Android users may soon get clearer warnings about apps that drain battery, thanks to a new tool from Google. The company announced on the Android Developers Blog a fresh metric that monitors app battery usage. Developers exceeding Google’s battery guidelines will trigger a Play Store warning for users.
The system focuses on wake locks, a key factor in battery drain. Wake locks prevent smartphones from entering sleep mode, letting apps run background tasks while the screen is off. Google calls them a “heavy contributor to battery drain” and has set thresholds to curb misuse.
A user session is considered excessive if an app holds more than two cumulative hours of non-exempt wake locks within 24 hours. Certain processes are exempt, such as audio playback or user-initiated data transfers that provide clear benefits.
Apps that fail to address wake lock issues will receive a visible warning in the Play Store. The label will read: “This app may use more battery than expected due to high background activity.” Such warnings could discourage potential downloads.
In some cases, Google will go further by excluding offending apps from specific Play Store discovery sections. These new rules take effect on March 1, giving users a preview of just how quickly battery-draining apps can impact device life.