many people download their apps with great hopes. But for me it is nothing more than a garbage project. Someone is adding money to their money while someone's phone batteries and processors are garbage. I am of the opinion that it should definitely be avoided.
Actually PI app has no harmed on batteries and processors contrary to what you are saying Pi coins are only mined by tapping the mine button on the app and a timer not actually using a cpu since its only a timer no POW like bitcoin,eth I know this since I have app on my old phone and mining since 2019, Im not sure what will happen in the next 1-2 years on Picoin but who knows this will have a value just like btc right? The team did not launched any fund raising or ICO instead to fund the development of Piapp they monetize the app with ads which is not bad for me instead of an ICO where investors have to invest millions of money then list on exchanges for Pump n Dump and after 5-6 months dumped and team runaway this happened on most ICO last 2017-2018, right? So IMHO there's nothing wrong trying to install this app and mine you can also turn off ads if you want you are not forced to run ads it all depends on you. Remember Doge which only created as a meme coin just for fun and also criticize by many is now top 15 in cmc, I also laugh at NANO before and did not try the free NANO from only doing Capcha faucets but look top 87 in cmc, think about it goodluck to early adopters, peace to haters lol.
Thanks for the bit more detailed explanation I couldn't have explained it better
because I have it in my phone as well since 2020 though and I have never experience any problem with my phone with regards to the app and since you don't really invest any thing per say like cash in it, of cause why not try it out and see what happens down the line and like you mentioned, look at some that have done it and people thought it was a waste of time but that don't mean this might turn out same but just saying.