I see a lot of posts on here about battery drain. As a veteran technician of over 30 years, I would like to offer the community a little insight as to how Android works vs Battery usage, so that it might help fellow users understand why their battery might be draining, and also help you to determine whether or not you should contact Nothing Support or look deeper into what is actually running on your device.
Android Devices - there are MANY on the market. All of which have their own “version” or “customization” of Android OS on them spanning numerous version numbers - with all of the hardware and software configurations out there, the combinations are practically infinite. Having said that, there are different processors, camera arrays, modems, networking chips, sensors, and batteries that come from different manufacturers. Now, take a moment and be an Android app developer. The task of optimizing your app for ALL of these configurations is not only impossible, but also not practical in the real world. So, most devs use a testbed, usually stock Android, develop their app for the best compatibility, and that is that, and of course put out bug fixes and patches over time. Scenario: Currently, your Nothing phone is working great, then an update comes out. All of a sudden, your battery starts to drain a little faster. What changed? That’s the thing with Android - it’s not WHAT changed, it’s what DIDN’T change. Maybe one of the apps running in the background of your phone has not been optimized by the developer. Maybe it is clashing with another app you have installed. The app could be rooted deep in your system and NOT be reporting correctly on your battery usage screen or not reporting at all. Android is Linux after all… Apps are not “containerized” like Apple devices, they installed like on a Windows PC, so there are software prerequisites, and other software built into Android the app relies on to run efficiently and properly.
Battery Test Apps - Battery testing / drainage apps such as AccuBattery, Battery Guru, GSam Battery Monitor, etc., measure based on estimations. You can go to any of these app developers and look at their ‘whitepaper’ on their app, and they publicly tell you that their results are based on “estimates”, “benchmarks”, and “predictions”.
A person can get an idea of how their battery is performing, but you can’t rely on the results you are getting as accurate or scripture. Take these results with a grain of salt - I promise you, you will sleep better at night!
So If There Are So Many Factors, What Do I Do As An End User? - You need to change your perspective on Android phones. Think of them as Windows PCs, Linux PCs, etc.. You have to clean and clear caches, delete temporary files, vet apps that you are installing and not just go on what a “friend” or “family member” says is good to install, and even outright disable or even avoid certain apps that run in the background even when they are NOT running collecting data about you.
Remove Social Media Apps - Right off the bat any app from Meta (Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp) will gouge your battery’s life in no time, even when not in use. TikTok is another red flag to avoid. There are lighter and alternative platforms to use such as MeWe, BlueSky, and several others - they have a footing but only by word of mouth will these platforms gain heavy traction. The other alternative is to go visit your friends, get fresh air, and touch grass once in a while.
Do You Really Need Anti-Malware? - Anti-malware suites are also battery hogs, such as Avast, Norton, McAfee, TotalAV, Avira, Webroot, etc.. These apps are not just anti-malware, they also provide VPN, email scanning, firewall; just tons of add-ons most of which you will never need, use, or want. The average user will be fine with MalwareBytes or BitDefender - both lightweight and do the job efficiently and very well at that.
What About VPNs? - VPNs can also be battery drainers as well. 90% of the world doesn’t need to use a VPN. They do not make your activity private. If you want want to watch TV from the UK, and you are geo-locked because of the country you are in, sure, use one. Also, many workplaces use them to tunnel in to a work environment from a non-company source. That is about it. All they do is route that traffic to their servers. Matter of fact, there are numerous common ones you see YouTube influencers peddle that are all owned by the SAME COMPANY! Why? Money - once again, selling your data. If you absolutely NEED a VPN, there are very few out there that are completely open source and actually have a zero-day traffic log policy.
What Else Should I Do? - Above all, uninstall or disable preloaded apps that you re not using or will not use. Obviously leave alone the Nothing developed apps. A good example is if you are NOT using Google apps like Meet, GoogleTV, Chrome, Gmail, Maps, Photos, etc., make sure you are going into the settings and completely disabling these apps - they run in the background even if you have never loaded them! There are numerous other trusted services that are secure, have regular public audits, and yes, some are even paid services, that won’t be uploading information about you in the background without your knowledge - thus saving battery life.
If you take the time, do your research, and follow these best-practices, most of you will not have / resolve battery drain issues. Obviously there are some apps that employers may use, which may affect battery life. There are ways to mitigate this if your company gives you the permission to do so - most don’t. So, that is one of those grey-areas that I can’t speak to, as I do not use my personal phone for work.
So after all of this - cleaning, maintenance, update software / apps, and get rid of the chaff that you really truly do not need installed / enabled, give it a few days and see if your battery life improves.
If your issue is not resolved, do not come to the community to complain and bash Nothing about your battery issues - this will not get your problem solved - do things the right way and go to:
Nothing Support (UK and Worldwide)
-OR-
Nothing Support (US)
Be patient, and give them the time to get back to you. Also be as thorough as possible about your specific issue. The more info you give them, the better experience you will have with their support team - remember, they are still a small and growing company!
PS - I am a HEAVY user of the Nothing Phone 3(a), with multiple bluetooth devices including a diabetic sensor that runs 24/7, as well as my CMF Watch 3 Pro. I get probably the best battery life of any phone I have ever used! If you, the reader, would like to see my configuration, I would more than happy to share in a separate post.
