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Comment by TylerE | Hacker News Reader

I hate overnight updates because a dialed one means I have no alarm and will be hours late for work.

And yes, this has actually happened to me at least twice.

On Android? It must be an app-specific issue because it's possible for apps to implement alarms so that they work before unlocking the device after a reboot, but I don't know the technical details behind it.

I've had that happen a few times and the alarms went off on time but they used the default alarm tune instead of the one I had selected, presumably that data was still encrypted.

Android actually have a special mode for apps that needs to work after a reboot (e.g.: while the FS encryption is still locked), and Alarms is one of the apps that uses this special mode. I don't remember how it is called though so sorry for the lack of sources, you will have to trust me on this one.

The amount of misinformation in this thread is huge though. I generally read every changelog for major Android updates and the amount of engineering going on is amazing. People just assumes that a few things doesn't work while they do.

Unless of course OP is using a custom alarm app this may be true, but then it is the app fault and not Android.

Edit: accordingly to ChatGPT the feature is the WorkManager: https://developer.android.com/topic/libraries/architecture/w.... I can't confirm this but looks correct to me after a quick look at its documentation.

I haven't had that happen on iOS, but I have woken up in the night needing my flashlight just to find my phone applying a lengthy update. I have it set to download automatically and install manually now, I believe.

I haven't had any problems in at least 7+ years, but I work in coffee and I can remember at least two instances where an Apple update made half the staff late by turning off their alarms, myself included.

What's the link between coffee and iOS?

Everybody in the coffee shop had an iPhone?

Coffee shop workers on the morning shift wake up at 4am.

You don't keep a real flashlight next to your bed?

Why would you when you have a phone?

I think it was supposed to be a sarcastic question.

You don’t keep a real camera next to your bed? What about a two-way radio? MP3 player?

I keep all of those things next to my bed.

They all even share a unified battery charging mechanism and integrated packaging for easy portability.

I'm not sure if the idea of these pocket supercomputers will ever catch on, but it sure seems like it'd be nice.

That's a weird thing to ask.

Only if there was a typo. :)

I do, in my nightstand. In the event of an emergency where we’re without power, I do not want to waste my phone’s battery power by using it as a flashlight.

You don't need a flashlight, the phone screen is more than bright enough late at night.

an ereader even more so

E-reader without e-ink? Might as well use a tablet. I have an attachable light thing for my e-reader as it does not omit any significant light.

Front light works fine with ink on my Kobo Elipsa (A5 size). The area means it is much brighter than my phone

I like an amber booklite, it isn't as compact but the light is better for keeping in the sleep mode. We used those as our lights to help develop our child's sleep hygiene. Cupped our hands around the light part as we puttered around.

I would consider an alarm clock, which has far fewer failure modes in this regard. You can even get ones with a battery backup.

These have existed for many decades.

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