Has a new Google app “Pulse” just appeared on your Android phone? Here’s what it does

Android users may have noticed a new app appearing on their phone in recent days. The app is called Android Pulse, and if you’re curious about what it is and what it does, then you’re not alone. Google began adding the app to Android devices this month. According to the current Play Store listing, it is only a few days old and has already reached over 10 million downloads.

The sudden appearance of a new app that you don’t remember installing can be surprising to say the least. Even though this one comes from Google, the tech industry generally doesn’t have the best history of informing users about major changes that aren’t part of flashy product launches. After all, it’s hard to forget that Google made a similar move with its Android System Safety Core last year by installing a feature apparently intended to scan for “unwanted content,” including abusive images. Google’s decision and poor communication have instead sparked privacy and security fears.

This time, Google says Pulse is something different. The company told Android Authority that Pulse is an already existing Google system service and the update simply made it visible in the Settings app. The service itself appears to have been around since March of this year.

Now that we know what Pulse is, let’s see how it works. The Play Store’s data security section states that Pulse may collect app information and performance data, but does not share data with third parties.

To view Pulse, you can’t just open your app drawer like with a normal app. On Pixel phones, it appears under Settings > Google Services > All Services > Privacy & Security > System Services. Google says these services can be updated separately, which is part of the reason Pulse might suddenly appear even if you don’t actually have anything installed.

There doesn’t seem to be any reason to get involved either, at least for now. Google warns that disabling system services may break some features or cause other problems, so stick with it anyway. If you are worried about malware or something else on your phone, Play Protect is what you should look into. Android also has a powerful security feature in its settings called Advanced Protection for users who want tighter security.

Google doesn’t explain exactly what Pulse is for on the app page, but the service is said to help maintain Android and secure devices. This likely means that Pulse helps monitor things like battery drain, memory usage, and overall CPU activity, which can become a problem when an app is consuming more resources than it should.

This isn’t the first feature Google has introduced to help track issues in Android either. The operating system already tracks technical issues, including crashes, unresponsive applications, and even excessive partial wakelocks. Not to mention memory usage. Keeping track of all of this can be helpful in ensuring that no apps run away with your phone’s resources. Google also now shows you which Android apps are draining your battery, and the company plans to further punish developers whose apps use excessive resources by adding labels and warnings for users.

Ultimately, it’s probably best to leave Pulse alone, especially since it’s tied to some of your phone’s various system services. There are, however, other hidden features that every Android owner should know about, including pinning apps for privacy, charging mode, and “flip-to-shhh.”