Backlight Bug 2.50.26
-
There is a fairly significant bug within software 2.50.26 that causes the backlight behavior to change when starting an activity. This has been documented in several places (here, here, here, here, and here among others) and affects all models, AMOLED and MIP. The issue is caused by entering any activity start screen (you do not need to start the activity) and occurs ~50% of the time.
–
For MIP screens (9PP and SV1):
After selecting an activity and entering the start/options screen, raise-to-wake will activate even if this option is turned off in the watch settings. This can be confirmed by simply waiting for the backlight to turn off (~8 seconds) and then performing a wrist flick. Raise-to-wake will then remain on for the duration of the activity.
There is a second issue where the backlight will remain ON after backing out of the activity start screen. That is, if raise-to-wake was activated by entering the start screen, and you then back out to the watch face without starting the activity, the backlight will remain ON permanently, even after inactivity (8 seconds) or the watch entering the lower power state (1 minute after interaction when touch is turned off and the second hand disappears). This will, of course, cause significant battery drain if it goes unnoticed.
Once the backlight has been activated by the bug, the only way to turn it off is by toggling the watch’s settings ON and then OFF again either in [ Control Panel > Backlight ] or in [ Settings > General > Display > Standby ].
For AMOLED screens (all Race models and SV2):
I do not own one, but the behavior has been described in the thread here: https://forum.suunto.com/topic/14477/
–
As stated above, this issue does not occur every time you start an activity. From my observations, it will happen about half the time. Others have seen it occur closer to 80% of the time.
Please share your experience if you have also encountered this bug.
-
D duffman19 referenced this topic
-
I wrote the following concerning this issue on another thread earlier today. I should stress that at times, particularly at night when snowing or otherwise with poor visibility, I was totally dependent on watch navigation to keep me on the Pennine Way trail itself:
Re software 2.50.26: During last week’s Spine Challenger North I found that, after maybe a day of continuous tracking, when I had the navigation screen showing the backlight would turn on, often at high intensity, if I apparently raised my wrist - but I had disabled this function under General Settings and confirmed this post-event. Wrist raises occurred often because of the terrain so the backlight kept turning on. This caused me great concern because of the obvious effect on battery life and the need for good navigation at night up on the mountains in bad weather.
-
I can confirm the bug with a SVTS and that the brigthness with this bug seems to be set to high, when the screen light up of course.
I also would like that Suunto takes advantage of this bug and makes it a feature, of course well implemented. I want raise to “light up” ONLY in activities. This was a feature in the last firmwares of the S9B (was eliminated in the last firmware) and still present in the last firmware of the S5P. I do not want ilumination during the day. The ones that use to run at night or early in the mornings will welcome this feature a lot.
-
I’ve discovered an additional behavior of this bug. It seems that, even if you start an activity and the backlight/AOD is behaving normally, at some point during the activity the raise-to-wake feature will activate on its own.
My initial impressions suggested that the bug was only activated randomly when entering an activity start screen. Now, I’ve noticed that even after starting an activity with the backlight behaving normally (no raise-to-wake, backlight off), after some unspecified time period, raise-to-wake will suddenly be on. I can’t confirm how long into an activity this occurs since I usually do not even look at my watch after starting, but it is always there by the end. So the bug is not the result of some sort of user input, but happens on its own.
@dimitrios-kanellopoulos @pavel.samokha Is there a reason why Suunto has yet to acknowledge this issue?
-
@duffman19 said in Backlight Bug 2.50.26:
I’ve discovered an additional behavior of this bug. It seems that, even if you start an activity and the backlight/AOD is behaving normally, at some point during the activity the raise-to-wake feature will activate on its own.
My initial impressions suggested that the bug was only activated randomly when entering an activity start screen. Now, I’ve noticed that even after starting an activity with the backlight behaving normally (no raise-to-wake, backlight off), after some unspecified time period, raise-to-wake will suddenly be on. I can’t confirm how long into an activity this occurs since I usually do not even look at my watch after starting, but it is always there by the end. So the bug is not the result of some sort of user input, but happens on its own.
@dimitrios-kanellopoulos @pavel.samokha Is there a reason why Suunto has yet to acknowledge this issue?
In my case (Race 2), the behavior is exactly the opposite: I have AOD disabled and “Raise and Wake” enabled. During the activity, the screen stays on as if AOD were active. If I pause the activity, R&W works correctly again. During the activity, when I skip Autolaps, sometimes the screen turns off again after 8 seconds. Outside of the activity, everything works correctly, so I’m sure it’s a software issue and only happens during activity. This hasn’t happened with Vertical or Race S.
-
@jjpaz It’s definitely a software issue. The effects are probably based on watch model and individual screen settings. What’s clear is that starting an activity will, at some point, cause your settings to change. With MIP, the raise-to-wake and backlight brightness change. With AMOLED, AOD and the timing of raise-to-wake seem to be affected.
@jjpaz Are you sure you haven’t seen the issue on your Vertical? I can reproduce it every time on mine. The easiest way to spot it is by going into an activity start screen, waiting for the backlight to turn off after inactivity (~8 seconds) and then do a wrist flick to see if that activates the backlight. If it doesn’t, back out to the activities menu, select a different activity, and try again. I usually see it within the first two or three attempts. This is with raise-to-wake turned off in general settings.
My hope is that this is the beginning of giving us more specific screen controls on a per-activity basis. It just seems that they forgot to actually give us the settings options as of yet.
-
@duffman19 I have the problem you described on my Vertical.
