Has Android been more aggressive with updates latetly or just me?

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
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For the past few days I noticed that I wake up to my phone's battery being nearly dead, and notice that there was TONS of updates overnight. Like 10+ programs updated. Anyone else notice this lately or is it just me? Normally my battery is good for 1-2 days. My phone is a Nexus 4 if it matters.

Is there a way to make it so updates only happen when it's plugged into power?
 

ControlD

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2005
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Why not just turn off automatic updates? Then you can control when the updates are downloaded and applied.

I have had very few app updates over the past couple of weeks, but I don't have a ton of apps installed either.
 

Graze

Senior member
Nov 27, 2012
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Why not just turn off automatic updates? Then you can control when the updates are downloaded and applied.

.

This.

App developers updating their apps have nothing to do with Android itself.
I am also weary of someone claiming two days of batter life on a Nexus 4.
 

tsupersonic

Senior member
Nov 11, 2013
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App update frequency is about the same. When a new version of Android comes out, you'll see tons of updates as devs. are updating to take advantage of latest features or are releasing fixes.
 

cbrunny

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2007
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Instead of not updating your apps, why not just charge your phone at night?
 

Red Squirrel

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May 24, 2003
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I tend to leave it by the bed side table so I can quickly grab it if I get a phone call or alert or something. I usually charge it during the day when I'm at the computer. Easier than fiddling with a cord in the dark.

I can't seem to find the setting to disable auto updates, where do I find that? Though maybe this spurt of updates was just a coincidence as it was a bit better last night (well, day, I'm on night shifts), there was only 3 of them this time. I was mostly just wondering if there was something going on.

Edit: NM found the setting, did not know it was under Google Play. I just have to remember to re-enable it once in a while so updates can still happen. I don't see an option to do it when it's only charging.
 
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shabby

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Why turn it off? Just unclick the two options under notifications in the play store for app updates available and apps were auto updated. Then you wont see anything and the apps are automatically updated.
 

tsupersonic

Senior member
Nov 11, 2013
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Edit: NM found the setting, did not know it was under Google Play. I just have to remember to re-enable it once in a while so updates can still happen. I don't see an option to do it when it's only charging.
Or you can manually check for updates by opening My apps and games section under the Play Store, and click on the Update All button... No need to toggle that setting on and off to update apps.

I also don't charge my phone at night. I save pennies by charging my phone at work :D
 

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
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I wish there was a checklist option of apps you wanted to update in the play store. All or nothing is lame.
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
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I tend to leave it by the bed side table so I can quickly grab it if I get a phone call or alert or something. I usually charge it during the day when I'm at the computer. Easier than fiddling with a cord in the dark.

I can't seem to find the setting to disable auto updates, where do I find that? Though maybe this spurt of updates was just a coincidence as it was a bit better last night (well, day, I'm on night shifts), there was only 3 of them this time. I was mostly just wondering if there was something going on.

Edit: NM found the setting, did not know it was under Google Play. I just have to remember to re-enable it once in a while so updates can still happen. I don't see an option to do it when it's only charging.
Yes there's an option for it to only update when it's charging. My phone has been doing that for years.
 

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
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So I came into this thread wanting to answer the question with "Android has monthly security patch now, so you're guaranteed to get one update a month if you have a Nexus (or HTC One A9, and probably Moto as well)", but then I read the OP and he was really asking about apps. So... never mind...
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
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I tend to leave it by the bed side table so I can quickly grab it if I get a phone call or alert or something. I usually charge it during the day when I'm at the computer. Easier than fiddling with a cord in the dark.

If someone calls me in the middle of the night there better be someone dead/dying.
 

sweenish

Diamond Member
May 21, 2013
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Good thing L+ has priority mode where they would have to call you twice before it actually rings.
 

Red Squirrel

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May 24, 2003
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If someone calls me in the middle of the night there better be someone dead/dying.

I can get called out for work related stuff, easy 4 hours pay, so I like to make sure I can be reached. :D

But I think I figured out my issue, the fact that I got lot of updates recently was probably just a coincidence. Not that long ago I installed Malwarebytes and realized it was set to do a scan every day. A little much, so I disabled the auto scan.
 

tommo123

Platinum Member
Sep 25, 2005
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I wish there was a checklist option of apps you wanted to update in the play store. All or nothing is lame.

snap. anoying having to do them 1 by 1, or update all and hurry to cancel the stragglers that shouldn't be updated
 

sswingle

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
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So I came into this thread wanting to answer the question with "Android has monthly security patch now, so you're guaranteed to get one update a month if you have a Nexus (or HTC One A9, and probably Moto as well)", but then I read the OP and he was really asking about apps. So... never mind...

Anything running Android M should have the monthly security update no matter who made the phone.
 

AMDisTheBEST

Senior member
Dec 17, 2015
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android update depends on the OEM. Google just release new OS. OEM is responsible for porting the new software to their devices.
 

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
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Anything running Android M should have the monthly security update no matter who made the phone.

Should, true. In reality it's just like any other Android update. The unlocked/unbranded version get it first, the US carrier version = good luck, etc.
 

sporkster

Junior Member
Mar 10, 2016
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I used to get really annoyed at all the updates on my old android phone so I just turned off automatic updates and set it to update on wifi only. Problem solved.