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Android Central
Android Central
Technology
Jay Bonggolto

Android’s next update is finally addressing your phone’s biggest battery hogs

A battery usage chart on the Google Pixel 9a, showing the progression of battery life across a few days.

What you need to know

  • Google's new “excessive partial wake locks” metric tracks apps keeping your CPU awake too long in the background.
  • Apps that hold over 2 hours of non-exempt wake locks in 24 hours and affecting 5% of user sessions will be flagged for unwanted battery behavior.
  • Starting March 1, 2026, flagged apps may get reduced visibility in Google Play and a red warning label highlighting high battery use.
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