[X Style (Pure) Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Ohmster:
Annoyed with ridiculous app updates

Guys,

I have a general Android App question that is driving me nuts. My device is a Moto X Pure Edition XT1575. Unlocked, rooted, Xposed, with Nova Launcher and TWRP.

* If you do not want to read this entire post but want to help, can you answer a simple question please? How do you manage so many app update requests from apps at the play store? Allow so many apps to update automatically? Shut off auto updates and never update? or Shut off auto updates and hand pick what to update and what not to update?

I had my phone set to auto updates at Play Store and seeing so many updates that appeared unnecessary, I turned them off. Now 2-3 weeks later I do a check at Play Store and have 46 app updates "necessary". What the hell.....?

What are all these apps that so desperately require updating? This means more downloads, more malware orientated behavior, more card space gone.

So I have shut off auto updates on Play Store oh, 2-3 weeks ago and decided to just check to see how we are doing. There are 46 updates to my apps right now! Forty Six, Four Six within 2-3 weeks. Everything wants in on this update game, Podcast Republic, Solitaire, YouTube, Messenger, Brain it On, Word (What I need Word for on a phone is questionable at best. I have Cloud Print setup but never use it.), Firefox, and the list goes on and on. Maps and Wayze Navigation software would probably need constant updates to be accurate. But Solitaire? There is not one, not one difference in the game but for ads I block and this app updates all the time. So I look to see "What's New" in the Solitaire update.

"Optimized game performance and overall fun of player experience"

"General fixes and improvements"

Yeah, right. This game updates constantly and there is never any difference. But this is also one game that must be spanked by Greenify to sleep and requires serious ad blocking to keep it fun. Every 2-3 games the app bugs you to give it a 5 star rating, even *after* you have already rated it at the play store and this screen must be dismissed to continue. But it *is* a fun distraction that I do play often.

I use MinMinGuard, Unbeloved Hosts, and YouTube AdAway to block ads. I use Greenify Donation Pack to force apps to sleep that refuse to sleep cease when exited. I recently removed Go SMS Pro after using it for years because it would abuse the "working state" of the app to "Working", thus bypassing the Android system of putting unused apps to sleep. Go SMS Pro has had this problem for years but now they became SO aggressive that NO app, tool, setting, or anything could stop or shut off the app at all. Greenify could not put Go SMS to sleep. App Info Force Stop would NOT shut off the app! What the hell?? Titanium Backup could ONLY put this app to sleep if totally Frozen and killed. I deleted it and switched to Textra. Unbeloved Hosts is able to stop ads in this texting app. When I pickup a phone that belongs to someone else, I am disgusted with the amount of ads and nagware the device holds. You see I am serious about keeping my Android experience pleasant. :D

Looking at this update list tells me that these updates are about 70-80% advertising BS and other "not so benign" methods of thwarting the Android close app system. Simple theory, I use a calculator and when I am done, I exit the app and it closes. Simple right? So why do so many apps never close, abuse the working state to get around the sleep system, and some of these games have NO exit at all. The only thing you can do is press the Home button so the app remains alive but not displayed. These apps are immediately deleted. :mad:

You see why I am so annoyed and I really need a greater audience to poll and decide how to handle this update madness. What do you guys do about app updating?

Turn on Auto Update at Play Store and allow everything to constantly update?

Turn off Automatic Updates and ignore all app updates?

Turn off Automatic Updates and hand pick what to update and what not to update?

Can a few of you help me with this and give me advice, suggestions, or tell me how you handle all of these app update requests? Thank you for your time and hopefully a good sample of answers. :fingers-crossed:

Thanks!