Today's smartphones are essentially supercomputers in your pocket, with multiple CPU cores, powerful GPUs and integrated cellular radios. The flip side of all that power is that modern smartphones can get hot, which can damage the hardware. Phones can take steps to limit the problem, but Google is reportedly looking for another way to manage temperatures on Pixel phones by keeping users informed with a new feature called Adaptive Thermal.
This feature hasn't been officially announced, but Android Authority has dug into a recently updated APK to discover the underpinnings of Adaptive Thermal. The code is hidden in the Device Health Services app (version 1.27). This refers to various “emergency notifications” that could appear when your Pixel gets too hot.
High temperatures are not just Google's problem: other phone manufacturers like Apple have to do it too. deal with overheating. When a smartphone gets dangerously hot, it can slow down the processor or disable features like the camera to monitor the temperature. In extreme circumstances, the device may simply shut down to prevent hardware damage. Adaptive Thermal appears to give users the opportunity to speed up the cooling process by being remarkably honest about the system's performance.
Credit: Ryan Whitwam
Emergency notifications would appear with an alert saying “Your phone needs to cool down,” along with a link to get more information. These “self-care steps” will give users an overview of the thermal situation, warning them about the various ways their phone could become less useful as it cools down. It also offers suggestions to speed up the process, such as avoiding direct sunlight, improving airflow around the device, closing the camera, and quitting battery-consuming apps.
While the alerts are active, the Pixel will have a temporary temperature monitoring service that updates every five minutes. If the device does not begin to cool, Adaptive Thermal will go into an “emergency state” at 52 degrees Celsius (126 degrees Fahrenheit). The nature of emergency mode is unclear, but Android expert Mishaal Rahman speculate that Adaptive Thermal will close even more functions in this mode. If the phone reaches 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit), Adaptive Thermal will trigger another notification, but this one will warn the user of an impending shutdown with a 30-second countdown.
Most likely, this feature will become the basis of one of Google's next Pixels. Feature Drop updates. We don't know when that will happen, but you won't lose any functionality while you wait. Adaptive Thermal does not require users to do anything; You can ignore the notification and continue torturing the phone if you want. If you understand the relationship between thermals and performance, you'll be able to do all the things Adaptive Thermal will suggest without being hand-held.
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