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Facebook’s secret lab tests thousands of devices to better optimize their app for battery life

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Facebook Mobile Device Lab The Verge 2

If you’ve ever taken a look at any of the app reviews for Facebook, you’ll no doubt come across hundreds (if not thousands) of users complaining about app performance, bugs, and battery consumption the app sucks from their devices. While some might assume Facebook isn’t doing much of anything to help fix these issues, a behind the scenes look at Facebook’s data center in Prineville, OR is showing things in a different light.

To help get a better idea of how their app runs on varying hardware, Facebook’s Mobile Device Lab has 60 different server racks filled with 32 smartphones each, ranging from the many iterations of the iPhone to Android devices like the Nexus 5. Using special hardware to monitor each and every device, they’re able to see how changes to the app — no matter how small — affect a device’s performance and battery life. It’s almost crazy to think they’re to such great lengths, but when you’re the world’s biggest social network, you have to make sure all your bases are covered.

Facebook Mobile Device Lab The Verge 1

Facebook says that they plan to expand their Mobile Device Lab racks to include 64 devices (up from 32) and start tests using larger sized devices (phablets). They even plan to open source the hardware design and software used in device testing as part of the Open Compute Project, this way anyone can test their software on older devices and ensure no device is left behind. Pretty neat. For more check out The Verge’s full behind the scenes linked below.

[The Verge]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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