Android App Bundle: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:11, 15 August 2021

Revision as of 17:11, 15 August 2021

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== Split APKs ==

Prior to using Android App Bundles, an [[Android application package|APK]] could potentially include multiple languages, up to four different [[CPU architecture]]s, and several [[screen resolution]] buckets. The practice of doing this means each device gets a significant amount of [[code bloat|bloat]] which is irrelevant for its specific combination of CPU, locale, and screen size.<ref name="arstechnica">{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2021-07-01 |title=Google Play dumps APKs for the more Google-controlled “Android App Bundle” |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/07/google-play-dumps-apks-for-the-more-google-controlled-android-app-bundle/ |access-date=2021-08-15 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> The practice of doing this means each device gets a significant amount of [[code bloat|bloat]] which is irrelevant for its specific combination of CPU, locale, and screen size.<ref name="arstechnica"></ref>

Split APKs, which are generated by Google Play, contain only the code and resources that are needed for the specific device downloading the app.<ref name="theregister">{{Cite web |last=Tim Anderson |title=Android devs prepare to hand over app-signing keys to Google from August |url=https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/01/android_app_bundle/ |access-date=2021-08-15 |website=www.theregister.com |language=en}}</ref> If the user then later changes their device language, Google Play will deliver additional split APKs on demand to meet the changed requirements.<ref name="googleplaydev">{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Dom |date=2020-11-23 |title=A new publishing format for the future of Android |url=https://medium.com/googleplaydev/what-a-new-publishing-format-means-for-the-future-of-android-2e34981793a |access-date=2021-08-15 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref>