Is it ok to run three apps together?

[dfman]

I want to run a dash cam (running at the background), and using multi window to run GPS app (Maps) and another app on screen.

Would running 3 apps at the same time for long periods 8 hours a day be fine?

 

[Jeffrey]

Sure you can. You will need to have the phone plugged in as the battery will not last 8 hours. In addition, you should monitor the phone as it may run hot.

 

[dfman]

What do you mean by monitor your phone? Do you see some stats or install some apps to monitor?

It does feel hot but I guess that is normal since the screen is on for a very long time.

 

[Jeffrey]

You can get a battery App from the Play Store. Most monitor the phones temp.

 

[mountainbikermark]

Gsam Battery is a forum favorite for battery monitoring. It's free.

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[dfman]

Sure you can. You will need to have the phone plugged in as the battery will not last 8 hours. In addition, you should monitor the phone as it may run hot.

You can get a battery App from the Play Store. Most monitor the phones temp.

I am wondering if I use Gsam Battery and and it shows me the temperature, what is the point of seeing what is the temperature? I mean knowing what is the temperature does not help me or improved anything I guess? Or maybe I am missing out something or I do not understand the correct way to use Gsam?

 

[Jeffrey]

Gsam shows if the temp is in normal range. If the temp gets too high you can damage the phone.

 

[dfman]

Gsam shows if the temp is in normal range. If the temp gets too high you can damage the phone.

Does samsung S4 have any auto shut down to prevent overheat when temperature reaches some value or something? I mean since it is a smartphone, does it know that temperature is too high and maybe give out some warning or auto limit maximum open apps.

The temperature displayed is overall phone temperature correct? Do you guys off the phone when temperature is too high or something? What temperature is too high?

My experience: GSam is consuming the most battery power (as see in GSam stats) when nothing is in use (phone is locked). Seems like installing GSam is only wasting battery power.

 

[Jeffrey]

I don't know what "normal" is. If the phone gets too hot is will shut down. That does not mean no damage has been done.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I would not run these apps like you're talking about on the S4. Those phones tend to run on the hotter side by default. Using mine only for navigation on a long trip and having it plugged in, when it was on the dash in the sun, it overheated and shut down and gave a warning that it was "cooling down" more than a couple times.

Other phones might handle the work load and the S4 will do it, but it won't be pretty. I also had it overheat on me while streaming music and using navigation.

If you're going to do this, you'll want to mount the phone directly to your car's vent (there are plenty of vent-clip mounts available online) and run the A/C. I would also recommend not putting a case on it to allow for more ventilation, but would almost even recommend taking the back cover off and using electrical tape to secure the battery so that the cool air from the A/C blows directly onto the battery and inner parts of the phone. Even still, I think you'll have trouble.

Camera and navigation are both very resource intensive, especially when run for long periods.

As Jeffrey said, the phone will enter "cool down" mode and limit resources to try to cool itself off, but unless you stop using those apps right away and/or get the phone out of the sun and into some cool air, it will likely shutdown. And just because it shutdown doesn't mean that no damage was done.

 

[dfman]

How does the "cool down" warning work?

Does it mean that when the phone is too hot, it will display a message "cooling down" and some apps will be auto shut down?
Can you choose the apps to run during cooling down?
Does the phone will be shut down during cooling down? How long do you wait before turning on the phone again?

So if the phone did not experience the "cooling down" warning, even if the phone feels hot it is still safe to continue to use it right? I mean it is fine to use the phone and whatever app load until the "cooling down" appears.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

When the phone is too hot, it should try to cool itself down and it will display.

As far as I could tell when I experienced this, you can't choose what happens. I'm sure it closes some background apps, but mine left navigation running. I believe it does things like reduce screen brightness, limit the CPU, etc.

If it successfully cools down, it won't shut down. In my case, once I knew that the warning meant that it was probably going to shut down, we adjusted the dash mount's long arm so that the phone was in front of the A/C vent and that was enough for the warning to go away and the phone to continue to function. In the event that it actually shut off, I immediately removed the back cover and battery and let it cool down. I would assume it would either not boot up or would shut right down again if you turned it back on while it was still hot, but I'd wait until it felt noticeably cool.

Even if the phone never gives the warning that it's cooling down, it's not good for it to run too hot for too long. The warning means that you've gone too far for too long and let it be hot, so the phone's software has decided to take over. Using the phone for hours at a time while it's hot, even without the warning showing up will seriously degrade the battery and many other components over time. You may not notice any issue right away, or even after a few weeks of 8 hours a day usage like you've described, but it will eventually catch up to you and it won't be pretty when it does.

You can buy a dedicated dash cam for around $100-$150 online. If you really want to run one for that length of time, I'd suggest making the investment in one that will allow your phone to be utilized in a safer way.