Smartphone battery life and the myth of closing background apps

Manually closing background applications on smartphones may negatively impact battery life and device performance rather than saving energy. Modern operating systems, including Android and iOS, are designed to manage background processes automatically by suspending idle apps to minimize power consumption.

According to Ritesh Chugh, an associate professor at Central Queensland University, forcing an application to close requires the device to use more processing power and RAM to reload the app from scratch when it is reopened. This extra effort can consume more battery than simply leaving the app in a suspended state. Both platforms utilize built-in management tools, such as Android’s Doze and App Standby or Apple’s Low Power Mode, to regulate activity without user intervention.