Google Play to warn users about battery-draining apps from 2026
New Delhi: Google is increasing the effort to enhance Android battery life by introducing a new warning system for power-intensive apps. Beginning March 1, 2026, the Play Store will mark the apps that drain the battery too hard due to poor background optimisation. This has shifted following the launch of a new Android Vitals metric known as excessive partial wake locks, created by Google together with Samsung. Wake locks can be used to have an app leave a device awake when it does some background activity, but when abused, they have a huge effect on battery life.
The new system will warn developers........





















Toi Staff
Penny S. Tee
Gideon Levy
Sabine Sterk
Mark Travers Ph.d
Gilles Touboul
John Nosta
Daniel Orenstein