Android background service timer doesn't work properly

Question

I have an android app. This app sends location information to the server every 15 seconds. I have a background service and timer. I saved to file app logs. When I examine the logs, I saw the timer doesn't work properly sometimes. The problem is happening only when the app went background. What is the best practice background tasks android?

Timer timer = new Timer();
timer.schedule(new mainTask(), 0, 15000);

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    return START_NOT_STICKY;
}

Thread call timestamp logs.

//for example, thread didn't work 2 minutes. 
17:19:35.627
17:21:31.201
thread didn't work 4 minutes.
17:25:23.573 
thread didn't work 4 minutes.
17:29:35.345

Answer 1

Newer versions of Android put background execution limit and you might face this kind of problems while you are trying to run tasks in the background.

You might consider using a JobScheduler which might help you in this case. Here 'sa good implementation tutorial.

Answer 2

Please try to use Handler instead of Timer .

private Handler handlerUpdateLocation;

Also Start your Handle inside onStartCommand() method.

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {

    if (handlerUpdateLocation == null) {
        handlerUpdateLocation = new Handler();
        handlerUpdateLocation.post(runnableUpdateLocation);
    }

    return START_STICKY;
}

Use this runnable to execute code at every 15 seconds.

private Runnable runnableUpdateLocation = new Runnable() {

    @Override
    public void run() {
        // TODO: You can send location here
        handlerUpdateLocation.postDelayed(this, 15000);
    }
};