Codelab: "Background Work with WorkManager" does not acknowledge WorkManager is unreliable on the majority of devices

[nikclayton]

URL of codelab

https://developer.android.com/codelabs/basic-android-kotlin-compose-workmanager#0

Specify the language of the codelab if it is not English:

In which task and step of the codelab can this issue be found?

The first, "Before you begin".

Describe the problem

The text of the "Before you begin" section opens with:

This codelab covers WorkManager, a backwards compatible, flexible, and simple library for deferrable background work. WorkManager is the recommended task scheduler on Android for deferrable work, with a guarantee to execute. (emphasis added)

"with a guarantee to execute" is untrue.

The majority of Android devices are deliberately broken so that WorkManager jobs do not execute reliably, or at all.

There is a lengthy Buganizer issue for this, https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/122098785, and the third party site https://dontkillmyapp.com/ catalogues manufacturers and devices where WorkManager does not work reliably.

Collectively, the manufacturers shipping broken devices have the majority Android market share (e.g., https://www.idc.com/promo/smartphone-market-share/, https://www.appbrain.com/stats/top-manufacturers)

Steps to reproduce?

1. Go to https://developer.android.com/codelabs/basic-android-kotlin-compose-workmanager#0
2. Read first para.
3. See text.

Versions

N/A

Other

/cc @AliceYuan, author of https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/battery-technical-quality-enforcement.html, which also promotes the myth that WorkManager is reliable.