Probably, everyone at least once wondered if the time had come to clean the smartphone cache. It did not occur only to those who do it on an ongoing basis, regularly deleting the data that the system and applications have accumulated. What for? Some try to just keep their device clean in this way, others sincerely believe that deleting the cache will improve system performance, and still others do it simply because everyone does it. I, as an adherent of a rational approach in everything, do not remove the cache from the word at all. I explain on my fingers why.
Cash doesn't harm, it helps. So don't delete it
I would be lying if I say that I never cleaned the cache myself. I remember well those troubled times when 4 and 8 GB of memory were the norm, and Android – smartphones – even flagship ones – started to slow down right after they were taken out of the box. At that time, clearing the cache seemed a logical and quite effective way to prevent the built-in storage from overflowing and slowing down the operating system. Therefore, the category of cleaner applications, or, in a simpler way, cleaners, was one of the most popular on Google Play. But today they don't make any sense.
What is cache and why is it needed
Caches are small amounts of key data that applications, websites and online services store on the device for quick access on subsequent launches. The fact is that all modern programs are designed in such a way that they get data from the cache faster than fetching the initial data from a remote source. In this sense, the cache is a technological analogue of habits that an application learns and remembers, and then builds a model of interaction with you based on these habits.
Many people think that cache files somehow clog the system and make the smartphone run slower, but this is not the case. On the contrary, they allow him to work faster, since they do not force the data to be processed again, but simply take it from a special storage partition. Browsers save information about frequently visited resources so that they spend less time downloading them on subsequent calls. Delete them and sites will start processing more slowly. The same goes for other apps – from video hosting sites like YouTube and social networks like 'VKontakte' or Facebook.
Do I need to delete the cache on Android
From Android Nougat, the tool for deleting the system cache is completely missing. Even Google thinks it doesn't make sense
There is no point in deleting cache files.
- First, because with them, all applications and services that are installed on your smartphone start to work faster.
- Secondly, because they take up so little space that you won't even notice them.
- Thirdly, cache files tend to re-accumulate exactly in the form in which they were originally.
Google has long taught Android how to competently work with cache files – even with system ones, even in applications. A major breakthrough in this area happened in 2016 when Android 7.0 Nougat was released. If before that moment in the operating system recovery menu it was possible to reset the system cache, then after it disappeared. As a result, it turned out even better than iOS.
Why apps weigh so much over time
Left – iOS, Right – Android
Look at Telegram on mine iPad. Most often, I use the messenger on Android – a smartphone where cache files take up less than 70 MB, while on a tablet with iOS there are about 30 times more of them. The thing is that iOS caches almost all the information it receives. Because of this, photos, videos, and other media attachments pass through the device's memory and remain there. This is not a bad thing, it's just such a feature of the system. Android behaves more efficiently by downloading only key data, but not downloading all files indiscriminately.
I haven't deleted the cache for several years now and I feel great. I had no problems with the old LG G3, or with the LeEco Le 2, or with the Galaxy A51, or with the Honor View 20. Yes, I, like, probably all , faced with a slowdown in the performance of old smartphones. But there is no need to look for a second bottom and dump all the blame on the cache, which supposedly slows down the system. In fact, nothing like this happens, and even by erasing the entire cache, you will not return the device to its former performance, simply because it is outdated and banal has stopped pulling all functional updates that have fallen on it. Therefore, do not get a fever.