Updating apps from GPS in PS takes a long time (and drains the battery)

Malakai

Hello,

I am currently using a Pixel 8a with only one profile (no Google Play Store) and Private Space (where I installed Google Play Store and all proprietary apps I need).
The Private Space is closed most of the time, I open it only when I need to access one of the apps (rarely, could be once or twice a week).
Almost every time I open the Private Space, GPS notifies me of app updates, so I generally do the updates.
But every time it takes a lot of time (compared to the updates done on the main profile from F-Droid - yeah I now we shouldn't use that, but my threat model is kind of low) and also drains the battery (or at least that is what it feels like).
For instance today, to update 8 apps in the Private Space, it took more than 20 min and the battery got from 49% to 43% in that time. No other apps were opened during that time, only GPS doing the updates. And the downloading of the apps was quick, it's the installing part that takes a lot.
Compared to F-Droid, were the update of around 15 apps takes a couple of minutes, with the most time being fetching the apps.

Is it "normal" as in it's the same for everybody, or is it a configuration on my side that causes this?

Also maybe related, but as soon as I open the Private Space (with GPS and all the proprietary apps), even when not doing the updates, the battery seems to be used a lot more than when the Private Space is closed.

GrapheneOS

Malakai GrapheneOS uses ahead-of-time compilation for security reasons, which takes longer than installing apps without compiling them and then doing just-in-time compilation in memory for small portions of them as they're used. Updating very large apps takes time. It's not specifically related to Google Play or Private Space. You're just updating apps with a lot more Java/Kotlin code there. Play services itself has a huge amount of Java code along with the dynamite modules it installs.

DirtyDan

Perhaps not exactly what you were looking for, but in system updates, you can set updates to only download/install when charging and on unmetered networks (ie uncapped WiFi).

Similarly, you can also limit updates to unmetered networks turn off auto-updates in the GrapheneOS app store settings and simply have it notify you that updates are available so you can manually install them later when it's more convenient. You can also change how often it checks for available updates.

Malakai

Thank you for your reply, but it is already the case : I manually update the apps in the Private Space with Google Play Services, the update isn't automatic.
I should maybe wait until I need to charge the phone to make such updates, so they will happen when the phone is plugged.
The question remains though. I just want to know if others have the same experience in this matter.

Malakai

No one is using Play Store apps in Private Space?

de0u

Malakai No one is using Play Store apps in Private Space?

I suspect people are, but perhaps they are not experiencing long update times. It may well depend on which apps are involved, and if you are in a position to list the apps in the Private Space that might result in more feedback.

Malakai

de0u It may well depend on which apps are involved, and if you are in a position to list the apps in the Private Space that might result in more feedback.

Mostly banking (among which also Revolut) and ride apps (Uber / Bolt).

GrapheneOS
Seems logical.
Still weird that I do not have that feeling of "long time" when updating apps from F-Droid, even for apps I would qualify of "big", like for example OSMAnd, which seems to have roughly the same size as one of the banking apps in the Private Space. But maybe it has something to do with those apps (from Google Play Store) including a lot of (maybe) poorly written SDKs or code (?) that need more compilation ....