When Responder is not actively in use, it has no processes or background services that run whatsoever. When the app is not running, it is not using data or adding to battery usage. A push notification for new alerts will be received by the phone, but Responder uses the normal operating system’s push notification channel as with any other push notification. Only if the user opens Responder (either manually or via a push notification) does the app begin to communicate with the server.

When the app is open, it is in contact with the server periodically to exchange updated information for the map, unit statuses, etc. These exchanges are optimized to use a very, very limited amount of data. The location of the unit is also being updated, but is not actively monitored by the StreetWise server when the app is not active (not in an “engaged” status) on a call.

We have noticed that users occasionally have failed to change their status back to a “non-engaged” status (Available or Off Duty) after a call. If they leave the app running, even in the background, and they are remaining in an engaged status, then data and location are being used just as if they were actively in a response to an incident. This would represent the peak battery and data usage of the app.

Here are a couple of suggestions to optimize battery life:

  1. When the user is no longer active on a call, always return the status to a non-engaged choice (Available or Off Duty)
  2. Backing out of any application on Android or iOS only backgrounds the app and does not immediately shut it down. It can continue to run in the background until the operating system needs the memory for something else, at which point the operating system will automatically shut down the app. While this can be a desirable feature, it can also allow Responder (or any similar app) to continue to use data unnecessarily in the background. However, the user can manually force a shutdown of any app. When the user is not actively using Responder or not watching the activity of a current call, shut down the app by using the device’s task manager. On Android, hold down the home button till the app list appears and swipe Responder off the list. On iOS, double click the home button to swipe the app off the list. This keeps the device from running StreetWise Responder in the background.