Latest news with #InstantApps
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Google to End Android Instant Apps by December 2025 Due to Low Usage
Google is set to discontinue Android Instant Apps by the end of 2025. They were first introduced in 2016 and made available to users in early 2017. Android Instant Apps let users try out parts of an app without fully installing it. The service worked by running a lightweight version of an app when a user tapped a link. The Play Store checked if an instant app was available and then launched it temporarily. The thing is, Android Instant Apps struggled to gain traction among developers, and I am assuming even among the users. I personally can't remember using one, ever. To take part, developers had to create a special instant-enabled version of their app that was under 15MB, which proved difficult for apps with large files or complex features, as reported by Android Authority. And now, with much faster internet and higher storage, the already not-so-famous format is of no use. Confirmation of the shutdown comes from a notice in the latest Android Studio canary build: Instant Apps support will be removed by Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work. Tooling support will be removed in Android Studio Otter Feature Drop. Google says that low usage and engagement are the main reasons for ending Instant Apps.
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
Google to Sunset Android Instant Apps by End of 2025 Due to Low Usage
In a significant shift for Android developers, Google has announced it will discontinue support for its Instant Apps feature by December 2025. The decision comes as part of a broader move to streamline its developer tools and focus on features with higher engagement. First introduced in 2017, Android Instant Apps were designed to provide users with the ability to launch lightweight versions of mobile apps instantly, without needing to download and install them. The feature was particularly useful for trying out apps or games via shared links, offering a seamless and frictionless experience. Despite the initial buzz around its potential, the feature never gained widespread traction. The news of its upcoming discontinuation was first spotted by developer Leon Omelan, who noticed a warning message in Android Studio. The message reads:'Instant Apps support will be removed by Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work. Tooling support will be removed in Android Studio Otter Feature Drop.' This early alert led Android Authority to report on the matter, which was later confirmed by Google. Google spokesperson Nia Carter explained the rationale behind the decision:'Usage and engagement of Instant Apps have been low, and developers are leveraging other tools for app discovery such as AI-powered app highlights and simultaneous app installs,' Carter said. 'This change allows us to invest more in the tools that are working well for developers, and help direct users to full app downloads to foster deeper engagement.' Although the Instant Apps feature aimed to revolutionize how users interacted with Android apps, it appears the landscape has shifted. Developers are now relying more on modern discovery tools and smarter install options that better suit user behaviour in 2025 and beyond. With the December 2025 deadline approaching, developers who have integrated Instant Apps into their offerings will need to pivot and adapt their strategies. Google, meanwhile, seems focused on building more robust experiences that promote full app installations and long-term user engagement.
The Verge
a day ago
- The Verge
Google is shutting down Android Instant Apps over ‘low' usage
Google has confirmed that it plans to shut down Android's Instant Apps later this year, attributing the decision to 'low' usage of the functionality. Instant Apps were introduced in 2017, and allow developers to create mini versions of Android apps that load, well, instantly. Users can try apps and demo games from the click of a link, without having to fully install them. That makes the experience easier for users to navigate and provides developers with more ways to find new audiences. Android Authority first reported that Google is moving on from the feature, which came to light after developer Leon Omelan spotted a warning about the change in Android Studio: 'Instant Apps support will be removed by Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work. Tooling support will be removed in Android Studio Otter Feature Drop.' Google spokesperson Nia Carter confirmed the decision to The Verge, explaining that Instant Apps simply haven't been popular enough to continue supporting. 'Usage and engagement of Instant Apps have been low, and developers are leveraging other tools for app discovery such as AI-powered app highlights and simultaneous app installs,' Carter says. 'This change allows us to invest more in the tools that are working well for developers, and help direct users to full app downloads to foster deeper engagement.'
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
Google is killing Android Instant Apps, but you probably won't miss them
Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR Google is discontinuing its Android Instant Apps feature in December 2025. The feature allowed users to try parts of an app without needing to perform a full installation from the Play Store. Low developer adoption is the likely reason for the shutdown, as creating the small, instant-enabled app versions required a lot of work. There are many different ways to interact with a digital service, but the average smartphone user tends to prefer using a mobile app over a website. However, installing a new app every time you want to try a service can be a hassle, which is why Google created the Android Instant Apps feature. Android Instant Apps allow users to try parts of a mobile app without fully installing it, speeding up content delivery, reducing data and storage use, and providing a more optimized mobile experience. The feature was rarely implemented by developers, though, so Google is discontinuing it by the end of 2025. Google announced the Android Instant Apps feature back in 2016 and began rolling it out to users in early 2017. The way it works is that when you tap on a link, the Google Play Store checks if an instant app exists and runs it without installation. Instant apps are kept on your device temporarily and take up much less space than the full versions of the apps available on the Play Store. Here's a demo of the Android Instant Apps feature featuring Ilta-Sanomat, a prominent Finnish evening newspaper: Companies like Vimeo and Wish were some of the earliest to use Android Instant Apps, allowing them to acquire new users by getting their apps in front of people casually browsing the web. While the format seems like an obvious win for developers and users, supporting it isn't trivial. Developers must create a special 'instant-enabled' version of their app that is under 15MB, allowing it to be pushed to a user's device almost seamlessly. Trimming an app down to this size can be difficult, especially for those with large, complex dependencies. This difficulty may be why few developers added support for Android Instant Apps over the years and is likely why Google is comfortable shutting the feature down. While using the latest canary build of Android Studio, developer Leon Omelan spotted a notice when hovering over the Instant Apps dependency. This notice reads as follows: 'Instant Apps support will be removed by Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work. Tooling support will be removed in Android Studio Otter Feature Drop.' Android Authority can confirm this notice is present in Android Studio, as shown below. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Google hasn't updated its online documentation yet to reflect the winding down of Android Instant Apps, but we imagine this notice will be published elsewhere soon. Since few developers used the feature anyway, most users probably won't notice it's gone. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
