Congratulations, Google!

[Old Stoneface]

Well, Google: Congratulations.

Back when I had my HTC Sensation 4G, Google Play Services was a constant battery drain annoyance. So I essentially shut off every battery-sucking Google-related feature and service I could, hobbling all the Wonderful Google Features™, just so the phone would make it through the day with some reserve.

Then I got a brand spanking new Motorola Moto G LTE. Imagine my delight when I found I didn't have to turn all the Wonderful Google Stuff™ off. I could go through an entire day of light use and still have 70-80% battery life left. I could just, you know: Use the device. It was ab-so-lutely wonderful!

Then I made the mistake of activating Google Now. That lasted about a week, then your Wonderful Google Drek™ started sucking the battery dry. Killed-off Google Now, restarted the phone, and all was again right with the world. "Well, I could have known," I said to myself. "Won't make that mistake again."

That was a month--two months ago? No change to anything, since then, but, all-of-a-sudden, starting a couple days ago: Yup, you guessed it: Google Play Services again consuming excessive battery.

So I've again disabled every last Wonderful Google Leech™ application, service and feature I could, thus hobbling my new phone.

Good job, Google.

 

[gone down south]

Why does everyone flip out about battery usage so much? Plug the damn thing in when you're at your desk or in the car, your phone will last forever.

 

[Almeuit]

I keep all Google services on, including Google Now, and do not have the drain you speak of. That sucks that you have those issues!

 

[Old Stoneface]

Why does everyone flip out about battery usage so much?

I'm "flipping out" about it because it's a reflection of poor software design and coding.

One of the very same reasons, I would note, I shun Microsoft products and the garbageware that runs on them.

Plug the damn thing in when you're at your desk or in the car, your phone will last forever.

And if you're not at home, at your desk or in your car for long periods of time, just "live with it?"

Perhaps the fact that it's supposed to be a portable device has escaped your attention?

 

[grydlok]

I keep all Google services on, including Google Now, and do not have the drain you speak of. That sucks that you have those issues!

Same here,

Nothing I shoot ever gets back up again

 

[unfrozendreams]

I keep all Google services on, including Google Now, and do not have the drain you speak of. That sucks that you have those issues!

 

[dann127]

I have Google Services on constantly as well. I do keep Google Play Services and Google Search on a blacklist in Watchdog though. It kills them when they hit more than 15% of my CPU. Occasionally Play services gets killed but I've never really seen it cause a major hit in battery. Doing something similar might help your problem!

 

[cherrybean]

Waiting for an excellent Android5.0 smartphone :-$

 

[Javier P]

That was a month--two months ago? No change to anything, since then, but, all-of-a-sudden, starting a couple days ago: Yup, you guessed it: Google Play Services again consuming excessive battery.

Most battery drains from Play services are related to Location problems. It could be from Google apps like Now or something else. If you really like Google Now, before disabling it confirm that there's not another app going wild and checking your location every second.

The second step could be disabling location services for a couple of days and see if your battery life gets better. Just to narrow where the problem is.

Other things related to that drain could be Google syncs and backups. I know, you shouldn't go through this kind of work with a new phone, but ....

Try just one thing at a time until you find the real culprit. As some people said before, they use the good Google things without problems. It's just a question of pining the bugger


Good luck, and report back.