Google now allows double-sized apps on Play Store

Android-marshmallow-from-Google-A-Big-Deal-Marshmallowupgrade — Android 6.0 Marshmallow Marshmallow Upgrade

Google has increased the Android Package, or APK, file limit from 50 MB to 100 MB, allowing developers to upload richer games and apps on Play Store. The giant tech company made the move to support the growing number of developers who wish to build apps that make the most out of the powerful performance of today’s smartphones.

MobiTrends stated that the change in the APK limit size is an indication of high consumer demand for apps that provide a delightful user experience. The increase empowers developers to publish APKs with sizes up to 100 MB.

It must be noted that the APK file size limit and app size limit are two different things. The app size limit has been 4 GB for a few years now. Google made this possible by having two 2 GB expansion files available on the Google Play Store for developers to use for free. This allows developers to use HD graphic or media files that go straight to removable storage and not to the internal storage of Android devices.

On its blog post, Google warned Android app developers to only use the additional space in special cases and not at all times. It said that the developers should note that some users merely rely on mobile networks for Internet connections, while others have tight data caps on their Internet access.

The search giant further pointed out that some consumers use devices with smaller RAM sizes and that larger apps can cause hiccups and longer installation times.

With the update, users will now only see a warning if the APK file exceeds the 100 MB allowance, but the download may still proceed with the expansion files. Auto-update is possible only over Wi-Fi to safeguard users from excessive data charges.