Database Info

[GUIDE] [INFO] Optimization to extreme – without compromises

Please take this as (shared) information merely meant to make one think about & eventually consider someone else’s experience, rather than opinionated directions – which is NOT. I, myself see all this as a flexible, changeable, never ending process where further optimizations are definitely probable and possible. While I am definitely willing to share more details if someone’s interested, I will not respond to challenges or confrontations.
On some other thread someone suggested that without a screenshot it doesn't exist, so here you have the proving screenshots. During the first part of the day I've had a light/medium usage (receiving & sending about 10 emails, light online browsing, reading a couple of articles offline, etc). The vertical drop represents a reboot after generating a nandroid backup in TWRP and then the second part of the day was sort of medium/heavy usage with more time online and significant continuous screen-on time. (no 2D/3D games) I went to bed at 11:30PM with still 48% of battery left.
SPECIFIC environment and running parameters:
- Stock JB 4.2.2, rooted, SGH-I337M (Canadian)
- Lots of manually uninstalled/frozen apps/processes (through TB) – details available upon request.
- Under Mobile Networks I force WCDMA only (unless I’m out, downloading larger files - case in which I temporarily switch to WCDMA/LTE/GSM). Reasoning: Despite later networks optimizations, LTE is still a power hog and since it’s only used for data transfer (no voice over LTE yet – called VoLTE), no point in keeping it On permanently especially when 4G (HSDPA) can render up to 15-18Mb/s.
- WiFi On permanently (unless I’m away from “Home” for days - or longer - case in which I eventually consider manually toggling the WiFi). Reasoning: With the idea of automatically turning OFF the WiFi service when not connected and then turning it back ON when close to “Home” or “Work”, I have extensively tested various location based optimizations/monitoring methods (Tasker, Llama, Easy Profiles, Locale). So, it became clear that even when the location was monitored ONLY based on cell networks (by far the most power efficient method), the background monitoring process took (significantly) more power than the WiFi (dormant) services – especially since the recent Google’s API implementation of fused location services (go figure!!!). In other words it’s more power efficient to just leave WiFi services On when going out and about and then coming back to a “Home”/”Work” location where WiFi connection is used – then to use a background location monitoring service to toggle WiFi service On/Off.
- Sync OFF (Reasoning: I simply don’t need it – your case may be different here, no arguments).
- Location services OFF (Reasoning: I use Tasker to automatically turn the GPS On when certain apps are in the foreground and then automatically turn it back Off when the app is closed (no longer in the foreground)). This way I have 100% control over both, determining/monitoring exact location and power consumption.
- Auto Start Manager (from ROM Toolbox Pro) to control the receivers/intents that load (or not) at boot. Reasoning: This method can be used in conjunction with (or instead of) freezing apps in Tasker since some apps may act funny after being frozen/unfrozen (i.e. If TalkBack is once frozen, then you’d most likely get the voice talking back to you (in some native apps) even when TalkBack gets restored to its original state and/or everything else is off, including all the dependent services – quite annoying. Same goes for “Software Update”. I’d rather disable the intent that activates the service at boot (in ROMToolbox), than freeze the service/app (in Tasker) because freezing may render the process unusable even after being restored/unfrozen. There are lots of possibilities here but this takes patience and trial & error.
- Tasker is probably the only one app that makes me never leave Android environment. I use it heavily and the possibilities for optimizations (and amazement) are truly endless. When I mention Time/Location/Position/Variables/Apps optimizations/Sensor-based actions I merely scratch the surface. It takes a little bit of time and dedication to learn the ropes but it’s definitely worth the effort.
- Facebook (Notifications On + auto sync every 1 hr), Google+ (Manual sync - since Sync is Off)
- Aqua Mail Pro (all other email clients like Gmail or stock Email are frozen or uninstalled)
- Boat Browser Pro (all other Internet browsers are frozen or uninstalled)
- Screebl Pro (keep screen on) – rather than Samsung’s Smart Stay (a much better/efficient solution - although it seems to no longer be supported)
- I mostly use the screen on Auto-Brightness but occasionally, in low light conditions (night/indoors) I use LMT Gestures/Tasker with 4 brightness presets (double swipe Up/Down/Right/Left – works wonder, even over a locked screen!!!)
- RoboForm with a decent internal browser and an excellent security, solves the ordeal of remembering (or carrying them insecurely) lots and lots of login/passwords. Just to give you some food for thoughts, I often do online banking transactions on the phone – but only using RoboForm’s internal, secure browser.
I found the S4 much better optimized than any other phone I've had so far, in terms of power consumption when idle (screen off), however the SCREEN and the MEDIA SCANNER (running after every reboot) are the two major (I mean major) consumers that, despite careful optimizations, are still taking most of the battery – and there is not much we can do about it.

intelligent handling of touchscreen input ?

hello! my android 7 device may be called a smartphone but it is incredibly dumb when it comes to interpreting the input that comes to it from the screen when I touch it! I am just wondering if there are any apps or developer projects that seek to address this? no doubt it may be partly a hardware issue, maybe some devices have better sensitivity or let you tweak more settings than just the mysterious 'pointer speed'? but beyond this, are there any attempts to augment whatever module translates physical screen data into logical clicks, drags and so on? for instance, through active or passive training to distinguish drags from clicks, or by examining the screen pixels near where I click so a click in the vicinity of a text label is considered as an attempt to press the label, rather than assuming that I am pressing on an empty area of the background for no apparent reason? thanks in advance for any ideas! — Joseph

Fell Bell (Protects Your Device Privacy And Security)

Almost all android devices have accelerometer sensor installed, we utilized it in some other productive ways via our app, read more below
Fell Bell locks your device automatically based on movement force.It helps protects your privacy and security by monitoring accelerometer in the background, when the sum of all non-gravitational forces exceeds the user saved acceleration, threshold is breached & your device gets locked up in no time.
Few Highlighted Key Features Are
Locks Phone immediately if snatched by friend or others while using it.
Vibrates and beeps if phone is dropped or fallen down from pocket thus saves your from loosing your Phone.
Set your desired device sensitivity for threshold with beautiful reference animation.
You can also use Fell Bell app to lock your Mobile phone by just shaking it that also mean saving power button from frequent wear & tear.
Download From Google Play Store Now
is.gd/j9Sqf3

Uraniam9 said:
Almost all android devices have accelerometer sensor installed, we utilized it in some other productive ways via our app, read more below
Fell Bell locks your device automatically based on movement force.It helps protects your privacy and security by monitoring accelerometer in the background, when the sum of all non-gravitational forces exceeds the user saved acceleration, threshold is breached & your device gets locked up in no time.
Few Highlighted Key Features Are
Locks Phone immediately if snatched by friend or others while using it.
Vibrates and beeps if phone is dropped or fallen down from pocket thus saves your from loosing your Phone.
Set your desired device sensitivity for threshold with beautiful reference animation.
You can also use Fell Bell app to lock your Mobile phone by just shaking it that also mean saving power button from frequent wear & tear.
Download From Google Play Store Now
is.gd/j9Sqf3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Device Privacy Protector - Apps on Google Play
Protects Your Device Privacy And Security
play.google.com

Is it normal that it records all my arm movements as "steps"? Can i make this stop?

Help appreciated thank you

Yes, it is normal for a Fitbit to record some arm movements as steps. This is because Fitbit devices use a 3-axis accelerometer to track your movements and estimate the number of steps you've taken. When you move your arm, the accelerometer detects the motion, and the algorithm may interpret it as a step, even if you're not actually walking or running.
To minimize the number of false steps recorded, you can try the following:
Wear your Fitbit on your non-dominant wrist: If you haven't already, try wearing your Fitbit on the wrist that you use less often. This can help reduce the number of non-walking movements that get recorded as steps.
Adjust the settings: In the Fitbit app, go to Account > Advanced Settings > Dominant Hand, and select the appropriate option (Dominant or Non-dominant). This helps the device to better account for your movements and may reduce the number of false steps.
Improve the fit: Make sure your Fitbit is snugly fastened to your wrist, not too tight or too loose. A secure fit can help minimize inaccurate step counts.
Use "Connected GPS" or "MobileRun" for outdoor activities: If you're going for a walk, run, or bike ride outdoors, use the "Connected GPS" (for devices with built-in GPS) or "MobileRun" (for devices without built-in GPS) feature in the Fitbit app. This will help improve the accuracy of your step count and other exercise metrics.
Manually log activities: If you know that certain activities cause a significant number of false steps, you can manually log the activity in the Fitbit app. This won't remove the false steps, but it will provide a more accurate record of your exercise.
Keep in mind that no activity tracker is perfect, and some level of false steps may be unavoidable. However, by following these tips, you can minimize inaccuracies and improve the overall performance of your Fitbit.

billotto said:
Yes, it is normal for a Fitbit to record some arm movements as steps. This is because Fitbit devices use a 3-axis accelerometer to track your movements and estimate the number of steps you've taken. When you move your arm, the accelerometer detects the motion, and the algorithm may interpret it as a step, even if you're not actually walking or running.
To minimize the number of false steps recorded, you can try the following:
Wear your Fitbit on your non-dominant wrist: If you haven't already, try wearing your Fitbit on the wrist that you use less often. This can help reduce the number of non-walking movements that get recorded as steps.
Adjust the settings: In the Fitbit app, go to Account > Advanced Settings > Dominant Hand, and select the appropriate option (Dominant or Non-dominant). This helps the device to better account for your movements and may reduce the number of false steps.
Improve the fit: Make sure your Fitbit is snugly fastened to your wrist, not too tight or too loose. A secure fit can help minimize inaccurate step counts.
Use "Connected GPS" or "MobileRun" for outdoor activities: If you're going for a walk, run, or bike ride outdoors, use the "Connected GPS" (for devices with built-in GPS) or "MobileRun" (for devices without built-in GPS) feature in the Fitbit app. This will help improve the accuracy of your step count and other exercise metrics.
Manually log activities: If you know that certain activities cause a significant number of false steps, you can manually log the activity in the Fitbit app. This won't remove the false steps, but it will provide a more accurate record of your exercise.
Keep in mind that no activity tracker is perfect, and some level of false steps may be unavoidable. However, by following these tips, you can minimize inaccuracies and improve the overall performance of your Fitbit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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The quoted post appears to be an A.I. generated response. Until confirmation from the member to the contrary, please be aware of this likelihood and, being aware of this, please proceed with caution with the information and/or regard or disregard as you see fit.
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Oswald Boelcke, Senior Moderator

Tricks for Ticwatch Pro 5

Hi, a few days ago I changed my watch to a TicWatch Pro 5, I have been testing it. I share some tricks I know to get the most out of the watch.
1. Default functionality of the physical buttons:
Crown button:
If you press once, it opens the application drawer.
If you press 2 times, it opens Google Wallet.
If you press and hold it, it opens the digital assistant you have installed or the app you have configured.
Auxiliary button:
If you press once, it opens the list of recently opened apps.
If you press 2 times, it opens the last open app.
If you hold it down for about 5", it opens the menu for shutdown or reboot.
f you hold it down for about 15", the watch reboot.
If you press both buttons simultaneously, it takes a screenshot.
If you press both buttons simultaneously (+ 8 seconds), it restarts the watch in bootloader mode.
2. How to reassign physical button functions?
With the help of Button Launcher, you can make the functionality of the watch buttons increase, and you could program them to activate the apps or functions you want depending on the combinations of short presses and long presses you make, you are allowed to program up to eight actions however in TicWatch Pro 5 you can program only 2 combinations, for example, I have programmed:​
Long press on crown button: Google Assistant Go
2 long presses on crown button: Google Maps
There are other apps that also allow you to customize the buttons, such as JSyntax Button Remap and SPayRemap, but I find Button Launcher more flexible and it doesn't override the original functions.​
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
​
3. How to access the most frequently used apps?
To avoid searching for an app in the endless app drawer of the watch, install Wear Favorite Apps Launcher, and select 9 apps that you want to have quick access to and set the app to a Watchface complication or run with a combination of buttons with Button Launcher app.​
4. How to make certain apps more accessible in the app drawer?
Press and hold an app and it will scroll to the top of the list for quick access in the app drawer.​
5. How to uninstall/Disable Bloatware applications from the watch?
If there are preinstalled apps that you don't use you can uninstall or disable them on the watch, I recommend disabling because it doesn't take up space in RAM or in the app drawer, and it's not as aggressive as uninstalling. In my case I have disabled Mobvoi Treadmill (since I don't use Treadmill treadmills) and TimeShow (I don't need paid watchfaces).​​There are several ways to disable a system app, go to "Settings > Apps & Notifications > Apps info". Drag to the bottom of the list, tap on System apps, select the app you don't want and finally tap on "disable" (if it had updates you have to uninstall them first). You can re-enable whenever you want by going back to the same place.​​Another method, from a PC download Wear OS Tools, run the tool, link to the watch and select option 1.4. The packages mentioned above are com.mobvoi.ticwear.treadmill and com.mobvoi.mwf.magicfaces.​
6. How to change the backlight color of secondary display?
There are 18 colors available. Go to "Settings > Display > Always-on Screen > Backlight color". From here you can also activate to change the color of the backlit display according to the heart rate.​
7. How to activate customized wrist gestures?
Install Bubble Cloud Wear OS Launcher.​
8. How to install an alternative to Google Assistant?
Until Google Assistant is officially launched you can download from APKMirror, Google Assistant Go and install APK file by sideload (Wear Installer 2, Bugjaeger or Wear OS Tools). Also select the default assistant in "Settings > Apps & Notifications > Default apps".​​It is almost fully functional, and you can ask for directions, make phone calls, play music in the same way as the full Google Assistant. To activate it I recommend that you configure it in Button Launcher to open with a combination of buttons, as its voice activation (ok Google) with this version is not available.​​Another alternative is to install the Amazon assistant, Amazon Alexa. You must also install the app on the phone, and once configured on both sides set up a tile or a combination of buttons with the Button Launcher app to easily open this assistant. Also select the default assistant in "Settings > Apps & Notifications > Default apps".​
9. How to recover strength training from Google Fit?
Older users will remember this function that Google Fit had, in which it detected repetitions very precisely and automatically recognized the exercise you were performing according to the repetitive movement you were making. In addition, you could time the rest times between sets. Google removed this functionality in May 2021 without knowing the reason. To recover it download from here and install by sideload a version of Google Fit prior to that date and Fit Strength Training also by sideload to have direct access to strength training as weight machines or dumbbell exercises. You should also disable automatic updates to prevent Google Fit from updating to the latest version. More info about this here.​
10. Alternative to Mobvoi Voice Memos:
Mobvoi included preinstalled in its previous models an app to record voice notes, in this watch has not included nor I could extract it from my TWP3, there is an alternative by installing Google Keep and activating the tile of the app you will have a very quick access to take voice notes.​
11. How to install Google Translate?
I don't know the reason, but Google translate was removed from the Play Store years ago, it is not available neither for Wear OS 2 nor Wear OS 3, however, I had it preinstalled on TicWatch Pro 3 and the APK file works on TicWatch Pro 5. Here where to download it and install by sideload (Wear Installer 2, Bugjaeger or Wear OS Tools).​​The app supports more than 40 languages and allows you to translate phrases into different languages by voice. Once translated into text, turn your wrist slightly to enlarge the translation for your contact to see it.​
12. How to use the Google camera app remotely?
If you have a Google Pixel phone or any of the latest Samsung phones you can control the camera from the watch using Google's app, Google Camera (v6.1 or higher). The moment you open Google Camera on the phone, the watch will show a new card called "Remote". If you touch it, the screen of your watch will become a viewfinder of what you see through the phone's camera, from the watch you can also set a timer (self-timer) so that, for example, you have time to position yourself since you press the shutter release on the watch, it also allows you to switch from the front camera to the rear, or vice versa.​
13. How to link a pectoral heart rate strap?
The watch measures heart rate from the wrist quite accurately, but if you still want more accuracy, you can use chest bands, the Mobvoi app, TicExercise does not support pairing with chest bands, but Google Fit does. Install the app, and go to "Settings > Bluetooth sensors".​
14. Application Recommendation
By Play Store
Google Home​​Google Keep Notes​​Google Camera (*)​​Amazon Alexa: (*)​​Spotify ​​Wear Casts: (*) Podcast player​​Shazam: Identify music​​Peek News: (*) RSS feed reader.​​Seven: (*) Sports training app​​Wear Favorite apps Launcher: Select favorite apps and access them as quickly as possible.​​Wear GPS Fix: Forces to get the GPS location of the watch.​​Wear Notification Helper: Another app to improve notification vibrations and more customizations.​​Bubble Cloud Wear OS Launcher​​Leftly: left-handed mode​
By Sideload:
Install Wear Installer 2 and follow the steps in this video, basically it is to enable "developer options" and "debugging over Wi-Fi", pair the watch to Wear Installer 2, download the APk file of the app you want to install on the watch and install it with Wear Installer 2. Other methods are also available (Bugjaeger or Wear OS Tools).​
Google Translate​​Google Assistant Go​​Button Launcher: Customize physical buttons​​JSyntax Button Remap: Customize physical buttons​​SPayRemap: Customize physical buttons​​Fit Strength Training: restores strength training functionality that was removed from Google Fit​​Music Center for Wear: (*) Improve music controls of the watch You must install the version for both the phone and the watch.​​Vibration Center for Wear (*) Application for managing notification vibrations.​​WhatsApp: (*) For now, it is only functional Beta version on phone and watch.​​​Note: (*) Also requires phone version.​​
15. How to change the ringtone to a custom ringtone?
Place an MP3 or OGG sound file in the "Ringtones" folder in the internal memory of the watch, and finally select that sound in the watch settings. You can make it easier with Wear OS Tools.​​As for the notification and alarm sounds, I have not found a way to change them, I guess it is blocked by Google, I hope that in future updates they will unlock the limitation.​
16. How can it be configured so that only certain apps send notifications to the watch?
In the Mobvoi Health app on your phone, click on the "device" tab, then select "Settings" > "Apps and Notifications" and finally disable the apps that you do not want to receive notifications on the watch.​
17. How to customize vibration patterns of notifications arriving on the watch?
Most notifications only vibrate for a short period of time so it is difficult to notice them. Install Wear Notification Helper or Vibration Center for Wear. Apps provide different vibration patterns to make the arrival of a notification noticeable​
18. How to drain water from the speaker?
After swimming or showering, water may enter the speaker (this is the hole on the right side of the watch), and may change the sound quality. Select the water drop icon from the quick settings curtain (from the dial by dragging up and down). It will play a kind of audio trill that will expel the water that has accumulated in the speaker.​
19. The hidden easter egg in the flashlight app does not work:
Not that it's a trick, but a curiosity, Google has eliminated in Wear OS 3 (in Wear OS 2 it still works) the easter egg of the Wear OS drum machine that appeared when pressing several times in the center of the screen with the flashlight app open.​
20. How to use the watch's own GPS?
Disable GPS or Bluetooth on your phone. The watch by default first acquires GPS positioning via the phone, and if it does not detect it (e.g., because it is not connected via Bluetooth) it will activate its own GPS module.​​Another method is through the Wear GPS Fix app that forces the GPS location using the GPS module of the watch.​​In addition, to improve the location when you are training, activate the "High Performance Mode" option in TicExercises, this way it will update the GPS location more frequently.​
21. How to adapt the watch to left-handers, i.e., to put it on the right wrist?
With the help of the Leftly app, the app inverts the interface 180 degrees so that the watch can be worn on the right wrist, ideal if you are left-handed and usually wear your watch on your right wrist. With this app you avoid the buttons facing your body, when they should be facing outwards.​​Once you open the app for the first time, enable the permissions for "Show on other apps" and "Modify system settings", and then enable accessibility for "Lefty". Finally, tapping the purple "Rotate" button in the app will invert the entire watch interface 180°. This will affect the apps, the watchface, the settings, basically everything on the watch, however, it is not reversed in essential mode.​
22. How to automatically unlock the phone with the help of the watch and Smart Lock?
To avoid entering the PIN on the phone every time the (phone) screen turns off when you are near it, go (on the phone) to Settings > security > smart Lock, and add the watch as a trusted device.​
23. What information is displayed on the secondary display?
The LCD screen provides a very important battery saving. It is intended for more basic use, however from the main screen of the LCD layer (showing date, time, steps taken and heart rate in the last minute) if you turn the digital crown you will scroll through 4 more tiles that provide real-time information.​​Note: You must turn one more turn to avoid accidentally activating these modes.​
Real-time heart rate
Calories consumed
Blood oxygen saturation level
Compasst
​​
24. How do the TicExercise heart rate training zones work?
During a sports training or when it detects that a sports activity is in progress, the backlight on the LCD display lights up in different colors to show at a glance which training zone you are in according to your heart rate, very useful to avoid looking at the display to see a particular metric. In total, there are 5 different colors to indicate different training zones.​
Blue-green light indicates a light workout or warm-up (50%-60% of maximum heart rate).
Yellow light indicates that you are in the fat burning zone (60%-70% of HRmax).
Orange light indicates that you are in the endurance or cardiovascular zone (70%-80% of HRmax).
Purple light indicates that you are in the anaerobic zone (80%-90% of HRmax).
Red light, you are in the dangerous heart rate zone (90%-100% of HRmax).
​​25. How to activate developer mode in TicHealth and in TicExercises?
For now, I don't see any practical use for it other than to activate it and that's it.​
In TicHealth, go to Settings and tap several times on "Version", and the option "TicFit Developer" will be activated underneath.
In TicExercises, go to settings, drag to the bottom and tap several on the app version number.
26. How to scroll through the tiles with the digital crown?
Go to "Settings > General", and enable "Horizontal scrolling between cards". If this feature is disabled you will scroll through the notification curtain and Quick settings.​​​​27. How to expand your training information?
From h.mobvoi.com you can access the platform where your workouts and other health data are recorded. It allows you to analyze your progress over the last 7 days showing metrics such as blood oxygen, heart rate and stress. It allows you to download reports in TCX format and is compatible with other services such as Strava and Garmin Connect.​
28. How to 3D print a charging base for the watch?
There are downloadable templates on the Internet to print charging bases for the watch that in my opinion are even more attractive than the ones for sale, in my case I use the one I ordered with TWP3 some time ago, which works perfectly on TicWatch Pro 5.​​These 3D prints are housings just the right size to fit the watch's serial cable (TWP3 and TWP5 share the same cable). Basically, you would download the template file and go to a 3D printing store (if you don't have a printer, of course). I printed one and it cost me 10€, I was surprised by the finish, better than I expected. As a reference, I ordered the base in the first link with the following characteristics:​
Material: PLA 3D850
Quality: Medium
Filling: 20%.
​Here are links to some templates for the TicWatch Pro 3 (which I reiterate work on TWP5):​​https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4747297​​https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4618850​​https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4781821​
29. Recommendation of 24mm Straps at Amazon & AliExpress
Replacing the strap is to give a complete facelift to the watch, a good combination can give an extra touch of style to your watch. Among the types of straps, by the material with which they have been manufactured you can find leather straps, imitation leather, stainless steel, titanium, platinum, silicone, resin, rubber, textile, nylon and ceramic.​​Note: Suunto straps are compatible with the watch, as they also use 24mm straps.​​The Asian market such as AliExpress is the one where you can find the widest variety of accessories with the best price, on Amazon you will also find accessories but as a general rule although you will receive the product before they are more expensive.​​To search for a particular accessory and narrow the search to the maximum, just type in the search box of AliExpress, Amazon or even Google accessory name + watch model. In the case of straps you only have to write the width of the strap, you can even include the type of strap material to narrow down much more what you are looking for.​​Amazon​​AliExpress​​​​

REVIEW TICWATCH PRO 5 ​
I have owned the TicWatch Pro 3 since early 2021. It is a watch currently wearing Wear OS 2, the last system update it received was in August 2022.
When it was launched in summer 2021 Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 was considered the most powerful watch at the time, but I let it go, I didn't buy it. It was the first watch with Wear OS 3 (also exclusively) but it had and has too much dependence on the Samsung universe, with apps and functions on the watch that only worked if you have a Samsung phone paired, plus I personally preferred a purer Wear OS experience, without the One UI layer that Samsung put on top of Wear OS.
A year later the Galaxy Watch 5 was released, becoming the most powerful Wear OS watch, and for the same reason as Galaxy Watch 4 I didn't buy it.
Last October, Pixel Watch was launched, the truth is that I had high hopes for that watch, but I did not buy it either, finally it did not meet my expectations and there was very little of it that could leave me satisfied: The battery did not last more than 24 hours, screen much smaller than my old TWP3 and the design did not seem reliable for outdoor sports with the screen so exposed to shocks.
Since my TicWatch Pro 3 was still working fine, I was in no hurry to buy another Wear OS watch that wouldn't leave me at least as satisfied with my current one, until the TicWatch Pro 5 arrived, and this one really caught my attention.
Comparing the watch to the other Wear OS 3 watches currently on the market ...
... it outperforms them all in almost every important aspect:
Battery: Thanks to a 628 mAh battery (the largest of all Wear OS watches) and the cool trick of the dual screen that manages to reduce consumption to the maximum, there is no Wear OS watch on the market that lasts longer without charging it than TicWatch Pro 5 (3 days at least).
The screen: It has the largest screen (1.43"), The Pixel Watch has 1.2" and the closest is the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro with 1.4". For me this is important if you do outdoor sports and that you can see the information provided by the watch comfortably.
Size: It is the one with the largest size (48mm wide), if you come from the TicWatch Pro 3 (44 mm) you will hardly notice any difference, but if your previous watch was the Pixel Watch (41 mm) the difference is ostensible. If it's your first Wear OS watch and you have a small wrist it may feel awkward at first, but I reckon the larger screen certainly feels like a worthwhile benefit.
Power: It sports Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor which gives it the most power and battery life of any Wear OS watch out there.
Memory and Capacity: It is the watch with the largest storage capacity (32 GB) and RAM (2 GB). There is no other watch that even matches it in this right now.
Water resistance: It has MIL-STD-810H and 5 ATM certification, and supports swimming in open water, only Galaxy Watch 5 matches it in this aspect.
It is not the best, but it is among the best…
Sensors: TicWatch Pro 5 has a heart rate sensor (PPG) and blood oxygen saturation sensor (SpO2) like most Wear OS 3 watches. It also has a skin temperature sensor that for now is only being used in sleep metrics and also has Galaxy Watch 5. The latter watch has 2 sensors that the TicWatch Pro 5 does not have, however, these are more oriented to give health information than directed to sport, it is the ECG sensor to detect cardiac abnormalities and the bioelectrical impedance analysis sensor to measure the percentage of body fat, among other data.
Shock resistance: The Galaxy 5 Pro is probably more resistant thanks to the titanium body and sapphire glass covering the screen, as opposed to the aluminum body (and stainless steel bezel) and Gorilla Glass of TicWatch Pro 5, however, I must say that the hardness of TWP5 is not little by what I have checked for several years in my old TWP3 that has materials of lower hardness compared to TWP5 and has received countless blows without showing any blow to the body of the watch, plus it has obtained military certification MIL-STD-810H (only Galaxy Watch 5 has also achieved that certification).
They could improve on…
There is only one configuration available, with an obsidian black casing, as opposed to other Wear OS 3 watches such as Pixel Watch with several colors to choose from.
The charger is the same small connector with magnetic pins for charging that Mobvoi supplies from TicWatch Pro 3, I wish Mobvoi would just follow the industry trend and supply a "dock" style charger.
The buttons cannot be customized (officially) and there are no native wrist gestures. Interestingly, TicWatch Pro 3 does allow you to customize one of the watch buttons from the settings.
This watch has too many preinstalled apps. It includes Google's apps, obviously, and a huge suite of Mobvoi apps that work very well but that should be integrated several of them under a single app, especially the health and fitness apps (I count about 10 apps, TicHealth, One Tap Measurement, TicCare, TicOxygen, TicPulse, TicSleep, TicBreathe, TicZen, TicExercise and Mobvoi Treadmill), plus Mobvoi includes 2 navigation tools (TicCompass and TicBarometer) and 5 other apps with different themes (Timeshow Watchface, Calculator, Mobvoi Privacy, Media Control and Essential Mode Settings).
It does not allow you to change notification and alarm sound, only ringtone, however, I think it is a Google issue not Mobvoi's, as all Wear OS 3 watches have the same limitation.
Although it has a specific sensor to measure body temperature, you cannot make manual measurements, for now it is only used in the sleep metrics automatically, I guess in future updates will add some functionality that allows it.
It does not include an app to record audio and take voice notes as it did in TWP3.
About the update policy, Mobvoi is clearly not the best at it. TicWatch Pro 3 has not received an update since August last year, and its owners have been waiting a long time for the promised update to Wear OS 3, considering also that other brands in similar conditions, such as Fossil, have updated their watch to Wear OS 3 many months ago. Although they have missed the deadline, and many of us like to have the latest features as soon as possible, I must say that the update to Wear OS 3 of TicWatch Pro 3 would not be critical, that is, the watch currently works on Wear OS 2 normally, I've been using it as a daily watch for years and continues to track my workouts and alerts notifications. The update to Wear OS 3 mostly involves aesthetic changes to the interface and being able to use some app that are only compatible with Wear OS 3. The fact that it hasn't been updated hasn't written off your watch, the apps still work, I know there is a lot of upset, but I would still call for restraint, which from what I read from time to time seems to be the worst thing since 9/11.
Who knows what will happen with TicWatch Pro 5 updates, interestingly the watch has already received a small update since launch. Google has already announced that Wear OS 4 will be released soon, nothing is known about that, however, I am hopeful that they will not delay times.
I love it…
The TicWatch Pro 5 has the same design as the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra. That's not really surprising because all TicWatch Pro models have shared virtually the same design. Their distinctive design gives them a sporty look and makes them instantly recognizable.
Mobvoi's version of Wear OS 3 is clean and nearly identical to what you'll find on a Pixel Watch. The only real difference you'll find comes from Mobvoi's preloaded apps.
The screen is protected by a glass of Gorilla Glass, which apart from the logical thing, namely that it protects against bumps and scratches is also able to repel fingerprints and dust. I love that I don't see the print of my index finger marked on the watch's display.
The digital crown allows you to scroll through the app drawer or notifications, increase or decrease the volume of music, it integrates with some apps for additional controls such as Google Maps or Spotify which allows for example to zoom in and out of maps with ease. The crown, therefore, has a very versatile control, it can even be used with gloves and the touch is pleasant.
Fast Charging, Mobvoi says that the watch should get a 65% charge in the first 30 minutes and that it takes just over an hour to fully charge, I can confirm, it does, they have not exaggerated anything. When charging it shows the charge level in decimals which I find very illustrative of how the fast charge is performing.
The smart essential mode allows you to set a time to automatically turn the watch on or off, so it won't enter that mode until it detects that you are sleeping or have taken it off your wrist. This is a wonderful feature to use during the night, as it still monitors your sleep, but uses even less battery than simply putting the watch into bedtime mode.
The "TicExercise" app, you can scroll through different views that allow you to see different metrics in real time (distance, pace, speed, heart rate, cumulative ascent etc.). You can even track workouts from the secondary display. On TWP3 I didn't like the Mobvoi sports tracking app, and had it disabled. They've improved it a lot and now I find it very reliable, in fact, it's the one I use on a daily basis. Also, the data can be automatically synced to Google Fit and Strava.
The 5 tiles that provide additional information in the essential mode when you're doing a sports workout, much like what you get with the color display. If you turn the crown button you can scroll through the screens, providing heart rate, calories burned, blood oxygen percentage and even a compass. Although I see some use for it, I find it a bit cumbersome to move through them when you're training, maybe Mobvoi should give this a whirl.
Also, if the watch practically runs out of battery, it will no longer become completely useless, now it can still track my workouts and even measure heart rate from the essential display.
During a sports workout or when it detects that a sports exercise is being performed, the backlight in the essential mode lights up in different colors to show at a glance which training zone you are in according to your heart rate and to avoid looking at the display for a particular metric. In total, there are 5 different colors to indicate different training zones.
Blue-green light is for gentle training or warm-up (50%-60% of maximum heart rate).
Yellow light for fat burning (60%-70% of FCmax)
Orange light indicates that you are in endurance or cardiovascular zone (70%-80% of FCmax).
Purple light, indicates that you are in anaerobic zone (80%-90% of FCmax).
Red light, which is in dangerous heart rate zone (90%-100% of HRmax).
The "TicMotion" function to detect a workout: It identifies if you are walking, running or cycling automatically, for example, if for at least 5 minutes you walk fast the watch will vibrate, identify that it is a walk and start to track it in real time, in the same way if it detects that you have stopped at a certain time, it will end the tracking automatically and generate the exercise log. If you are running it will start tracking after 3 minutes.
The estimated time needed to recover from the activity: Provides an estimate of how long it will take you to fully recover and be ready for your next workout of the same intensity. Recovery time can range from 0 hours to 4 days. As you log more activities, it will learn more about your overall fitness level, giving you a more accurate recovery time.
The Sports & Health platform: Accessed from h.mobvoi.com, it shows all the activities that have been recorded from the mobile, statistics and you can make comparisons with other workouts.
The "One Tap Measurement" app provides in 90 seconds, 5 metrics at once (heart rate, blood oxygen, respiratory rate, stress and an overall heart health score).
The apps "TicBarometer" and "TicCompass": The first one measures the atmospheric pressure changes and the altitude where you are, and the second one is a very functional compass. Interestingly TWP3 has also barometric sensor and compass, but they didn't include official apps for these sensors, you had to use third party apps.
I don't know what they have done, but clearly, they have improved Google's Gboard keyboard, despite the size of the keyboard now you get without barely correct all the time, when I was typing in TWP3 it was agonic, you can clearly notice the difference.
The Bluetooth handsfree calls, works very well, you hear and are heard correctly. Very useful if you have your hands busy or you are doing sports. Also, the contact book of your phone is synchronized with the watch and you can make calls to any contact.
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Other considerations:
With the strap they have changed from the 22mm size used on all previous TicWatch Pro models to a new 24mm size. The 24mm strap size somewhat limits the choice of third-party straps, though there is availability of course, plus it's not a proprietary design as the Pixel Watch strap system is. They can be perfectly interchangeable, as it uses a classic spring pin system and you can put on any strap with that width.
There is no LTE version of the watch, nor have they communicated anything regarding an upcoming release, however, it is possible that Mobvoi will release an LTE version of the watch in a couple of months in the same way they did with TicWatch Pro 3 in 2020 and TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra in 2021, where they released LTE version, 2-3 months after the GPS version.
TicWatch Pro 5 (and all other watches with Wear OS 3) no longer use the "Wear OS by Google" app on the phone as a companion app. Each watch manufacturer will now provide its own app. TWP5's is "Mobvoi Health" which in addition to helping pair the phone to the watch, manage health and fitness, you will find typical stats, such as steps, heart rate and sleep, as well as workouts.
All the functions and apps of the watch work completely with any Android 8 or higher watch, that is, practically all Android phones. In addition, I believe it can also be paired to an iPhone (I don't know how it does it), but from what I've read not all of its functions are available, for example, it misses out on the quick response, reserved for Android phones.
With Wear OS 3 you gain compatibility with apps that in Wear OS 2 you can't use, I highlight 3 apps: Google Home, Deezer and Strava.
For now, the Google Assistant is not included, it is possible that this lack is caused by a Google/Samsung exclusivity agreement as other models such as Fossil Gen 6 which is updated to Wear OS 3 since last October does not carry it either.
Using the watch for daily use and workouts I found that the heart rate and GPS tracking were on par with other watches such as Garmin. I went for a run with the TicWatch Pro 5 and Garmin's Forerunner 255, and although the Mobvoi watch took a little longer than the Garmin to latch onto my location, it positioned well once it did.

This is useful information . Thank you
I am waiting for my ticwatch 5 pro to be delivered at present i have Samsung Watch3,4 classic,5 pro. wanted more internal memory
which samsung arrogantly refuses to give.
I would like to know if you have tried sideloading the Google assistant apk from Samsung watch 4 or 5

Nice hints. I'll wait for LTE version and consinder upgrading from my TWP3U then.
By the way, recently I came to know that the updated version of our beloved FeelTheWear app has been released: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lavaray.feelthewear2&hl=en_US
It's still limited in features comparing the version for WearOS 2, but it's definitely worth to keep an eye on

kingwicked said:
This is useful information . Thank you
I am waiting for my ticwatch 5 pro to be delivered at present i have Samsung Watch3,4 classic,5 pro. wanted more internal memory
which samsung arrogantly refuses to give.
I would like to know if you have tried sideloading the Google assistant apk from Samsung watch 4 or 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have Galaxy Watch 4/5, however I don't think it can be migrated, I'm sure someone has tried it with Fossil Gen 6 which has been on the market for a while and is in the same situation as Ticwatch Pro 5. If the migration would have been successful they would have reported it. on the forums.