The functionality that allows an application to update its content and data in the background, even when the application is not actively being used on screen, is a system-level feature. For example, location-sharing applications utilize this functionality to continually update location information, ensuring accurate and timely data even when the application is not in the foreground.
This background activity is vital for maintaining real-time accuracy and offering consistent performance. Without it, the application would only update when actively opened, leading to potentially outdated or inaccurate information. The continual updates facilitated by this process offer increased reliability, which is especially important when dealing with time-sensitive data. Originally, such continuous operation posed significant battery drain concerns, leading to operating system optimizations designed to minimize resource consumption.
