Moto X: Why is my OS usage so high?

eric002

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
7,151
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Your phones charge will always drain. The battery stats is just what is counting it. When your phone sits idle the OS will drain it. When you are using your phone, something else will, most likely the screen, and any app that refreshes a lot.

right no i understand that, but what i'm saying is that, sometimes, that battery drains much slower rather than what happened today. whereas if i check it mid day at work instead of being depleated to 56% it would just be drained to 75 or 80%. i'm just wondering why.
 

thunderup

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2011
412
3
18
Visit site
In my opinion, high Android OS usage is normal for this phone, but not for Android in general. I just looked at my Nexus 7 and it has been off the charger for 22h and 41m with only 16m of screen on time and "Tablet idle" is tops in the battery usage stats, just as I would expect with such little usage. Android OS is reporting only 10% of the battery usage.

Before this phone I had a RAZR Maxx HD and if it sat idle for a long period of time, "Phone idle" would always be tops in the list. Android OS was always in the 5-10% range. Now, maybe it's something as simple as the Moto X lumping things in with Android OS that other devices report elsewhere, I don't know. But I think there's definitely something on this phone that prevents it from going into deep sleep.
 

Golfdriver97

Trusted Member Team Leader
Moderator
Dec 4, 2012
35,364
110
63
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

right no i understand that, but what i'm saying is that, sometimes, that battery drains much slower rather than what happened today. whereas if i check it mid day at work instead of being depleated to 56% it would just be drained to 75 or 80%. i'm just wondering why.

Other things like signal strength come into play. A cellphone will kill itself trying to maintain a weak signal.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app
 

eric002

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
7,151
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Other things like signal strength come into play. A cellphone will kill itself trying to maintain a weak signal.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

um ok well i suppose that i'll just have to play around with my phone a little bit more during the day to see if i can get less drainage which i know is possible because it's usually absolutely fine.
 

Tom in Bristol

Well-known member
Sep 8, 2011
589
36
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

I notice in your screenshot in your original post that you were on WiFi...take a look at Settings>tap on the 'Wi-Fi' and on the next screen, tap on the 3-dots lower right (overflow), tap on Advanced>be sure Network notification is un-checked so that the phone won't continually be awake while it scans for open networks. If you ever really want to scan for a short time go in and check it temporarily.
I only have WiFi notifications and WiFi optimization checked on that screen (and only seldom use WiFi).

Here are two screenshots from a day with heavy use:
Battery1.png
Battery2.png
 

eric002

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
7,151
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

I notice in your screenshot in your original post that you were on WiFi...take a look at Settings>tap on the 'Wi-Fi' and on the next screen, tap on the 3-dots lower right (overflow), tap on Advanced>be sure Network notification is un-checked so that the phone won't continually be awake while it scans for open networks. If you ever really want to scan for a short time go in and check it temporarily.
I only have WiFi notifications and WiFi optimization checked on that screen (and only seldom use WiFi).

yeah on my phone, the advanced settings for wifi are completely turned off. that does save some battery for sure...

Here are two screenshots from a day with heavy use:
View attachment 107652
View attachment 107653
 

sharkita

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2013
549
0
16
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Other things like signal strength come into play. A cellphone will kill itself trying to maintain a weak signal.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

Absolutely true. I have a strong signal both at home and at work, and with my usual phone habits I can go two days before having to put mine on the charger. While visiting family recently, however, the signal was poor and it was hard to get through the day without having to charge once and sometimes twice. It made a huge difference.
 

globster2000

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2013
416
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

I notice in your screenshot in your original post that you were on WiFi...take a look at Settings>tap on the 'Wi-Fi' and on the next screen, tap on the 3-dots lower right (overflow), tap on Advanced>be sure Network notification is un-checked so that the phone won't continually be awake while it scans for open networks. If you ever really want to scan for a short time go in and check it temporarily.
I only have WiFi notifications and WiFi optimization checked on that screen (and only seldom use WiFi).

Here are two screenshots from a day with heavy use:
View attachment 107652
View attachment 107653

Do you use chrome or Facebook?

Posted via Android Central App
 

Fdmstng99

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2013
109
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Do you use chrome or Facebook?

Posted via Android Central App

My Android OS usage is around 50%, I uninstalled facebook and it dropped to around 30%. After a few days my Android OS usage went back to it's normal of around 50%.

Seems like uninstalling facebook works but only for a short time.
 

realitydigg

Well-known member
Feb 7, 2011
466
62
28
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Power drain is not straightforward, and the percentage vs. absolute numbers trip a lot of people up (say the OS uses the same amount of power when idle or active, but if the phone is idle it will be a higher percentage of the overall use - not that it used more power, just a higher percentage). I don't think you can compare this to a tablet because the tablet is not as concerned with the phone part of staying alive it has a bigger battery and stronger WiFi, and comparing to other phones is not straightforward since this one is listening all the time for the magic "OK Google now" phrase, pushing up active notifications etc. The phone is never truly idle, unless it is powered off. Also, as many apps move to Google cloud messaging (Where their servers send notifications to your phone via Google instead of directly to their app), you are likely to see the OS carry more of the burden on your phone. For me, as long as I am getting the total hours I expect, I use the battery details to see if I have any rogue apps, or to understand how the phone is being used.
 

globster2000

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2013
416
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

My Android OS usage is around 50%, I uninstalled facebook and it dropped to around 30%. After a few days my Android OS usage went back to it's normal of around 50%.

Seems like uninstalling facebook works but only for a short time.

You on 4.4.2? If so, there is a bug with the camera where if you open it or if a 3rd party application opens it there is a loop that generates high OS. I read this on the nexus forums and it seems that a number of moto x's are plagued with it as well. It has been reported that rebooting the phone at least once a day does fix this temporary. However, I think there are other services like chrome and Facebook that eats battery as well. I am unsure if switching from dalvik to art does help. I think that i read in a different thread that tom switched to art and started getting goof battery. Dont quote me though because im on at&t with 4.4. I do know if I receive a missed call with assist on that the CPU of my phone keeps constantly on. Anyways, I think the problem lies with the android OS more than Motorola's software

Posted via Android Central App
 

cappy718

Well-known member
Dec 27, 2011
148
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Other things like signal strength come into play. A cellphone will kill itself trying to maintain a weak signal.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

Yes but that should be listed under cell standby... Like I've said before. I think it's a conspiracy to hide cell standby when ur not getting good reception to keep the perception that moto radios are better.... I get about the same reception as I did with my s3...

Posted via my Moto X DE
 

A895

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2012
2,369
2
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Yes but that should be listed under cell standby... Like I've said before. I think it's a conspiracy to hide cell standby when ur not getting good reception to keep the perception that moto radios are better.... I get about the same reception as I did with my s3...

Posted via my Moto X DE

Samsung does not make weak radios necessarily. HTC does though. When I had a Droid Incredible 2 the radios were so weak it was crazy. It was a very good phone though.
 

Fdmstng99

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2013
109
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

You on 4.4.2? If so, there is a bug with the camera where if you open it or if a 3rd party application opens it there is a loop that generates high OS. I read this on the nexus forums and it seems that a number of moto x's are plagued with it as well. It has been reported that rebooting the phone at least once a day does fix this temporary. However, I think there are other services like chrome and Facebook that eats battery as well. I am unsure if switching from dalvik to art does help. I think that i read in a different thread that tom switched to art and started getting goof battery. Dont quote me though because im on at&t with 4.4. I do know if I receive a missed call with assist on that the CPU of my phone keeps constantly on. Anyways, I think the problem lies with the android OS more than Motorola's software

Posted via Android Central App

Yes I am on 4.4.2. Are you talking about the mm-qcamera-daemon? If so I haven't had that issue and with chrome I just disabled it and still get the 50% Android OS usage. Kind of just gave up at this point and hope Google releases another update that will fix this.
 

globster2000

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2013
416
0
0
Visit site
Yes I am on 4.4.2. Are you talking about the mm-qcamera-daemon? If so I haven't had that issue and with chrome I just disabled it and still get the 50% Android OS usage. Kind of just gave up at this point and hope Google releases another update that will fix this.

Ahh that's bad. Its making me wonder if I should update to 4.4.2

Posted via Android Central App
 

cappy718

Well-known member
Dec 27, 2011
148
0
0
Visit site
Re: Why is my OS usage so high?

Samsung does not make weak radios necessarily. HTC does though. When I had a Droid Incredible 2 the radios were so weak it was crazy. It was a very good phone though.

I've never owned a HTC so I can't speak to that.

Posted via my Moto X DE
 

eric002

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
7,151
0
0
Visit site
Ahh that's bad. Its making me wonder if I should update to 4.4.2

Posted via Android Central App

although my X Hasn't had the notorious sw glitch (Yet) i have noticed today that this morning i rebooted my phone once, and when i was done with work at 3pm today, unlike yesterday , my battery was only drained to abolut 85% battery. The screen shot i am providing shows that my Android OS used about 35% battery which is a little less than yesterday although not by much. Has anyone here ever experienced that before. I mean last week at work. i had more battery drain one day, but the other days of the week i had less battery drain and this as without rebooting the phone at all.. Again, It's just interesting and i'm curious about it....Screenshot_2014-03-12-15-09-44.png
 

ScottMGS

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2012
541
1
0
Visit site
although my X Hasn't had the notorious sw glitch (Yet) i have noticed today that this morning i rebooted my phone once, and when i was done with work at 3pm today, unlike yesterday , my battery was only drained to abolut 85% battery. The screen shot i am providing shows that my Android OS used about 35% battery which is a little less than yesterday although not by much. Has anyone here ever experienced that before. I mean last week at work. i had more battery drain one day, but the other days of the week i had less battery drain and this as without rebooting the phone at all.. Again, It's just interesting and i'm curious about it....View attachment 107741

The way I read it, your phone used about 15% of the battery's capacity through the course of the day and that the operating system used only about 5% of the battery's capacity between your reboot and 3pm. Looks outstanding to me.
 

eric002

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
7,151
0
0
Visit site
The way I read it, your phone used about 15% of the battery's capacity through the course of the day and that the operating system used only about 5% of the battery's capacity between your reboot and 3pm. Looks outstanding to me.

yes today it was phenomenal.. Yesterday for some odd reason was a different tale ..Explain to me how you get that reading from that screen shot though again please. as far as the difference of what changed, i didn't change anything which , as i've mentioned, is the weirdest thing about it..all i can say right now is oh well, i love my phone so oh well...
 

4runnerbrett

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
273
0
0
Visit site
From what I thought it shows he used 30% of 60% of the battery used so android os actually used 20% give or take alittle right?

Posted via Android Central App
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,404
Messages
6,913,927
Members
3,158,397
Latest member
Lawiss