Google Play has introduced that new apps would require to be printed with Android App Bundle (AAB) beginning August 2021. Moving ahead, it will substitute the APK as the usual publishing format. Google says the app bundle requirement applies to new apps solely. Existing apps are at present exempt, as are personal apps being printed to handle Google Play customers. The new Android App Bundle format was launched in May 2018 and is being utilized by over 1 million apps together with large names like Adobe, Duolingo, Gameloft, Netflix, and Twitter. Majority of the highest 1,000 apps and video games use AAB.

The new Android App Bundle format optimises APKs for distribution throughout totally different gadget configurations and languages. It makes the app roughly 15 % smaller than a common APK format. App Bundles require that apps ought to be no larger than 150MB, making them quicker to obtain, that not directly might result in quicker installs and fewer uninstalls. Other options that get enabled by App Bundles embrace Play Asset Delivery. This reduces person ready time by dynamically delivering giant belongings whereas slicing supply prices. Games utilizing Play Asset Delivery can use texture compression format concentrating on, so customers solely get the belongings appropriate for his or her gadget, with no wasted house or bandwidth.

There’s additionally Play App Signing, that’s required for app bundles, and it protects your app signing key from loss by utilizing Google’s safe infrastructure and presents the choice of upgrading to a brand new, cryptographically stronger app signing key. Google says that Play App Signing will begin rolling out APK Signature Scheme v4 to pick apps making it doable for them to optionally entry upcoming efficiency options accessible on newer gadgets.

App Bundles additionally permits Play Feature Delivery that provides you the flexibility to customize what function modules are delivered to which gadget and when, with set up time, conditional, and on-demand supply modes.

As talked about, new apps submitted to Google Play after August 2021 have to be submitted in Android App Bundle format. It can also be required to allow Play Asser Delivery or Play Feature Delivery, as a substitute of growth recordsdata (OBBs). Existing apps can proceed to ship updates on APK format.