Android (operating system): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:48, 9 September 2013

Revision as of 09:40, 9 September 2013

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===Memory management===

Since Android devices are usually battery-powered, Android is designed to manage memory ([[Random-access memory|RAM]]) to keep power consumption at a minimum, in contrast to desktop operating systems which generally assume they are connected to unlimited [[mains electricity]]. inWhenWhen an Android app is no longer in use, the system will automatically suspend it in memory – while the app is still technically "open," suspended apps consume no resources (e.g. battery power or processing power) and sit idly in the background until needed again. This has the dual benefit of increasing the general responsiveness of Android devices, since apps don't need to be closed and reopened from scratch each time, but also ensuring background apps don't waste power needlessly.<ref name="phonedogtask">{{cite web|url=http://www.phonedog.com/2011/06/26/the-truth-about-android-task-killers-and-why-you-don-t-need-them/ |title=The truth about Android task killers and why you don't need them |publisher=PhoneDog |date=2011-06-26 |accessdate=2012-10-30}}</ref>

Android manages the apps stored in memory automatically: when memory is low, the system will begin killing apps and processes that have been inactive for a while, in reverse order since they were last used (i.e. oldest first). This process is designed to be invisible to the user, such that users do not need to manage memory or the killing of apps themselves.<ref name="phandroidtask">{{cite web|url=http://phandroid.com/2011/06/16/android-psa-stop-using-task-killer-apps-now/ |title=Android PSA: Stop Using Task Killer Apps |publisher=Phandroid.com |date=2011-06-16 |accessdate=2012-10-30}}</ref> However, confusion over Android memory management has resulted in third-party task killers becoming popular on the [[Google Play]] store; these third-party task killers are generally regarded as doing more harm than good.<ref name="lifehackertask">{{cite web|url=http://lifehacker.com/5862994/real-world-test-show-that-android-task-killers-are-still-useless |title=Updates |publisher=Lifehacker.com |date=|accessdate=2012-11-02}}</ref>