Hi, I'm the developer of the Always-On family of apps. The apps display information like speed, pace, and heart rate while keeping the device awake. They all have features that minimize power consumption and prevent screen burn-in. Although I use the apps regularly myself and patch bugs as soon as I find them, many features and improvements have been implemented based on user feedback and feature requests, so I'm hoping I will get even more feedback on this forum. The posts to follow will contain app descriptions and screenshots. All the apps except Always-On Speed Pro have demo versions.
Note: the iOS version of Galaxy Store does not have paid apps. Unfortunately, there is only one way to install paid apps and it requires an Android phone and a couple of full resets of the watch. It should take around 10 minutes to get the paid apps you want running on your Samsung smartwatch paired with your iPhone:
0. Back up your smartwatch: on your phone, open the Galaxy Wearable app → About Gear → Back Up and Restore → Back Up Data.
1. Pair your watch with an Android phone (borrow one from a friend/family) instead of your iPhone. Note: this will cause a full reset of the smartwatch.
2. On the Android phone, sign into Galaxy Store using your Samsung account (the same one you used on your iPhone).
3. Purchase the apps you need in Galaxy Store on the Android phone, install them just in case. Make sure to check out my other apps not available on the iPhone, like Always-On Speed Pro or White Light Pro.
3.1 (optional). Rate the app.
4. Pair the watch with your iPhone again (this will cause another reset).
5. Restore your smartwatch to the previous state: on your phone, open the Galaxy Wearable app → About Gear → Back Up and Restore → Restore Data.
6. On your iPhone, go to Galaxy Store → Menu (three dots in the search bar, top-right corner) → select "My page" → "All". You should now see the apps you purchased and be able to reinstall them on your Galaxy watch paired with your iPhone.
Always-On Speed [Current Version: 5.2.0; Size: 266 KB; Price: $1; free demo version is available]
The application shows the following metrics while keeping the device awake:
• Speed in km/h, m/s, miles/h, or knots.
• Average and maximum speed for the last 60 seconds.
• Direction of movement (heading) in cardinal points and degrees (shown only when moving).
• Current time in hours and minutes.
Please read the following information before using the app:
• Swipe left to open Settings. Here you can change the unit of speed, speed limit, time format, font color and thickness, and screen orientation.
• Speed limit shortcut: tap the speed indicator once and use the bezel to set the speed limit.
• You will receive visual, audio, and tactile warnings when you exceed the speed limit. You can adjust the alert volume and vibration in Settings.
• Swipe up to change the font color to white and increase the font thickness for maximum readability under direct sunlight. Expect a higher power consumption.
• Press the Back button once to check the power consumption.
• The accuracy depends on cloud cover and your speed. The accuracy is very high when the sky is clear and your speed exceeds 20 km/h or 12 mph.
• The values are updated more frequently (every second instead of two seconds) if you use an activity tracking application on your phone (e.g., Strava or Google Maps).
• Numbers move up and down the screen once a minute to prevent screen burn-in.
• The display stays on until you quit the app.
• The app does not log your activity and does not connect to the Internet.
• This app has a Pro version and a free demo version.
Troubleshooting:
• If you cannot close the app using the Back button, press the Home button two times to get to the list of apps → Recent apps → Close all. Email the developer if this happens every time.
• Disable Samsung Health workout detection for the best, uninterrupted experience. Samsung Health → Settings → Workout detection.
• Make sure that GPS is enabled before starting the app. The app cannot enable GPS on your phone automatically. Note: do not use any power saving modes/apps on your phone because they interfere with GPS.
• If your watch has a built-in GPS, the app can use it but only if you disconnect the watch from your smartphone (for example, by disabling Bluetooth on your phone). Expect a much higher power consumption.
• Please contact the developer if you encounter a bug or if the app does not function as advertised. Feature requests are more than welcome!
There are several features that reduce power consumption:
• The rotating bezel on the Gear S2 and newer smartwatches can be used to adjust the screen brightness. Note: in bright sunlight the brightness level locks at 100% and cannot be adjusted.
• Green font uses half as many sub-pixels as white font, resulting in lower power consumption.
• If you stop moving, the device will start vibrating once a minute so that you don't forget to close the app after finishing your ride.
• Power consumption: < 10%/h. Depends on the watch model and ambient temperature.
• Disabling Bixby wake-up command may further improve battery life.
Always-On Speed Pro - speedometer, heart rate monitor, altimeter, gradient, and compass (heading) [Current Version: 5.3.0; Size: 275 KB; Price: $2.75]
The application shows the following metrics while keeping the device awake:
• Speed in km/h, m/s, miles/h, or knots.
• Average and maximum speed for the last 60 seconds.
• Distance traveled in kilometers, miles, or nautical miles.
• Duration of travel in minutes and seconds. Measured only when the speed exceeds 4 km/h or 2.5 mph.
• Current time in hours and minutes.
• Height above sea level (altitude) in meters or feet. Accuracy (clear sky): ±10m (±30ft) when using GPS (indicated by a dot, e.g. 953m.) and ±1m (±3ft) when using the Altimeter (no dot, e.g. 953m).
• Heart rate in beats per minute. Accuracy: normally very good; restart the sensor if way off. You can check the accuracy yourself before buying using the Always-On Heart Rate (Demo) app.
• Slope gradient (%), averaged over the last 5 or 10 seconds. Note: the accuracy depends on the speed and whether you use GPS or Altimeter to estimate altitude; very low at speeds below 10 km/h when using GPS.
• Battery percentage. Press the Back button once to check the power consumption (% or %/hour).
• Direction of movement (heading) in cardinal points and degrees. Shown only when the speed exceeds 4 km/h or 2.5 mph.
Please read the following information before using the app:
• Swipe left to open Settings. Tap to change the unit of speed or set a speed and heart rate (HRMax) limit.
• Swipe again to open the History tab, which shows the maximum and average values for the whole ride and one-minute intervals (current ride only).
• When riding a flat-bar bicycle, set the 'Screen Rotate' setting to 'left' or 'right' to align the main screen with your eyes.
• Swipe up to change the font color to white and increase the font thickness for maximum readability under direct sunlight. Expect a higher power consumption.
• Tap the speed indicator to zoom in on speed. Tap again to zoom out.
• Switch between heart rate and slope gradient by tapping the heart rate indicator.
• You will receive visual, audio, and tactile warnings when you exceed the speed limit or HRMax. You can adjust the alert volume in the settings.
• The accuracy of GPS-based metrics depends on your speed: the faster you go, the higher the accuracy. The accuracy of all metrics except altitude and gradient is very high at speeds above 20 km/h or 12 mph.
• The values are updated more frequently (every second instead of two seconds) if you use an activity tracking application on your phone (e.g., Strava or Google Maps).
• Numbers move up and down the screen at the start of every minute (e.g., 11:05:00, then at 11:06:00, etc.) to prevent screen burn-in.
• The display stays on until you quit the app.
• The app does not store your activity data and never connects to the Internet.
Two ways to calibrate the Altimeter (do this every time you launch the app or when the weather changes):
• Find out the actual altitude at the location where you start your rides (you can use the topographic/contour maps in MAPS.ME or Osmand on your phone or the pre-installed Alti-Barometer on your watch). Adjust the Pressure at Sea Level (SL) setting in Always-On Speed Pro until the estimated temperature matches the actual air temperature at your location. OR:
• Open Samsung's Alti-Barometer on your watch, tap ↺, then go to Settings → Manual Calibration. Do not enable manual calibrate, just copy the values you see there to Always-On Speed Pro.
Troubleshooting:
• Disable Samsung Health workout detection for the best, uninterrupted experience. Samsung Health → Settings → Workout detection.
• Make sure that GPS is enabled before starting the app. The app cannot enable GPS on your phone automatically. Note: do not use any power saving modes/apps on your phone because they interfere with GPS.
• If your watch has a built-in GPS, the app can use it but only if you disconnect the watch from your smartphone (for example, by disabling Bluetooth on your phone). Expect a much higher power consumption.
• Please contact the developer if you encounter a bug or if the app does not function as advertised. Feature requests are more than welcome!
There are several features that reduce power consumption (12%/h with HRM on and 9%/h with HRM off, as measured on a Galaxy Watch Active 2 44mm):
• The rotating bezel on the Gear S2 and newer smartwatches can be used to adjust the screen brightness. Note: in bright sunlight the brightness level locks at 100% and cannot be adjusted.
• Green font uses half as many sub-pixels as white font, resulting in lower power consumption.
• If you stop moving, the device will vibrate once a minute so that you don't forget to close the app after finishing your ride.
• Note: power consumption varies greatly depending on the ambient temperature.
• Disabling Bixby wake-up command may further improve battery life.
Always-On Heart Rate [Current Version: 5.2.0; Size: 271 KB; Price: $1.5; free demo version is available]
The application shows the following metrics while keeping the device awake:
• Heart rate in beats per minute.
• Time in hours and minutes.
• Duration in minutes and seconds.
• Average and maximum heart rate for the last 60 seconds.
• Battery percentage. Press the Back button once to check the power consumption (% or %/hour).
• History tab shows stats for the current workout: maximum and average heart rate for 1-minute intervals and for the whole workout.
Please read the following information before using the app:
• The app has a free demo version.
• Disable S Health workout detection for the best, uninterrupted experience.
• Wait (usually 5 - 10 seconds) until the app starts showing your heart rate. Do not start your workout before that to ensure accurate readings.
• Restart or pause/resume the app if it shows double the actual heart rate.
• Swipe left to open Settings. Swipe left again to open the History tab.
• Optimize your workout by setting your HRmax and HRmin. The app will produce visual, audio, and tactile warnings every 2 seconds when your heart rate exceeds the HRmax limit (or drops below HRmin). Google "HRmax" to find out how to determine your maximum heart rate.
• Set HRmin to 95% of your resting HR and the app will wake you up when you fall asleep.
• Tap the heart rate indicator to zoom in.
• Swipe up to change the font color and thickness. Note: the app consumes 10 - 20% more power when using the white font.
• All values are updated once a second, except for battery percentage and time (once a minute).
• The display stays on until you quit the app.
• If you have a complaint about the accuracy of the heart rate monitor, please direct it to Samsung. The app simply displays the values provided by the operating system.
• Numbers move up or down the screen in the first second of every minute (e.g., 11:05:00, then 11:06:00, etc.) to prevent screen burn-in.
• No internet connection or GPS is required.
• Power consumption: 8%/hour (measured on a Galaxy Watch Active 2 44mm).
There are several features that reduce power consumption:
• The rotating bezel on the Gear S2 and newer smartwatches can be used to adjust the screen brightness. Note: in bright sunlight the brightness level locks at 100% and cannot be adjusted.
• Only green subpixels are used, resulting in much lower power consumption compared to white font.
• The watch will vibrate if your heart rate does not go above 100 bpm for 5 consecutive minutes, in case the app was launched accidentally or you forgot to close it.
Always-On Pace [Current Version: 2.4.0; Size: 127 KB; Price: $1; free demo version is available]
The application shows the following metrics while keeping the device awake:
• Pace in minutes per kilometer or minutes per mile; calculated based on your speed of movement in the last three seconds.
• Current time in hours and minutes.
• Average pace for the last 60 seconds (wait one minute for the first correct value).
Please read the following information before using the app:
• Tap the pace indicator three times at an interval of at least one second to change the unit of speed (min/km → min/mi). The app will remember your choice next time you launch it.
• Change the time format between 12h and 24h by tapping the time indicator.
• Swipe up to change the font color to white and increase the font thickness for maximum readability under direct sunlight. Expect a higher power consumption.
• The display stays on until you quit the app.
• "Move" means you are not moving fast enough.
• The app does not log your activity.
• Make sure that GPS is enabled before starting the app. The app cannot enable GPS on your phone or watch automatically.
• If your watch has a built-in GPS, the app can use it but only if you disconnect the watch from your smartphone (e.g., by disabling Bluetooth on your phone). This inconvenience is caused by a bug in the operating system and not in the app itself.
• Numbers move up and down the screen once a minute to prevent screen burn-in.
• No internet connection is required.
There are several features that reduce power consumption:
• The rotating bezel on the Gear S2 and S3 can be used to adjust the screen brightness. Note: in bright sunlight the brightness level locks at 100% and cannot be adjusted.
• Only green subpixels are used, resulting in three times lower power consumption compared to white font.
• If you stop moving, the device will start vibrating every 60 seconds so that you don't forget to close the app after finishing your run.
Updated app descriptions
Always-On Speed Pro v4.0 is out:
• Swipe left to open Settings.
• Tap the speed indicator to zoom in.
• Something folks riding flat-bar bicycles will appreciate: rotate the main screen left (90° clockwise) or right (90° counterclockwise) to align it with your eyes.
• Change font color and thickness to improve screen readability under direct sunlight.
See the updated description and screenshots for more info.
Always-On Speed Pro v4.2 is out:
• New gesture: swipe up to quickly change the font color and thickness for maximum readability under direct sunlight.
• New units: speed in knots and distance in nautical miles.
• Bug fixes.
All apps will be 50% off (or less in some countries due to store restrictions) from Black Friday (2018-11-23) to Cyber Monday (2018-11-26) :laugh:
Because a lot of iPhone users ask me why they only see the demo versions in the Galaxy Apps store, I added a quick guide on how to install paid apps in the first post
New updates:
Always-On Speed and Always-On Speed Pro (Version 4.4.0):
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Active support: it is now possible to adjust speed limit, HRMax (Pro only), and volume on watches with no rotating bezel.
• US-friendly speed limit adjustment: no more fractions!
• Other UX improvements and bug fixes.
Always-On Hear Rate (Version 4.0.0):
• Always-On UX 3.0: gesture navigation and settings screen (swipe left to open Settings).
• New feature: swipe up to change font color and thickness. Note: white font consumes more power.
• New feature: one-minute average.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Active support: it is now possible to set HRmax and alert volume on smartwatches with no rotating bezel.
Not so new updates:
Always-On Hear Rate (Version 4.2.0):
• New feature: tap the HR indicator to zoom in.
• Triple tap returns! Tap the duration indicator three times to reset the counter.
• New option in Settings: turn inactivity warning on or off.
• New feature: set a minimum heart rate to maintain your target heart rate between HR Min and HR Max.
Always-On Pace (Version 2.4.0):
• New feature: swipe up to change the font color and thickness for increased visibility under direct sunlight.
• Bug fixes.
New features coming to Always-On Heart Rate and Always-On Speed Pro in 2020:
• Workout history.
• More customization options.
By the way, all the apps are on sale (up to 50% off, depending on the lowest price allowed for each particular country) till January 1st.
After almost a year, I finally got time to work on the apps! Big updates are coming soon!
In the meantime, all the apps will be 60% off (or less in some countries due to store restrictions) from Black Friday (2020-11-27) to Cyber Monday (2020-11-30)!
Always-On Heart Rate, Always-On Speed, and Always-On Speed Pro have all been updated to Version 5.2.0. To celebrate this, all of them will be on sale from Oct 2 to Oct 8 (up to 50% off, depending on the country).
Please note that these apps are not yet compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and other Wear OS smartwatches. I need to rewrite them in a different programming language, and that will take a while.
A new update is out for Always-On Speed Pro (v5.3.0). This update brings a major new feature that makes the app massively more useful for cyclists: altimeter. Altimeter shows barometer-based altitude (±1m if properly calibrated) and gradient, which are way more accurate than GPS-based altitude (±10m) and gradient. Please read the updated app description and screenshots on how to enable and calibrate the altimeter. I'd greatly appreciate any feedback.
If you want to try new features weeks before everyone else, please email me to register as a beta tester.
Always-On Speed is finally available on the Galaxy Watch 4 and other Wear OS (including Wear OS 2.0) smartwatches. See this thread for more detail: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...and-compass-that-keeps-the-screen-on.4431331/
This update adds the Huawei GPU Turbo acceleration technology and Master AI mode to Camera, and introduces Super slow-mo, which allows you to capture key moments at up to 960 frames per second.
[System]
Adds the Huawei GPU Turbo acceleration technology. You can now enjoy smoother gaming. It's recommended that you enable Game acceleration in Game Suite for a better gaming experience.
Improves the functionality of Huawei Cloud Computer in Easy Projection mode. It is now enabled in full screen by default and supports keyboard shortcuts.
[Camera]
Adds Master AI mode, which automatically optimizes camera settings for different scenarios.
Adds the 4D predictive focus feature. You can now capture clearer images in fast moving scenarios.
Super slow-mo, which allows you to capture key moments at up to 960 frames per second.
Adds AR lens mode with rich gestures and 3D virtual effects, offering a better experience when taking photos and recording videos.
Adds multiple 3D lighting effects to Portrait mode for more artistic shots.
Optimizes the UI layout, making switching modes and accessing settings a lot easier.
[Smart services]
Improves the Scan feature, now allowing you to shop, compare prices, solve problems, and more. (Single-key navigation needs to be enabled first in Settings).
[Gallery]
Enhances the system's ability to identify people in photos for improved accuracy in Highlights, search results, and the People album.
Adds support for voice search in Gallery. You can now search photos and videos by time, location, and tag.
[Security]
Integrates Google security patches released in Jul 2018 for improved system security.
Update notes:
1. This update will not erase your personal data, but we recommend that you back up any important data before updating.
2. If you encounter any issues, you can go to HiCare, Huawei Club, or call the official VIP helpline at 400-930-9300.
3. GPU Turbo is currently only adapted to parts of games.
ZetolFox said:
This update adds the Huawei GPU Turbo acceleration technology and Master AI mode to Camera, and introduces Super slow-mo, which allows you to capture key moments at up to 960 frames per second.
[System]
Adds the Huawei GPU Turbo acceleration technology. You can now enjoy smoother gaming. It's recommended that you enable Game acceleration in Game Suite for a better gaming experience.
Improves the functionality of Huawei Cloud Computer in Easy Projection mode. It is now enabled in full screen by default and supports keyboard shortcuts.
[Camera]
Adds Master AI mode, which automatically optimizes camera settings for different scenarios.
Adds the 4D predictive focus feature. You can now capture clearer images in fast moving scenarios.
Super slow-mo, which allows you to capture key moments at up to 960 frames per second.
Adds AR lens mode with rich gestures and 3D virtual effects, offering a better experience when taking photos and recording videos.
Adds multiple 3D lighting effects to Portrait mode for more artistic shots.
Optimizes the UI layout, making switching modes and accessing settings a lot easier.
[Smart services]
Improves the Scan feature, now allowing you to shop, compare prices, solve problems, and more. (Single-key navigation needs to be enabled first in Settings).
[Gallery]
Enhances the system's ability to identify people in photos for improved accuracy in Highlights, search results, and the People album.
Adds support for voice search in Gallery. You can now search photos and videos by time, location, and tag.
[Security]
Integrates Google security patches released in Jul 2018 for improved system security.
Update notes:
1. This update will not erase your personal data, but we recommend that you back up any important data before updating.
2. If you encounter any issues, you can go to HiCare, Huawei Club, or call the official VIP helpline at 400-930-9300.
3. GPU Turbo is currently only adapted to parts of games.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is the model number of your device and what region?? Did u get an OTA?
Sent from my BLA-A09 using Tapatalk
shreyashmalani said:
What is the model number of your device and what region?? Did u get an OTA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My model is BLA-L29 .The OTA is only avaibile for the BLA-TL00. I am sure that the 8.1 will come in August
I might be thick, but where does it say that this is also the update to 8.1?
DerZwen said:
I might be thick, but where does it say that this is also the update to 8.1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check it in firmware finder for BLA-TL00
This is a pretty unpopular opinion but I like Motion Interpolation. I had it on an old LG tablet and just tried it in an apps video player (mpv) and it works great on my Samsung Tab S7+ and S21 Ultra.
Is it possible to create a system wide motion Interpolation Module that matches content to the refresh rate or a set refresh rate? I'd literally pay money for a full fledged working module (it's that important to me)
SyCoREAPER said:
This is a pretty unpopular opinion but I like Motion Interpolation. I had it on an old LG tablet and just tried it in an apps video player (mpv) and it works great on my Samsung Tab S7+ and S21 Ultra.
Is it possible to create a system wide motion Interpolation Module that matches content to the refresh rate or a set refresh rate? I'd literally pay money for a full fledged working module (it's that important to me)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this, works great for 1080p if you have powerfull enough device
SVPlayer - watch in 60+ fps - Apps on Google Play
A video player with real-time motion interpolation (SVP, MEMC, smooth motion)
play.google.com
serraxer said:
Try this, works great for 1080p if you have powerfull enough device
SVPlayer - watch in 60+ fps - Apps on Google Play
A video player with real-time motion interpolation (SVP, MEMC, smooth motion)
play.google.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not system wide and performance was terrible. Thanks for chiming in though. mpv does what svp does for free
Youtube app not supporting 120 hz, is there anyway to enable it? Miui 12.5.8
Are there any videos on YouTube, with higher fps than 60?
Go to settings > Apps > Manage Apps and search Battery and Optimisation (click search all if can't find) then probably you will find the app. Then click in and clear data, viola you get 120Hz on YouTube smoother scrolling
I noticed that Snapchat constantly runs at 60 hz and also if you use the google maps pop up and scroll through other apps while having it open on the screen, it runs at 60 hz.
Is there any mod/app which forces 144 hz in every situation?
i think that is app issue due most apps are not really optimized for runs more than 60Hz
You can force it to 144Hz under Display > Display refresh rate.
However, forcing the screen to 144Hz may cause unnecessary stutter. Many app/games run smoother in 60fps which they're designed for. If the video content is in 30fps, it plays smoother at a multiple of the frame rate - like 60/120hz.
Use Motos gaming app, I am forcing snap and maps with that