ICS: how to disable background data like in Gingebread?

[cdl]

Hi all,

I must say I quite never understood what 'background data' really did, but I noticed that it consumed a lot of battery, so with all my Android 2.x smartphones I disabled it, turning it on only when I needed to access the market or sync contacts and calendar with google. I don't use gmail for email, so, even with background data off, I still had web access and push email (imap idle with k-9 mail). The difference was not so much in data used, but in battery life: my guess is that with background data on lots of apps and services were always connecting to the internet in background, even if only to send and receive small bits of data.

Now I upgraded my rooted Samsung Galaxy S2 to Ice Cream Sandwich and, to my disappointment, I noticed that there doesn't seem to be an option to disable background data. If I set a data limit I can disable background data per each app, but I haven't found a way to disable it altogether like I could do with Android 2.x; please note, I am talking about background data, not data altogether. Is there a way?

If there isn't a way, have you noticed differences in battery life between the new ICS and Gingerbread with background data off?

Thanks!

 

[bioforce]

I don't have an answer for you, but I do the same thing and would also like to know. I also like doing it on public wifi so i don't havr to worry about. Stuff going out i dont want.

 

[cdl]

I don't have an answer for you, but I do the same thing and would also like to know. I also like doing it on public wifi so i don't havr to worry about. Stuff going out i dont want.

Then let's post here if we manage to find the answer elsewhere.

 

[jerofld]

Background data is essential for some apps to continuously access the internet for minute-by-minute notifications. Instant Messaging applications are a prime example of this. Specifically Google Talk. Google Voice also requires it to give instant notification of text messages and voice mails. I believe push emails (not ones that are set to poll at specific times) also require it.

I'm not familiar enough with ICS to know if this is something you can disable, or if it even exists anymore. Maybe Google got around the requirement, somehow.

 

[cdl]

Background data is essential for some apps to continuously access the internet for minute-by-minute notifications. Instant Messaging applications are a prime example of this. Specifically Google Talk. Google Voice also requires it to give instant notification of text messages and voice mails.

However Viber and Whatsapp worked perfectly with background data turned off.

I believe push emails (not ones that are set to poll at specific times) also require it.

Not all kinds of push email systems. Like I said, push worked perfectly with my imap mail server, using imap idle with both k-9 and maildroid, when background data was turned off. Just to be clear, imap idle is true push email and does not involve regular polling at specific intervals.

I'm not familiar enough with ICS to know if this is something you can disable, or if it even exists anymore. Maybe Google got around the requirement, somehow.

I really hope this has become unnecessary with ICS. All I know was that, for some reason, disabling background data almost doubled my battery life with Gingerbread

 

[jerofld]

Maybe it's just the Google services that require it And hopefully it is fixed if, in fact, the Google services are the only ones that did.

 

[OptimusM]

Hi all,

I must say I quite never understood what 'background data' really did, but I noticed that it consumed a lot of battery, so with all my Android 2.x smartphones I disabled it, turning it on only when I needed to access the market or sync contacts and calendar with google. I don't use gmail for email, so, even with background data off, I still had web access and push email (imap idle with k-9 mail). The difference was not so much in data used, but in battery life: my guess is that with background data on lots of apps and services were always connecting to the internet in background, even if only to send and receive small bits of data.

Now I upgraded my rooted Samsung Galaxy S2 to Ice Cream Sandwich and, to my disappointment, I noticed that there doesn't seem to be an option to disable background data. If I set a data limit I can disable background data per each app, but I haven't found a way to disable it altogether like I could do with Android 2.x; please note, I am talking about background data, not data altogether. Is there a way?

If there isn't a way, have you noticed differences in battery life between the new ICS and Gingerbread with background data off?

Thanks!

After you have set a data limit, press the menu button and there you can choose to Limit Background Data. It's the same function as before, just put in a different place.

The annoying part is that you have a constant warning message in status bar regarding it being turned off.

 

[cdl]

After you have set a data limit, press the menu button and there you can choose to Limit Background Data. It's the same function as before, just put in a different place.

The annoying part is that you have a constant warning message in status bar regarding it being turned off.

Thank you. Just for curiosity, is there any official explanation on how/whether background data is any different in ICS?