Google Tackles Android Battery Drain with New 'Excessive Wake Locks' Metric

Android Introduces New 'Excessive Wake Locks' Metric to Address Battery Drain

Google is launching a new metric called 'excessive wake locks' as part of Android Vitals in the Play Console to help developers optimize their apps and reduce battery drain. This issue, where partial wake locks keep the CPU active even when the screen is off, can significantly impact battery life if overused.

Key Points:

• Definition of Excessive Wake Locks: Occurs when all partial wake locks combined run for more than 3 hours in a 24-hour period.
• Tracking Criteria: Currently tracks time only if the wake lock is held while the app is in the background and does not have a foreground service.
• Collaboration with OEMs: Google is working with Samsung and other top device manufacturers to ensure a consistent user experience across the Android ecosystem.
• Developer Resources: New documentation provides guidance on interpreting metrics and best practices for wake lock implementation.
• Feedback Request: Developers are encouraged to provide feedback on the new metric through a dedicated form.
• Future Plans: Google aims to introduce additional performance metrics later this year and may explore Play Store treatments to help users choose optimized apps.