The Android Category

Jul01

Google is Replacing APKs with AAB on Its Play Store

Posted by Jane Danes on Jul 1, 2021

Google is Replacing APKs with AAB on Its Play Store

Developers must start using Android App Bundle in August. The result will be smaller file sizes. What is APK? Since Android started, Android apps are released in the Android Package (APK) format. But in 2018, Google launched Android App Bundles or AAB. It’s a new format that allows an app to run across a range of Android devices. Creating an app can be tedious. It has several challenges. After creating codes and optimizing resources, developers still end up with a bloated APK full of code and resources. Worse, it includes assets that users don’t need. The APK size affects people directly who install the app after they visit the Google Play page. Every time there’s a 6MB increase in the APK size, expect to see a decrease in the installation conversion rate. Benefits of Android App Bundle The Android App Bundle supports a range of Android devices while it reduces APK size. Android developers can just publish an AAB and let Google Play do the rest. After uploading the AAB file, Google Play will generate a base APK that contains all the code and resources to provide the app’s base functionality. Every time a person downloads the app, Google Play will utilize the new Dynamic Delivery serving model. This will help in delivering a configuration APK customized for the device’s configuration. Building an App Bundle reduces the size of the APK. This is its major benefit. By publishing the app as a Bundle, it ensures that it works on as many devices as possible. Thus, if developers build multi-APKs before, they can simplify the process through Bundles. Instead of facing the potential for error and complexity of maintaining different APKs, developers can just build a single AAB file and allow Google Play to handle the rest. Comes with Restrictions But AAB has restrictions. For instance, the APKs from the App Bundle must be smaller than 100MB. Devices that run Android 4.4 and earlier aren’t compatible with split APKs. In that case, Google Play will serve App Bundle to those devices through multi-APKs. Although AAB has several benefits, this format is only used by Google Play. It means that app redistribution will become complicated. The release of this new format comes days after Microsoft released Windows 11. The new Microsoft OS lets users sideload Android apps as APKs. As Google replaces...

Mar03

Twitter launches audio social Spaces Beta on Android

Posted by Francis Rey on Mar 3, 2021

Twitter launches audio social Spaces Beta on Android

Audio social is hot. And Twitter is working fast to ride the heat wave. It has developed its own Clubhouse-like Spaces at a pace like no other Twitter product we have ever seen. Twitter released earlier this week a new scheduling features for Spaces. And its other features are in the works. Today, reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong has discovered a new element under development. And she found that Twitter is working on private audio Spaces in the app. Wong has noted Spaces updates that Twitter is working on. And it includes temporary Space recordings for reporting, new emojis in the Spaces UI, and private Spaces. The latter is only available to those you invite to join. It seems Twitter wants to change its wordings for more private audio rooms. Hosts can control who can speak. But the new option allows you to limit the number of listeners. The idea with the new audio recording feature is for audio to be available for reviews. And it is private, not for public release. Some users noted that auto transcripts or captions are available. It somehow voids the need for a recording. Spaces Beta on Android Twitter has launched the first stage of Spaces for Android also. Android folks, our beta is growing! starting today you will be able to join and talk in any Space. SOON you’ll be able to create your own but we’re still working out some things. keep your ???? out for live Spaces above your home tl — Spaces (@TwitterSpaces) March 2, 2021 Clubhouse is gaining traction. And it’s not available on Android yet. So Twitter wants to beat it into the audio social trend. Being first to Android is a key step for Twitter. It expands the option to more users and boost the use of its clone. And it demotivates users from choosing Clubhouse. Clubhouse has established a solid fanbase. It made its name by focusing on audio. So, it could still win against Twitter through more polished, dedicated features. Twitter has a larger scale. Its broadcasters can reach larger audiences in the Twitter app. It is a tidal wave for Clubhouse to overcome in that aspect. Twitter is working fast on Spaces. Twitter product chief Kayvon Beykpour acknowledged that their development pace has been sluggish. But they are rectifying it to capitalize on opportunities. Twitter is under pressure to evolve. Its activist investors are...

Home » Android

Jul01

Google is Replacing APKs with AAB on Its Play Store

Posted By Jane Danes on Jul 1, 2021

Mar03

Twitter launches audio social Spaces Beta on Android

Posted By Francis Rey on Mar 3, 2021

Oct26

Facebook launches cloud games on Android and web; but excludes iOS

Posted By Ola Ric on Oct 26, 2020

Image Credit: CNBC.com The online gaming market keeps growing bigger and bigger! From the classic Solitaire – www.solitairemasters.net – to the hi-tech contemporary games, people of all ages just love playing online games. The burgeoning revenue in the online games market is estimated to reach US$23.582 billion in 2021. With a huge gaming market in the backdrop, there seems to be no end to the feud that exists between...

Jun05

Gmail Compose button takes a new shape; and a lot more visible too

Posted By Ola Ric on Jun 5, 2020

For a first time user, the Gmail Compose button on Android is not that easy to locate—and that has to do with Google placing it in a pretty awkward location; and it is tiny too. That has now changed even though the location is pretty much the same—the button is no longer a circle. What we now have is an oblong shaped button with a pen icon located within it. This replaces the multicolored plus sign with the word “Compose,” which makes...

May30

Google postpones Android 11 Beta release earlier scheduled for next week

Posted By Ola Ric on May 30, 2020

The Android 11 Beta release scheduled for next week has been postponed by Google. The company in a statement announcing the delay on Twitter, said ““now is not the time to celebrate.” The now apparently is making reference to the ongoing protest across the US, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. Google will however, schedule a new date, which will hopefully be communicated to everyone soon. The Beta Launch Show earlier scheduled...

Jan28

Google introduces new hashtag on Twitter to help Android users

Posted By Ola Ric on Jan 28, 2020

Google has launched a new hashtag so that Android users can easily get help via the Twitter page of the operating system. The Android Twitter page is solely dedicated for resolving any issue and giving out information to users of the OS. However, launching a new hashtag solely for helping users get their problems solved is a new way of getting things done—and fast too. This is especially good when you consider the fact that millions...

« Older Entries

Google is Replacing APKs with AAB on Its Play Store

Twitter launches audio social Spaces Beta on Android

Google is Replacing APKs with AAB on Its Play Store

Twitter launches audio social Spaces Beta on Android

Facebook launches cloud games on Android and web; but excludes iOS

Gmail Compose button takes a new shape; and a lot more visible too

Google postpones Android 11 Beta release earlier scheduled for next week

Google introduces new hashtag on Twitter to help Android users

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