What we need is a more reliable ability to restore data to apps, particularly across phones. This used to be possible with 3rd party apps, but they borked it a long time ago.
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Scoped storage (only one app has access to its own data folders) is the heart of the problem. Not saying it's wrong, as I understand the rationale.
This makes root necessary to permit a different app to write to those folders.
And then apps need to be coded in a way that doesn't cause problems with restored data. Because even with root, this can sometimes happen.
Nah I don't think that's it, rather the app data is tied to that specific phone via a number Google assigns to it. So, if you go to a new phone, or even factory reset your phone, you cannot restore data - even using root and apps that would backup the app data folder. Like I say, it used to work, it hasn't for years.
Another reason to root. Then Neobackup.
Neobackup, thanks, I'll give that a try. I've used Titanium Backup back in the day, and maybe one or two others, but not had any luck with restoring into a new install.
What would be the point?
I could see it maybe being useful for certain large games that you only play occasionally, but...
That'd mean redownloading right when you actually want to play, which is a pain. Also, in ability to tell it to archive or un-archive something manually makes that situation even worse.
It feels like those "ram doublers" back in the day... Neat in theory, but just painful in reality. It puts a check mark on a sales pitch, but doesn't actually help anyone.
Yeah. For persistence and cross-device stuff, it makes more sense for it to be stored server-side. Either by the app author, or maybe Google could offer a few kB free for each app, like how Chrome provides a bit of storage for extension settings.
Backups. I have apps that I specifically won't update for X reasons, and I have titanium backup to manage the backups. If I didn't need root to manage backing up and restoring individual apps then I'd only have one or two more use for root.
Is titback still functional? Had many issues on A13
I havenโt tried it on 13 yet. I havenโt done a single software update on my pixel 4 for that very reason. All of the newer devices Iโve used arenโt rooted.
Just like Nextbit!
@FragmentedChicken If you have a device with less than 32 GB of storage, App Archival could do little to help you reclaim space (and I'm telling it from my experience). 60% is too little space saved when you use multiple apps. But otherwise, if you like to download apps because they seem interesting, and then you forget about them, this is a nifty feature indeed.