Another day closer to Google IO 2015 and another rumour about Android M has surfaced; this one really could be considered a “well, duh”, but none the less it’s worth a quick look. It’s widely accepted that battery life is the number one factor in smartphone usage, and while RAM usage isn’t as well known, the memory leak issue on the Samsung Galaxy S6 is a shining example of what can happen if RAM isn’t carefully managed.
Android M (aka Macadamia Nut Cookie) is almost certainly going to be discussed, and the rumour is that there will be renewed focus on improving battery life and RAM usage in the new OS. Android Police report that their source is quite credible, but as with any rumour, anything could happen until the point at which Google make an announcement.
The rumour being reported has two elements; the first is that Android M will see a preview release much like Android L did last year. No real surprise there. This will be followed (all going well) by a final release of Android M in August, though it could well be delayed.
On the topic of battery life and RAM usage, Google is said to be emphasising performance and smarter use of features which might drain battery life faster than others. Google is urging its own teams to focus on battery performance, by cutting location checkins when not necessary, trimming down on RAM usage, reducing activity when off-charger and when the screen is off. This renewed focus could make a significant difference to Google Play Services which has been criticised in the past for using excessive amounts of power.
These changes are said to be discussed at Google IO 2015 this week. Google has done much to work on battery life in the past, but the results aren’t really showing at this stage, with many flagship phones shipping with woeful battery life even into 2015.
