The practice that is often overlooked in mobile security but can be detrimental to battery life is background app refresh. When apps are allowed to refresh their content in the background, they can consume significant amounts of battery power. This process involves fetching updates and new data even when the apps are not actively being used, which can lead to quicker battery drainage. Users may not always be aware of how much power these background activities consume, as they often expect mobile devices to be able to manage their resources efficiently without considering the impact of background processes.
In contrast, high screen brightness can impact battery life but is typically more noticeable to users, leading them to adjust it proactively. Multiple app notifications, while they can be annoying, do not directly consume battery as aggressively, as they often rely on the app's existing state and network connections. Clearing browser history is a maintenance task that has minimal effect on battery life compared to the continuous background activity that background app refresh entails.