Why is Android "slowdown" still around?

[InuNacho]

In 2013 I finally left behind my trusty Blackberry and got an android phone. I dont remember what model, but I do remember being unimpressed with the gradual slowdown it developed with age. So I switched to an iPhone and was content.
Fast forward to last August. I gave my iPhone SE to a family member that needed a phone ASAP and picked up a NiB Samsung S8 Active which I am currently using.
Just like my first Android, this one is showing signs of slowing which I think is somewhat odd. I asked friends that have Android phones about this gradual slowdown, and most have said they've noticed it too.
What is the technical reason why this problem hasn't been solved yet?

 

[Zwhaler]

I disagree. I've been using my S6 edge+ since late summer 2015, and it has barely slowed. I replaced the battery once last year, and transfer photos off of it occasionally to keep it a couple gigs free (32GB model). Also, I speed up transition animations 0.5x (twice as fast as stock). I couldn't say with a straight face that this phone is noticeably slower than when it was new. I guess I got a good one. My Note II felt slow after awhile, and even my Note 4 felt a little slower after one year. I use Nova launcher with no apps on the home screen except the dock (all apps are arranged in an 8x9 grid pattern inside the app drawer), with a heavy duty 3D live wallpaper Earth & Moon HD with settings on very high. Remove bloat apps, clear cached files every once in awhile, and disable the Facebook app.

 

[pika2000]

In 2013 I finally left behind my trusty Blackberry and got an android phone. I dont remember what model, but I do remember being unimpressed with the gradual slowdown it developed with age. So I switched to an iPhone and was content.
Fast forward to last August. I gave my iPhone SE to a family member that needed a phone ASAP and picked up a NiB Samsung S8 Active which I am currently using.
Just like my first Android, this one is showing signs of slowing which I think is somewhat odd. I asked friends that have Android phones about this gradual slowdown, and most have said they've noticed it too.
What is the technical reason why this problem hasn't been solved yet?

Android has underlying issues OS wise, and yes, even Pixel phones suffer from this “slowdowns.” Just ask MKBHD. Why exactly? I guess you have to ask Google. If Google cannot even do it for their own hardware, let alone other OEMs who have thin margins and dozens more devices on their lineup.

But does it matter? In reality, most Android users upgrade their phones quite frequently, so this issue (and also update issues) are not really important. I mean why worry about your handset slowing down when you can just buy a great new handset for $200 - $300?

 

[Tsepz]

This does not apply to all Androids. A friend of mine has a OnePlus 3T that still works incredibly well, my old Samsung Galaxy Note8 still works beautifully and is running OneUI perfectly fine.

Have not had lag with any of my Huawei's either, though I do believe Huawei has a very aggressive way of dealing with any potential slowdowns, as I have seen older devices like the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 running like they are brand new, whatever background Smart cleaner they use while the phone is idle really helps their phones stay fast overtime.

 

[nickchallis92]

My S8+ ran like a trooper until I replaced it with the Note 9. I don't buy into the slowdown.

 

[Shanghaichica]

My husband’s note 8 is still snappy and he got it a few weeks after launch.

 

[pika2000]

In 2013 I finally left behind my trusty Blackberry and got an android phone. I dont remember what model, but I do remember being unimpressed with the gradual slowdown it developed with age. So I switched to an iPhone and was content.
Fast forward to last August. I gave my iPhone SE to a family member that needed a phone ASAP and picked up a NiB Samsung S8 Active which I am currently using.
Just like my first Android, this one is showing signs of slowing which I think is somewhat odd. I asked friends that have Android phones about this gradual slowdown, and most have said they've noticed it too.
What is the technical reason why this problem hasn't been solved yet?

Now you start seeing anecdotal denials from others, and you will start seeing the trend. They all claimed the handsets are “still working well” and they’re all recent flagships. Like I mentioned, these slowdowns are not an issue simply because most people upgrade their phones quite often. You hardly see Android users with 4 - 5 year old handsets.

Similar to Windows, Android relies on the brute force performance of the hardware. If you have a device with at least 4GB of RAM, an SoC with at least A73 core or newer, and meticulous management of disabling un-needed apps, you will be fine. Case in point, I have the Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 and the Galaxy A8 2018. They are both almost identical handset, the difference is that the A8 uses the slightly upgraded SoC with two A73 cores (A5 only uses the old A53 cores), and 4GB of RAM (vs 3GB in the A5). Performance difference is night and day. My A5 lags like a dog, even starting the camera app lags. My A8 is much smoother. Same OS (Oreo) and Samsung UI. It tells me that RAM and the type of cores do matter, and that will carry forward how well the device age.

 

[MultiMan]

I've had 3 Huawei's since I left Apple and none of them has experienced any slowdowns, at least not in a way that I can detect, thus it's a non issue (if it even exists with EMUI+Android).

 

[Tsepz]

I've had 3 Huawei's since I left Apple and none of them has experienced any slowdowns, at least not in a way that I can detect, thus it's a non issue (if it even exists with EMUI+Android).

I strongly believe Huawei uses an aggressive smart cleaner, I forget what it was called but Google had some Android Project (like Project Butter) that ran a cleaner after the phone was idle for a few hours and had above 50% battery, this cleaner would ensure the phone stays fast and smooth. Huawei seem to have made it the most aggressive that it could be, as I remember the Mate 10 Pro was among the first to have it (in Android Oreo, older Huawei phones got it to with Android Oreo upgrade) , and in that phone you would see about 3-5% battery drain due to the cleaner running while idle, but the phone would always be ridiculously fast and smooth, they seem to have tamed it in recent times, but I believe it's still there.

 

[decafjava]

I strongly believe Huawei uses an aggressive smart cleaner, I forget what it was called but Google had some Android Project (like Project Butter) that ran a cleaner after the phone was idle for a few hours and had above 50% battery, this cleaner would ensure the phone stays fast and smooth. Huawei seem to have made it the most aggressive that it could be, as I remember the Mate 10 Pro was among the first to have it (in Android Oreo, older Huawei phones got it to with Android Oreo upgrade) , and in that phone you would see about 3-5% battery drain due to the cleaner running while idle, but the phone would always be ridiculously fast and smooth, they seem to have tamed it in recent times, but I believe it's still there.

I guess that's the trade-off smooth for battery life. Apple chose the latter for older batteries that were under a certain percentage which was fine except they didn't inform us. I'm glad Google and at least some of the OEMs have tackled this issue. Curious though, I don't suppose you can turn this management off?

 

[Tsepz]

I guess that's the trade-off smooth for battery life. Apple chose the latter for older batteries that were under a certain percentage which was fine except they didn't inform us. I'm glad Google and at least some of the OEMs have tackled this issue. Curious though, I don't suppose you can turn this management off?

No, this is simply a cleaner that runs daily, usually when you are asleep, as long the the battery percentage is above 50%, it kicks in, it's part of the Android Doze feature if I am not mistaken.

Still trying to find the exact name for it.

 

[SoN1NjA]

Big concern for my new Pixel 3a, which already doesn't have the best specs

I have heard you can completely reset the phones and that'll fix it, but who wants to do that?

 

[macfacts]

In 2013 I finally left behind my trusty Blackberry and got an android phone. I dont remember what model, but I do remember being unimpressed with the gradual slowdown it developed with age. So I switched to an iPhone and was content.
Fast forward to last August. I gave my iPhone SE to a family member that needed a phone ASAP and picked up a NiB Samsung S8 Active which I am currently using.
Just like my first Android, this one is showing signs of slowing which I think is somewhat odd. I asked friends that have Android phones about this gradual slowdown, and most have said they've noticed it too.
What is the technical reason why this problem hasn't been solved yet?

Ive never noticed this slow down on android. Contrast that with the "reset iOS" fix for everything. That's evidence iOS slows down and needs a reinstall to fix it.

 

[JPNFRK7]

Pixel 2 still snappy after a year and a half. No real noticeable slowdown here.

 

[aldo82]

I don't know what I used to do with my android phones but they all used to slow down and the battery life degrade quite quickly. I used to keep them relatively clean, always starting from new (no backup) and with minimal apps. I also often did a factory reset after a software update but things still degraded over time. That was the story for a Galaxy s3, Nexus 5, HTC one m8, moto x play, galaxy s7 edge and galaxy note 8.

I am now back on iphone for the first time in years and my XS Max is flying on 12.3 and the battery life is great.

 

[dumastudetto]

In 2013 I finally left behind my trusty Blackberry and got an android phone. I dont remember what model, but I do remember being unimpressed with the gradual slowdown it developed with age. So I switched to an iPhone and was content.
Fast forward to last August. I gave my iPhone SE to a family member that needed a phone ASAP and picked up a NiB Samsung S8 Active which I am currently using.
Just like my first Android, this one is showing signs of slowing which I think is somewhat odd. I asked friends that have Android phones about this gradual slowdown, and most have said they've noticed it too.
What is the technical reason why this problem hasn't been solved yet?

I think it's a problem that's impossible to solve similar to Windows bit-rot. It's down to the way Android has been architected and only a complete rewrite from the ground up could solve it.

I guess it's less visible now to users because Android devices are routinely shipping with good processors and huge amounts of RAM.

 

[Beeplance]

No, this is simply a cleaner that runs daily, usually when you are asleep, as long the the battery percentage is above 50%, it kicks in, it's part of the Android Doze feature if I am not mistaken.

Still trying to find the exact name for it.

Are you perhaps referring to a feature like this one:

 

[1050792]

Slowdown is a myth. Android is as smooth or more than current IOS.

 

[Healer Flame]

In 2013 I finally left behind my trusty Blackberry and got an android phone. I dont remember what model, but I do remember being unimpressed with the gradual slowdown it developed with age. So I switched to an iPhone and was content.
Fast forward to last August. I gave my iPhone SE to a family member that needed a phone ASAP and picked up a NiB Samsung S8 Active which I am currently using.
Just like my first Android, this one is showing signs of slowing which I think is somewhat odd. I asked friends that have Android phones about this gradual slowdown, and most have said they've noticed it too.
What is the technical reason why this problem hasn't been solved yet?

Its not Android's fault. Applications are getting bigger and more hungry for power, space and memory. My spare phone s7 edge still going hard and reasonably fast.

 

[AustinIllini]

Slowdown is a myth. Android is as smooth or more than current IOS.

I mean, it's not. Both OSs are very smooth but both are susceptible to issues with certain apps and features. For example, it would appear Digital Wellbeing is causing slowdown on Pixel 3

 

[Tsepz]

Its not Android's fault. Applications are getting bigger and more hungry for power, space and memory. My spare phone s7 edge still going hard and reasonably fast.

Same here, I still have my old S7 Edge and it’s running great, I actually use it to take a lot of comparison pics when doing my phone reviews.

 

[Blaze4G]

Only phone I've experienced slow down with was the Samsung S3 after 2 years...it was severe. Never had any slowdown issues with any other android phone.

 

[macfacts]

Only phone I've experienced slow down with was the Samsung S3 after 2 years...it was severe. Never had any slowdown issues with any other android phone.

That was probably cause it didn't have trim support for the nand storage.

 

[Blaze4G]

That was probably cause it didn't have trim support for the nand storage.

Oh okay thanks. I dont really know about that so I'll have to read up in it. I remember it use to get so hot just doing simple task.

 

[MileHighPilot]

i havent had any slowdown issues on the last several android phones i used
now ios on the other hand i have had issues with