Google Play has introduced that new apps would require to be printed with Android App Bundle (AAB) beginning August 2021. Moving ahead, this can substitute the APK as the usual publishing format. Google says the app bundle requirement applies to new apps solely. Existing apps are at the moment exempt, as are non-public 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 massive 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 system configurations and languages. It makes the app roughly 15 p.c smaller than a common APK format. App Bundles require that apps ought to be no greater than 150MB, making them sooner to obtain, that not directly might result in sooner installs and fewer uninstalls. Other options that get enabled by App Bundles embody Play Asset Delivery. This reduces person ready time by dynamically delivering massive property whereas chopping supply prices. Games utilizing Play Asset Delivery can use texture compression format concentrating on, so customers solely get the property appropriate for his or her system, 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 through the use of 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 units.

App Bundles additionally permits Play Feature Delivery that provides you the power to customize what function modules are delivered to which system 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 be required to allow Play Asser Delivery or Play Feature Delivery, as an alternative of growth recordsdata (OBBs). Existing apps can proceed to ship updates on APK format.