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Android-O-Feature

Every twelvemonth, without fail, both Apple and Google declare that the latest version of their operating system contains additional improvements that will save bombardment life and improve performance. In reality, these gains tend to be application or task-specific, which is to say that some users, in some cases, tin meet improved battery life. With Android Oreo, however, Google is making a concerted effort to cleft downwards on programmer practices that dramatically reduce performance and whack battery life even in standby mode.

Nosotros discussed some of these changes several months ago, merely now that Oreo is in the wild nosotros know more about how they'll work. Going forrard, the types of applications that are allowed to run in the groundwork will be restricted. Apps volition no longer be able to constantly ping location data or to get-go new services while in the background. Sound playback and presumably turn-past-turn navigation are exceptions to these policies — Android can still play music or give directions while y'all're using your phone for other tasks. SMS letters are likewise still delivered immediately, even if running as a background service. Apps tin all the same remain agile in the groundwork if necessary (SMS messaging, music), but will have to brandish a notification that they are running to do and then.

Instead of simply relying on background service calls, app developers are encouraged to employ Android's job scheduler, which can group multiple jobs for simultaneous execution to ameliorate overall functioning and theoretically apply less battery. Google has also changed how it handles implicit broadcasts; we covered this topic in some detail earlier this year. Applications volition no longer be able to employ wakelocks (a lock that keeps the telephone awake and doing piece of work) to keep a phone awake indefinitely. Once your process moves to the background, wakelocks volition be released, assuasive the phone to idle properly.

Why Google is Cleaning House

The post-obit graph (released during Google I/O earlier this year) shows why Google is great down on background applications. The left-hand graph shows how long a device tin last on battery with the screen off. Equally more apps are installed, overall battery life drops. By the 4-8 month mark the device has lost viii%per centum of its bombardment. Meanwhile, the ratio of 700ms frames out of every thousand frames has jumped from 2.17 to 3.48.

This might non seem like a big deal. But human beings are sensitive to lag and the sudden jerks and starts that can plague a phone UI. In the grand scheme of things, 3-4 frames out of every thousand seems similar a minor error rate, but those iii-iv slow frames tin dominate how people perceive UI functioning. Google wants to crack downward on this problem and push developers to use organization resources more than intelligently.

BatteryLife

Battery life on the left, UI stutters caused by apps demanding attending on the right.

Go along in mind, however, that these gains and restrictions are being enforced on developers that target Oreo. If an application is meant for other versions of Android, the same restrictions aren't in play. That'due south significant considering of how long information technology takes Android to ringlet out on new devices. Google may have launched Oreo already, but you won't see it on aircraft devices for months. That'due south a problem Android has been dealing with for years, however, and not something new with Oreo.

Once the OS does gain a foothold, stop users should be able to look forwards to at least modestly improved performance and battery life in some areas — provided, of course, that your carrier offers an update to the Os. More details on groundwork execution and implicit broadcast changes are available in this Medium post.

Now read: 25 Best Android Tips to Brand Your Phone More Useful