How does Background App Refresh work (in detail)?

Hi @ all,
I am quite confused and uncertain of how the above mentioned feature works in iOS 7.1.
For some apps, e.g. Geonfency, I understand this functionality has to be enabled to ensure proper GPS tracking in the background (meaning the app is not open and therefore not in the app switcher).
But what about Google Maps, why does this app need background refreshing? Does it mean Google is constantly tracking my location?
What does the refresh do and allow and what doesn't it?
Thanks

billybob1978 wrote:
Would be great to hear from Apple if this is true about quitting apps using more battery power due to using RAM when opening again???
The majority of people I speak to (include Apple reps in store) always say close all your apps at least once a week.
That's for a different reason. Not for battery life, but to allow iOS to perform "garbage collection" on RAM. As time goes on the RAM gets fragmented, with lots of small allocations. iOS can deal with that by moving apps around to open larger memory segments for new apps, but doing that slows down the phone. See this for the best discussion I have seen of battery life management: http://www.overthought.org/blog/2014/the-ultimate-guide-to-solving-ios-battery-d rain

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iCloud does not back up the apps themselves. You can always re-download any app from the App Store (as long as it remains available there which is why I recommend keeping a copy in iTunes on your computer). Some apps safe progress to iCloud, some save to other systems. Check with the developer of the apps you use to find out what your options are.

Need help understanding Background App Refresh

I'm trying to understand how Background App Refresh works. Whether it is on or off, whenever I switch to another app it will reload the page/app. Games start back at the home screen, webpages reload, all my typing (notes etc) disappear, it's as if I'm opening the page/app for the first time over and over. I don't keep more than a few things open at once, so I'm not a multitask hog. I assumed that with the Background App Refresh on it would keep the things open and current. Is it a RAM issue? Why do things keep reloading? Even if it's only Safari with one tab and I'm typing an email, when I go back to Safari the page reloads and I need to find what I was looking at again...
Anyone else experience this? iPhone 6 Plus with the latest iOS.

This is the key phrase from that page: "Some apps can continue to run in the background. You can allow these apps to refresh themselves by turning on Background App Refresh. This settings lets apps check for new content and download updates, or retrieve updated content in the background when they receive push notifications."
Only some apps can retrieve updated data through background app refresh (BAR). *All* apps can enter multitasking and be opened quickly...but this is NOT the idea behind BAR. BAR capable apps have the additional ability to refresh their data & content if they are enabled to do so. Just because an app is in multitasking, it doesn't mean it's capable of background app refresh.
If that doesn't clarify things, check out the following page:
http://www.scottyloveless.com/blog/2014/background-app-refresh-explained

How often do Background App Refreshes occur in iOS 7?

In iOS 7, some apps can now update their data even when the app is not open. This feature is called "Background App Refresh". How often does each app update their content using this method? Is it up to the app to determine the frequency, or does iOS 7 limit them?

Why does there need to be a limit imposed? Perhaps it'd be appropriate for some app to update once a minute.
I can just imagine the havoc that would be caused if Apple limited turn-by-turn navigation apps to a 15-min update window, just as an example.

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I have an Iphone 4 with the latest IOS7. Background app refresh is on but it's not working, at least for Mail and Mailbox app. I already tried reseting all settings and restarting.
This is what I do to test if it's working.
1) I send myself a test email
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3) I put the phone in airplane mode
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So here is what I ended up doing.
I did a fresh restore and logged into my icloud. I waited for all my calendars, contacts, reminders, ect. to sync and turned off icloud but selected the option to keep that data on my phone. Then I created a new icloud account and waited for the new data to sync to my new icloud. After that I performed another fresh restore but this time I logged into my new icloud. I downloaded "Newsify" again and waited for it to do the background app refresh and it did :). It turns out that it stopped doing it and it was the app the whole time of just buggy ios 7 so I restored from the backup I did before all of this and end of sotrie.

Background app refresh doesn't work at all

im on ios 8.1.2 with an iPhone 6 plus. My problem is that any app I have running in the background (best buy, groupon, Safari, etc) all re-load whenever I switch apps. i have background app refresh turned on so that everything stays active. It's really frustrating to be browsing a store website/app, switch to another app like my messages or mail, then switch back to the app/safari and it reloads as if I just opened the app. It NeVER remembers what I'm doing. I only keep a couple things open in the background too. ive tried turning the background app refresh on and off but nothing works. Basically, I can't multitask whatsoever with my iPhone and it's ******* me off. Anyone have this issue?

Hi
I just checked - I was intrigued by your post because I have background app refresh off - and my safari etc maintain the website / pages where I am at if I switch. So I was wondering if indeed Background App Refresh has anything to do with your issue - sorry I know I am not helping to solve it - but wondered if there was something else going on.

Is it possible to have your whole family on one apple id or is it better to have each person have there own? If each has their own does each id have to buy their own music and apps? How does find my iphone work with one apple id or two?

Is it possible to have your whole family on one apple id or is it better to have each person have there own? If each has their own does each id have to buy their own music and apps? How does find my iphone work with one apple id or two? also I am going to be going off to college soon should I make an itunes id for my self and how will I get all the music from the old id?

Is it possible to have your whole family on one apple id or is it better to have each person have there own?
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If each has their own does each id have to buy their own music and apps?
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How does find my iphone work with one apple id or two?
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I am going to be going off to college soon should I make an itunes id for my self and how will I get all the music from the old id?
If you have authorized a computer with the old apple ID, you can transfer old media purchased through the old to other devices via iTunes. This doesn't mean the media purchases through the old apple ID it transferred to the new account. If you plan to make future purchases and don't wish to share them with others, make your own apple ID.

How does "notify me" actually work in mail app

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"Background App Refresh" does not refresh

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How to add application in Background app refresh list

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I have an iPad air, I cannot select the stop background app refresh does anyone know why?

The background app refresh button is grey and will not select. Could anyone tell me how to change this. Thanks

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Hello all,
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Bye

Thought I'd reply to this seen as no one else has, I am also experiencing very similar problems with my 4s and by the looks of it is it's across all handsets. I've never had any battery issues with my iPhone even 7.0.6 was fine, but since updating to 7.1 the battery is ticking down very fast. I fully charged in the morning and left it in my locker all day at work when I got my hands on it it's gone down to 52% just on its own!!
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Hi all,
I need to turn on background app refresh, however I cannot.
I had turn it all off for sometime, but I keep on missing out whatsapp messages, that is hurting my work.
I want to turn it back on to activate whatsapp.
To my surprise, I found that I cannot turn it back on. It simply refuses to turn on no matter how many times I pressed it.
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Thanks thanks,
Gemshin

Hi gemshin,
If you are having issues with your iPhone being unable to turn on background app refresh, you should take a look at this article -
iOS: Understanding multitasking
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4211
In particular see this section -
If an app doesn't respond to your input, or doesn't perform as expected, do the following, testing after each step:
Check for app updates.
Force the app to close.
Restart your device.
Update your iOS device.
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Brett L

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How does Background App Refresh work (in detail)?

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