New Android Pie Improves CPU, Battery, 'Wellbeing'

The next edition of the Google Android operating system for phones and tablets will include measures to help users spend less time on their mobile devices. The update also makes notifications more useful and addresses battery life problems.

The changes come in a new version of the operating system that's officially called Android 9.0 but nicknamed Android Pie (or "Android P"), continuing a pattern of naming updates after food. It's already available for Google's own Pixel phones and will then start gradually rolling out to other models, though older handsets may not get the update.

It's important to note that not all phones and tablets will be able to update to the next edition of the Android operating system, as the operating system is also tied to supported hardware - which is also tied to the brand and cellphone carrier. Generally speaking, only newer generation phones made within the last 1-2 years will support Android Pie and that is only if the cellphone carrier (Spring, AT&T, etc) will support the upgrade.

Apps Can Have Time Limits

The most eye-catching new features are named "Digital Wellbeing" and "Wind Down Mode," with both attempting to counter arguments that excessive mobile device use can harm mental and even physical health.

Digital Wellbeing is a 'dashboard' that shows how long the owner has used particular apps each day, along with how many times they've unlocked the phone and the total time using the phone. It's also possible to set a time limit on particular apps.

If the owner hits that time limit for the day, the app icon will be grayed out and no longer launch the app. It will still be possible to go into menus to open the app, but the idea is to make the user think again about their activity.

Wind Down Mode can be set to switch on at a particular time, the idea being to cover the period before going to bed. The mode not only switches on the 'Do Not Disturb' feature that blocks incoming calls and notification, but also switches the display to grayscale. This is partly as a mental signal to wind down activity and partly as a physical effect: some medical experts believe the blue-tinged light from devices with color screens keep the brain alert and thus make it harder to get to sleep after using such a device.

Battery Management Gets Smarter

The battery changes are largely based around making more intelligent use of the device's resources.

One method takes advantage of how processors are split into different cores that can work on different tasks: after the update, devices will better allocate background tasks to use the cores more efficiently. Another change is the device paying attention to which apps the owner uses more or less often and putting off background tasks for the latter until the phone is recharging. (Source: wired.com)

Notifications will also get an update so that rather than just showing text, they'll include a photo of the person who sent it (if available) and a small image of any attachments such as photos. The idea is to make it even quicker for users to decide if they need to open up the full message right away. (Source: bbc.co.uk)

What's Your Opinion?

Would you use the Digital Wellbeing or Wind Down Mode features? Is it hypocritical of Google to release features designed to reduce device use? Would you appreciate more details in on-screen notifications?