app warning

Android users will soon see a red warning badge on the Google Play Store indicating that an app “may use more battery than expected.” This feature, developed with Samsung, targets apps that misuse “partial wake locks,” which can lead to significant battery drain. The update introduces a metric to monitor “excessive partial wake locks,” flagging apps that maintain over two cumulative hours of non-exempt wake locks in a 24-hour period. If at least 5% of an app’s user sessions exceed this threshold over 28 days, it will be marked as a battery drain culprit. Starting March 1, 2026, such apps will have reduced visibility in the Play Store and will display a red warning label about high background activity and potential battery drain. This initiative aims to improve battery performance and encourage developers to optimize their apps.