Google admits to change the settings of the phone remotely

Google apologized after Android phone users noticed that the battery saver setting was remotely activated last week without their consent.

The battery saver affects the frequency with which applications are updated and operate in the background.

The firm approached the Reddit discussion site to explain that it was conducting an internal test that had been "mistakenly" deployed more widely.

The affected devices appeared to run the Android Pie operating system.

Battery Saver can also delay notifications and stop location services when the device is not in use, in order to preserve the power supply.

"This was an internal experiment to test battery-saving features that were inadvertently deployed to more users than expected," the company said on Reddit.

"We have now returned the battery saver settings to their defaults, please set it to your liking, sorry for the confusion."

While many of the posters featured on Reddit described a Google Pixel device, other brands of Android devices were also mentioned, including the Essential Phone, designed by one of the top designers. Android.

Technology Commentator Kate Bevan, Editor-in-Chief of Which? The computer magazine said his phone was affected.

"The other day, I noticed that suddenly my battery saver was on and I was a bit puzzled," she said.

"I do not want applications or operating systems to reverse the decisions I made – unless you know why.

"It's about transparency and consent – it may be a good idea to make a change but I still want to know why."