mobile phone battery massively. I bought a brand new phone so I could use the app, but Im now having to charge it 3-4 times a day. Is anyone else having the same problem?
Not I. I’ve got both the G6 and the Clarity apps (they’re two different apps from Dexcom) running, along with the one for my Tandem pump, plus two weather tracking widgets all running in the background at the same time, and I don’t see the battery going down particularly fast.
If you uninstall the apps or turn off Bluetooth, is the battery life better? Does it help if you keep the phone close to you at all times? Do you have anything else running in the background?
Thanks for your swift response. What app do you use for your Tandem pump out of interest? As far as I know I havent got anything else running in the background other than the Dexcom G6 app and Clarity app. I havent thought of uninstalling and re-installing, something to try.
HI @Scrumpyjack65 you can also check the smartphone battery app to see what is eating your battery. iPhone go to Settings > Battery then scroll down to see what the major battery consumers are. good luck
Hi, @joe, yep a good pointer, thanks. I have already taken the steps you suggest and it is definitely the Dexcom apps that are taking up the memory. Since Ive uninstalled it, the phone is acting as it should do, ie., keeping its battery charge. All very weird. I suspect until Dexcom come up with a way of linking to the handheld device and pump I’ll need to carry two phones about for a bit, rather a shame, but at least I could return to my much loved previous phone that had a great battery life. We shall see of course.
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I use t:connect to mirror data from my t:slim x2 pump to my phone. It gives me the same BG graph as the G6 app, but with basal and bolus information. I could probably do with just that, but I find the G6 app’s graph makes the BG data more accessible (I can scroll the graph, get exact values from any reading in the last 24 hours, etc) and I like that it shows the BG value and graph in my phone’s notification bar. Clarity just gives broader reports like time in range, percentage of low and high, and approximate A1C.
Hi Sally @Scrumpyjack65 , like you, I upgraded phones [from a 12 year old “flip-phone”] to a Galaxy S10 just so I could get pump and CGM data separately. My battery stays healthy needing charging not more than once per day.
I have both the Dexcom G6 Mobile app, and the Tandem t:Connect running full time - as far a memory, each of these apps use only about 2/3 of the memory storage used by the Samsung default Clock app. A benefit of these two apps is that each upload data continuously to the cloud - t:Connect to Tandem and G6 to Dexcon. I also have web-based Tandem and Dexcon Clarity available for when I want to explore my history.
The Samsung phone also has a “Device Care” app which I use occasionally [weekly?] to close out any hidden background Battery, Storage, Memory users.
HI @Dennis and @WearsHats - I so appreciate your responses. It seems there is another alternative which is good to hear when I have to say quite honestly I am struggling. @WearsHats - Paul you say you use “t connect” where can I get it from, as when I look on the app store and tandem directly, I cant find it, only the demo versions.
Sally @Scrumpyjack65 in the Google play store enter “tconnect” without the colon.
There also had been a link in the user resource page of the Tandem website.
I think that should work if you click it on a compatible Android phone. Searching for “Tandem diabetes” should also work.
TCONNECT is my app of choice. I run it in background on my iPhone and it uses 4% of battery.
@WearsHats gave some detail about the different options here and in another post (I’ll try to come back with the link). Here are a couple of screenshots of you’re interested. More data is available if you scroll but of course I could only capture so much - but it will give you an idea.
Hey Dorie @wadawabbit and Paul-Gabriel @WearsHats, thanks for your advice, Im going to give it a go as it looks much more comprehensive in fact than the clarity app. Appreciate your help. Ive found it but its not available to use in the UK weirdly.
I’m glad you found one that works - thank goodness there are choices even if they may not all provide everything you need. Keep us posted!
Hi Sally,
I have an older Android phone (Samsung S7) and use both the Tandem T:Connect app and the Dexcom G6 app on my phone. I’ve have noticed that my battery drains a little faster, but not enough to cause any issues for me. It’s usually other apps on my phone, like games I play, that cause a large drain on the battery.
One other note, Dexcom will no longer support my phone’s operating system beginning May 10, 2021. So, it looks like I will need a new phone soon. Since Dexcom announced this, I have noticed that both apps don’t work as well as they used to. I’m getting a lot of error messages such as “The T:Connect app has stopped working.” So, I wonder if it is the OS that’s causing this, or just the age of my phone in general!
You can check what apps are draining the battery in Settings on your phone. This might help you figure out the cause.
Pam K.
T1D 56+ years and counting!
Recently I’ve gotten a couple of messages that my T:Connect app won’t sync to the cloud. The first time it hapoened I logged into my account and when I went back to the app it was fine. The second time it went away on its own🤪. I have an iPhone 11.
Until you invest in a new phone, sometimes reinstalling the app, or even turning my phone off and back on, helps.