← show all patterns

Avoid Extraneous Graphics and Animations

Graphics and animations are really important to improve user experience. However, they can also be battery intensive – use them with moderation.

Context

Mobile apps often feature impressive graphics and animations. However, they need to be properly tuned in order to prevent battery drain of users' devices. This is particularly critical in e-paper devices.

Solution

Study the importance of graphics and animations to the user experience. The improvement on user experience may not be sufficient to cover the overhead on energy consumption. Avoid using graphics animations or high quality graphics. Resort to low frame rates for animations when possible.

Example

A high frame rate may make sense during game play, but a lower frame rate may be sufficient for a menu screen. Use a high frame rate only when the user experience calls for it.

References

• - Apple Developer Documention Archive Energy Efficiency Guide for iOS Apps – Avoid Extraneous Graphics and Animations
• - Dongwon Kim, Nohyun Jung, Yohan Chon, and Hojung Cha Content-centric energy management of mobile displays

Occurrences

Android

iOS