this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2023
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Android

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29
A potential alternative to "app installs" (lemdro.id)
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by mfat@lemdro.id to c/android@lemdro.id
21 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Many of us have numerous apps installed on our smartphones, and a significant portion of them go unused.

For me, the reason behind this accumulation of apps is that whenever I come across an interesting one on platforms like Reddit or YouTube, I tend to install it immediately, holding onto the hope that I may use it in the future. The consequence of this habit is that my phone becomes cluttered with a graveyard of forgotten apps, occupying valuable storage space, consuming bandwidth, and draining battery life.

One potential solution that has crossed my mind is the concept of "app bookmarking" or virtual installations. Play store can add a button for this type of installation. Bookmarked apps would be distinguishable in the app drawer, with their icons present while the app itself is not actually installed. They would remain dormant until needed, at which point they would be automatically downloaded and launched.

Please note that this idea differs from instant apps in its approach. Basically you would only install the icon of the app and place it wherever you want (on home screen, in folders, etc.) but it's not there until you actually decide to open it.

What do you think?

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[–] henfredemars@infosec.pub 40 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

You might be over estimating the impact of a forgotten app. This situation has already been taken into account in the design of Android.

Recent versions of Android have introduced app hibernation. This is a special application state that's triggered when an app has not been used for months, meaning the app is not likely to be important to the user. When an app goes unused or forgotten, Android wipes out all the application's caches and temporary data, revokes all important runtime permissions like location and file access to protect the user, and blocks the app from running without your explicit request to make very sure it can't silently leach your system resources.

Apps you don't use are effectively frozen automatically.

Long before hibernation kicks in, Adaptive Battery already severely punishes applications that the user doesn't use regularly. Within a matter of about two weeks the app will lose the ability to run in the background unless the phone is plugged in and charging, and finally hibernation will kick in to deliver the killing blow until you either launch the app or uninstall.

Feel free to load up on useless junk!

[–] mfat@lemdro.id 11 points 10 months ago

Many thanks for the detailed answer.