The Supreme Court’s recent ruling that police must obtain a warrant to search the cellphones of those they arrest is irrefutable proof that cell phones are no longer a technological convenience; they’re a major way of life. We bank from them, work from them, video conference from them, and sometimes we even place a call from them if we actually like the other person. The point being that they are an essential function in today’s marketplace.

But what about battery life?

We swear we’ll sacrifice Pandora and any exciting app for decent battery life. Even as smartphones become more and more sophisticated, battery life is still a major issue. Android’s top-selling phones, including the Samsung Galaxy, are mighty powerful. But when it comes to battery life, it’s still a major nuisance. It’s safe to say that Android users would like to live a day without frantically searching for an outlet to charge their phones. But that may soon change.

Google recently unveiled its upcoming Android, dubbed “Project Volta,” which promises to tackle the obdurate battery problem. Here’s how it works: Something known as a “battery historian” provides greater insight on exactly what’s draining energy, while a battery saver mode allows cell users to squeeze up to an extra 90 minutes out of each charge by doing things like lowering the screen refresh rate. If this is all true, then Volta will have a dramatic effect on the way we use our Android phones. No longer will app developers have to worry about battery usage getting in the way of their app development.

While Google’s effort certainly sound promising, it would be wonderful if battery improvement applied to normal use, as opposed to being limited to battery saver mode. Regardless, Google continues to prove its willing to lead the way in cell phone development. It almost makes you forget all about Google Plus.