Android TV, Google TV Will Switch From APK to Android App Bundles from 2023

Since its launch, Android TV has been steadily gaining popularity and is now available on a number of different devices, including smart TVs, set-top boxes, and game consoles. One of the key features of Android TV is its support for Google Cast, which allows users to cast content from their mobile devices or computers to their TV.

Another key feature of Android TV is its app store. The Google Play Store offers a wide selection of apps for Android TV, ranging from streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu to games and utilities.

However, it seems that Google is planning to make a change to the way Android TV apps are distributed.

According to a recent report from XDA Developers, Google is planning to switch from APKs to Android App Bundles for Android TV apps starting in 2023.

What are Android App Bundles?

Android App Bundles are a new way to package Android apps. They allow developers to modularize their apps and ship them as smaller units that can be downloaded on demand.

This means that users will only have to download the parts of an app that they need, which should lead to smaller app sizes and faster downloads.

Why is Google Switching to App Bundles?

There are a few reasons why Google is planning to switch to Android App Bundles for Android TV apps.

First, App Bundles will allow Google to provide a more consistent experience across different Android TV devices.

Currently, the Google Play Store offers a different set of apps for each Android TV device. This can be confusing for users and lead to a fragmented experience.

With App Bundles, Google will be able to offer the same set of apps for all Android TV devices. This will make it easier for users to find the apps they want and will also make it easier for developers to target their apps at a wider audience.

Second, App Bundles will allow Google to reduce the size of its app store.

The Google Play Store is currently around 4GB in size. This is due to the fact that it includes all of the APKs for all of the apps that are available on the store.

With App Bundles, Google will only need to include the parts of an app that are actually needed for a particular device. This should lead to a significant reduction in the size of the store.

Third, App Bundles will allow Google to update apps more frequently.

Currently, when an app is updated on the Google Play Store, the entire APK needs to be downloaded and installed. This can be a time-consuming process, especially for larger apps.

With App Bundles, Google will only need to update the parts of an app that have changed. This will make it possible to update apps more frequently and will also make it easier to roll back changes if necessary.

What Does This Mean for Developers?

The switch to App Bundles will have a few implications for developers.

First, developers will need to modularize their apps. They will need to break their apps down into smaller units that can be downloaded on demand.

Second, developers will need to target their apps at a specific device. They will need to make sure that their app includes only the parts that are needed for that device.

Third, developers will need to sign their app bundles. App bundles need to be signed with a digital signature in order to be installed on Android TV devices.

Fourth, developers will need to upload their app bundles to the Google Play Store. App bundles will need to be uploaded in the form of a ZIP file.

What Does This Mean for Users?

The switch to App Bundles will have a few implications for users.

First, users will need to have a compatible device. App Bundles can only be installed on Android TV devices that support them.

Second, users will need to have a fast internet connection. App Bundles can be large, so they will need to be downloaded over a fast internet connection.

Third, users will need to be patient. App Bundles can take a while to download and install.

Fourth, users will need to have enough storage space. App Bundles can be large, so they will need to be stored on a device with enough storage space.

Google is planning to switch from APKs to Android App Bundles for Android TV apps starting in 2023. This will have a few implications for developers and users.