Which network mode is more power efficient: LTE 4G or GSM 3G? I assume using a 4G network uses more power even if you don't use the data connection, as from the little I understand about mobile networks - the frequency/encoding is completely different to 3G.
When I have "LTE/WCDMA/GSM (auto connect)" network mode active on my phone, I typically get 0-1 bars signal. But with "WCDMA/GSM (auto connect)" mode, my phone consistently has 4 bars signal.
Does the way Android handles network connections require less power when there is a stronger network signal - whether the connection is LTE or WCDMA or GSM - (I am thinking something like the network connection refresh rate might be dependant on the signal strength?!), or does the technology behind 4G simply require more power to keep connected and it doesn't matter what OS version you are using?
In case it's relevant, I'm using Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (SM-N910C) on stock Android 5.0.1.