HTC's Boost+ app promises to declutter your Android phone
It launches in the Play Store on April 14th.
Alongside its new Android flagship, HTC is unveiling an app today that anyone running Lollipop or higher can download from the Google Play store. It's called HTC Boost+ and promises to "optimize, declutter and fortify" your smartphone with minimal fuss. First of all, that means clearing out unnecessary data such as cache files, app installers and general "advertising clutter." It also boasts a "smart boost" tool that supposedly frees up memory to improve performance. We'll reserve judgment for now, but it's widely believed that task killer and RAM cleaner apps have a negligible, if not detrimental effect on Android hardware.
Instead, it's the privacy and app management features that should pique your curiosity. Boost+ can be set up to notify you when an app hasn't been used for a certain period of time. If you're someone that's constantly downloading and trying new apps, this could be a subtle reminder to delete the ones you rarely use. Nextbit's Robin phone has a similar offering, but goes a step further by ripping them from your device and storing them in the cloud automatically. There's also the option to lock specific apps with a passcode or fingerprint -- useful if you're working on a sensitive company project, or just want to keep your Tinder profile from prying eyes.
