Low battery power is a common complaint among mobile phone users. Not only do they complain, they want to save the juice before it runs out. One way to do that is to determine which apps are draining the battery the most. This is the experts who can guide you in the right direction.
Despise the cloud
In an analysis shared with ZDNET, Thomas Davy, CEO and co-founder of Cloud Optimization Firm Cloud Exmachina, denounces certain elements of battery drain.
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Popular apps often process data in the background, even if you close them. That requires constant connections to the server, which in turn requires draining the battery in ways you may not see.
“The phone sitting in your pocket is not as inactive as you might think,” Davy said. “These innocent apps often fire huge server farms miles away, processing data that no one wants.”
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Davy has locked many responsibilities into apps on streaming platforms, smart home devices, and certain social media platforms. By continuously syncing with cloud-based systems, these apps essentially burn candles on both ends, charging batteries and burning data center electricity.
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Video services with autoplay features are particularly problematic. “When Netflix or YouTube automatically starts playing previews, it triggers continuous data transfers between your phone and your server bank,” Davy explained. “This will burn power at least three locations simultaneously: huge data centers, network systems and devices.”
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The app that tracks your location can also drain the battery. Here, Davy refers to not only mapping and orientation apps, but also weathering apps that process location data even after closing apps. “A mapping app that keeps track of movements always doesn’t just kill batteries,” Davy said. “They are constantly causing energy-intensive cloud processing operations that most people never consider.”
What can you do to suppress battery-hungered apps?
Check out the apps on your phone and turn off the background update option for anything that is not essential. “Most apps don’t require certain location access, but developers enable these features by default because they can generate valuable data for them,” Davy said.
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Find a lightweight version of your favorite app. These lighter versions usually have less background tasks, which means less battery power. “Big platforms like Facebook offer stripped versions that use significantly less data and energy,” Davy said. “These light alternatives usually eliminate power-hungry features such as automatic playing videos and constant background synchronization.”
Many of us like to watch streaming videos on our phones, but adjusting the resolution and other settings will help keep the battery charged. “Watching Netflix in 4K on a small phone screen rarely gets better than 1080p, but uses four times more energy across the digital system,” Davy explained.
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If you have a smart home device, check the relevant apps. Certain smart home apps continue to run background processes to maintain connectivity with devices. “Some smart home apps check for updates every few seconds, which wastes a huge amount of energy,” Davy said. “Look for apps that use push notifications for status changes rather than constant checks. This approach uses much less power.”
Relying on apps is usually quick and convenient, but using the web version instead can be battery-friendly. “Browser versions typically use fewer resources than standalone apps and reduce energy usage across the digital chain, as they don’t run in the background when closed,” Davy proposed.
How to tell which apps drain the battery
Finally, the mobile phone software can tell you which apps are the biggest battery drain. On your iPhone, go to Settings and select Battery. Swipe the screen to check the battery usage for each app. On your Android phone, go to Settings and select Battery. Tap the Battery Usage option to check per-app usage. Both iOS and Android battery screens also provide other useful information and helpful advice on keeping your battery charged.
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“Most phones now show which apps emit the most battery and data. This usually shows how much cloud energy is used,” says Davy. “Even disabled apps often automatically update themselves, triggering energy-intensive processes across multiple server networks, without providing any profit.”
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