Tech Tips for Non-Tech People!
Original Air Date: Jul 27, 2016
Free App Warning
Those free apps on your smartphone can be really great, especially when they’re used every day because they’re so useful.
But if you are on a limited data plan or you're running out of battery power on a daily basis, those free-ad driven apps could be a bad idea.
They can cost you dearly by eating up your battery power and limited data plan.
A report by researchers at USC and several other schools revealed that those ads in many free apps use up to 79% more of your precious data plan than apps that don’t have regular ads in them.
The report went on to state that they can drain 16% more of your power and use up to 22% more of your phone's memory in order to routinely deliver new ads .
If your smartphone is sluggish and always seems to be running out of batter power, those free games could be a big reason why.
There’s also a privacy component as well, because free apps often request more permissions generally for advertising purposes.
So the next time you’re choosing an app to download, ask the question: To pay or not to pay…
On your Radio
As It Happens by subscribing to our Podcast or via iHeart Radio.
Newsletter
Sign up for our newsletter and get free tips and tricks to keep your computer running great!
