Any smartphone or tablet user knows that few things are as terrifying as a low-battery indicator; something many of us see entirely too often. During the keynote at the annual Google I/O conference, we learned that the upcoming Android “L” release will have a Battery Saver (under the codename “Project Volta”) –but how exactly will it do that?
Google claims to have a few tricks up their sleeve, as Battery Saver has a number of features and functions that could deliver up to 90 additional minutes of usage:
Battery Historian – Lets you measure the specific impact that apps and activities have on your device’s battery life. While the Battery Historian may not be able to make many changes directly, it could definitely help diagnose a problem or pinpoint an app that is causing your battery to drain.
Job Scheduler – Queue activities that are not time sensitive so devices wake less often and battery-intensive tasks lay in wait until you are connected to the charger. Using the JobScheduler API, developers can also combine non-urgent network requests from multiple apps and keep the radio asleep as much as possible.
Battery Saver Mode – Clock down the CPU, minimize the refresh rate of your screen and limit background data.
While it may seem like a small thing, if Battery Saver works as advertised it will be among the most valuable updates to my smartphone.
Jillian Koskie is an experienced software developer, content writer, project manager and usability design expert. With over 17 years in these roles, Jillian has enjoyed applying her skill-set to assist clients and users across a wide variety of sectors including: legal, health, and financial services. Combining these professional opportunities with a love of technology, Jillian is pleased to contribute articles, opinions, and advice to numerous news outlets, websites, and publications.