title: iPhone: Battery Efficient way of Realtime GPS Reporting
body: <h2>What I want to do:</h2>
  
  <p>I want to have my iPhone to frequently (formally defined later) upload my GPS location to a central server. I want to do this in the most battery efficient way.</p>
  
  <h2>Research I'm aware of:</h2>
  
  <p>Apple Documentation:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/CoreLocation/Reference/CLLocation_Class/CLLocation/CLLocation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40007126" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/CoreLocation/Reference/CLLocation_Class/CLLocation/CLLocation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40007126</a></p>
  
  <p>Stack Overflow Links:</p>
  
  <p>Response 1</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Response: proof of existence; some other tool can do it</p>
    
    <p><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7646170/how-to-reduce-iphone-battery-consumption-while-using-gps">How to reduce iPhone battery consumption while using GPS</a></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Response 2</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Response: track only cell tower changes</p>
    
    <p><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8689626/iphone-gps-battery-draining-extremely-fast">iPhone GPS - Battery Draining Extremely Fast </a></p>
    
    <p><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7349417/iphone-running-periodical-process-in-the-background-battery-optimized-way">iPhone running periodical process in the background - battery optimized way</a></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <h2>Question</h2>
  
  <p>My question is a bit vague in that my definition of "frequently" is really dependent on what the battery life can tolerate. For example, if the battery can take updates of every 5 minutes, I'd like to do it every five minutes; if the battery could do this every 10 seconds, I'd like to do it every 10 seconds.</p>
  
  <p>I really want to understand</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>the different ways (change on significant location, timer, background?) continuously uploading GPS locations can be implemented</li>
  <li>advantages / disadvantages</li>
  <li>approximately how long the battery life can last in each case</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>This seems like a fairly generic and common problem. Does anyone know of either:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>an in depth analysis of the various methods</li>
  <li>or if there is a single "optimal" way to do this?</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>[Moderators: feel free to mark this comment wiki. I'd love to just get lots of different answers + cost benefit analysis of them.]</p>