Question Battery Saver

[AndroidNewby]

I once had - on a phone a long time ago - a battery saver that worked by going round and doing a force stop on all non system apps. Does anyone know if it still exists and, if so, what's it called, please.
Thanks

 

[Laura Knotek]

Welcome to Android Central. Which phone was this?

 

[AndroidNewby]

Welcome to Android Central. Which phone was this?

I think is was my Motorola G.
AndroidNewby

 

[spARTacus]

I think Android nowadays will essentially do that on its own, based on whether or not an app is set as allowed or denied from working in the background for battery usage and optimization.

 

[B. Diddy]

There used to be a whole bunch of "phone cleaner" or "RAM booster" apps like CleanMaster (ugh) that would claim to improve performance and battery life by killing background tasks. This would usually do the opposite, because Android is designed to keep RAM mostly full, so that the system can quickly switch between apps. Apps that are paused in the background do not use battery (unless they're designed to do something in the background, like a music app that's actively streaming). If you're constantly killing background apps, the system will keep trying to open those apps (or something else, based on usage patterns) in the background to prepare for usage -- it takes a bit of time and energy to reopen an app into RAM. So in the long run, the phone may end up a little more sluggish and use more battery.

 

[AndroidNewby]

There used to be a whole bunch of "phone cleaner" or "RAM booster" apps like CleanMaster (ugh) that would claim to improve performance and battery life by killing background tasks. This would usually do the opposite, because Android is designed to keep RAM mostly full, so that the system can quickly switch between apps. Apps that are paused in the background do not use battery (unless they're designed to do something in the background, like a music app that's actively streaming). If you're constantly killing background apps, the system will keep trying to open those apps (or something else, based on usage patterns) in the background to prepare for usage -- it takes a bit of time and energy to reopen an app into RAM. So in the long run, the phone may end up a little more sluggish and use more battery.

Well, thanks. I did not know that. I think I'll stop worrying about the amount of apps running on the phone.
Many thanks
AndroidNewby

 

[spARTacus]

...because Android is designed to keep RAM mostly full, so that the system can quickly switch between apps. Apps that are paused in the background do not use battery (unless they're designed to do something in the background, like a music app that's actively streaming). If you're constantly killing background apps, the system will keep trying to open those apps (or something else, based on usage patterns) in the background to prepare for usage...

I have observed certain apps or process restart after force stopping them. However, not sure I've ever witnessed the device on its own starting apps that I periodically use. I understand the concept of it taking less time to switch to an app if the app might be only paused, as opposed to starting from scratch. However, what do you mean when you say the system will keep trying to open apps or other apps based on usage patterns, and what do you mean when you say Android is designed to keep RAM mainly full?