Google is Killing Android Instant Apps (androidauthority.com) 19
Google will discontinue its Android Instant Apps feature in December 2025, ending a nearly decade-long experiment that allowed users to try portions of mobile apps without installing them. The feature, rolled out in early 2017, enabled developers to create lightweight app versions under 15 megabytes that could run temporarily on users' devices when they tapped specific links.
The feature struggled with low developer uptake due to the technical complexity of creating these stripped-down app versions.
The feature struggled with low developer uptake due to the technical complexity of creating these stripped-down app versions.
I can see why this failed (Score:1)
Only having part of an app? Hard to see what I would need that for.
Re: I can see why this failed (Score:2)
This feature seems to be used mostly as a game ad/demo app when you click on some "play/try now free" ads.
Re: (Score:1)
I see.
I just ignore those stupid ads.
Re: (Score:2)
It made sense in an era when phones had little memory and bandwidth was scarce, but it makes no sense in 2025.
Re: (Score:2)
It's more of a personal preference. I would like to use app features without installing the app permanently and/or creating an account.
I haven't seen many instant Apps, but I encountered one with with the Yahoo news site.
The site isn't worth it enough for me to install the app, but as an instant App, alright, go ahead.
I never even heard about these. (Score:2)
I was using Android from 2015 to this January and I never even heard of instant apps.
Re: (Score:1)
I was using Android from 2015 to this January and I never even heard of instant apps.
Same, but with half of a decade of more use. 15MB have been an obese app on Android Cupcake.
Google kills 99% of their (Score:3)
products, it's not news. Anybody who relies on Google for a stable platform needs their head examined.
Move Fast And Break Customers...while being evil.
Hallelujah! (Score:3)
Instant apps created a lot of complexity and awkwardness in the Android platform. It has consistently been painful to deal with and work around, and been especially challenging for the security team, for a feature with very little user or developer interest. Killing it is definitely the right call.
Is this different than the "playable games" on iOS (Score:2)
Does anyone know the technical details here? I see "playable ads" in most games on iOS, and it sounds like this was similar. I assume these ads are also playable on Android, but maybe using some other tech?
Re: (Score:2)
No, the playable ads were just HTML5 ads that had an interactive element. Most ads are HTML these days, so it doesn't take much to add a little javascript to make them interactive.
Of course, it also raises the question of why there are so many fake ads for apps out there - since those ads already contain most of the game people were expecting.
PWAs are better (Score:3)
Just ditch native android apps and make PWAs.
Re: PWAs are better (Score:2)
If this is sarcasm - well done.
If you really think this way - may {deity_of_choice} have mercy on your soul.
Re: PWAs are better (Score:2)
I think that, yes. For a start, they continue to exist...that's better in my book.
What Google should really do.,, (Score:2)
create lightweight app versions under 15 megabytes that could run temporarily on users' devices when they tapped specific links.
...what Google should really do is incentivize apps that are only 15MB in size. The entire app ecosystem was built on phones that had 200KByte/sec download speeds, at best; apps had to be optimized in order to be chosen.
Now, we've got ultra fast LTE/5G speeds...and 100MByte apps for restaurant menus and gas station points, that get updated weekly with full-size downloads, with patch notes that amount to "fixed typo in the Pig Latin translation". Instant Apps were only needed *because* apps have become so ma
Is it really killing though? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Google doesn't think so :)
https://killedbygoogle.com/ [killedbygoogle.com]