3 ms·

What makes Android ‘slow’ OS?

xethos 2y ago
Unironically, Google Play Services This isn't my simply having a go at Google, either. Google's assumption is that everyone is on a device released in the last 4 years - it's hard to argue with, and must be all but impossible internally, because the XDA Forums-adjacent geeks that root and ROM, re-flash and ditch GApps are a minority. The actually crazy ones that say "Google Play Services aren't worth it" are a minority of a minority, and by definition wouldn't show up in Google's stats of active devices; without Google Play Services, they aren't going to show up at the mothership. So all the data they have indicates that people don't use slower, older, devices. So Google Play Services is allowed to be heavier, because packing more and more in is both more useful to Google (more data means better traffic predictions, better ad tracking, etc.), and likely easier (I do not need to tell HN that un-optimized software is generally easier and faster to write, and typically preferred by the upper echeleons of management). All this with, as far as Google is concerned, no downside! It chugs on a 6 year old phone, but people don't use those. But even without rooting my previous phones, uninstalling everything Google via ADB gave them new life. The BlackBerry KeyOne, possibly my favourite Android ever, was binned for being slow on release. Dropping Play Services let me use it till I switched to a Linux-first device last year. It's not Android - it's Google's add-ins.
silisili 2y ago
I'm not exactly sure, but probably what the sibling comment says. I have been out of the 'scene' for a while, but it used to be possible to go onto XDA and find some Lineage or other debloated image, install it, and the difference was night and day. It felt like you were using a whole new phone, in fact. Aside from Play Services, I assume most of the slowness comes from all the mfg and carrier bloat. A brand new Samsung comes with something like 32 apps I uninstall/disable, some through ADB.

Unironically, Google Play Services This isn't my simply having a go at Google, either. Google's assumption is that everyone is on a device released in the last 4 years - it's hard to argue with, and must be all but impossible internally, because the XDA Forums-adjacent geeks that root and ROM, re-flash and ditch GApps are a minority. The actually crazy ones that say "Google Play Services aren't worth it" are a minority of a minority, and by definition wouldn't show up in Google's stats of active devices; without Google Play Services, they aren't going to show up at the mothership. So all the data they have indicates that people don't use slower, older, devices. So Google Play Services is allowed to be heavier, because packing more and more in is both more useful to Google (more data means better traffic predictions, better ad tracking, etc.), and likely easier (I do not need to tell HN that un-optimized software is generally easier and faster to write, and typically preferred by the upper echeleons of management). All this with, as far as Google is concerned, no downside! It chugs on a 6 year old phone, but people don't use those. But even without rooting my previous phones, uninstalling everything Google via ADB gave them new life. The BlackBerry KeyOne, possibly my favourite Android ever, was binned for being slow on release. Dropping Play Services let me use it till I switched to a Linux-first device last year. It's not Android - it's Google's add-ins.

silisili 2y ago

I'm not exactly sure, but probably what the sibling comment says. I have been out of the 'scene' for a while, but it used to be possible to go onto XDA and find some Lineage or other debloated image, install it, and the difference was night and day. It felt like you were using a whole new phone, in fact. Aside from Play Services, I assume most of the slowness comes from all the mfg and carrier bloat. A brand new Samsung comes with something like 32 apps I uninstall/disable, some through ADB.