Google has announced that it would switch its Android TV and Google TV applications over to the newer Android App Bundle (AAB) architecture from the outdated Android Package Kit (APK) format. The switchover has been communicated to the two platforms' developers, and Google has said that it will take place in May 2023. Although many app developers may have already made the switch, it is crucial for smart TVs to deliver apps in the.aab format.
This provides the creators of these third-party programmes plenty of time to convert over to the more recent.aab file format, which has a number of benefits for both developers and consumers. In August 2021, Google put its foot down and mandated that all new app submissions to the Play Store be produced solely in the.aab format. Google has been pressuring third-party smartphone app developers to make the move to the same.
In its blog post, Google explains how switching from.apk to.aab will help reduce package size by about 20% and open the door for "archiving," in which users can temporarily remove only a portion of an app instead of completely uninstalling it.
This enables users to keep their app data while, according to Google, freeing up or regaining around 60% of storage space.
On smart TVs, where internal storage space is sometimes at a premium and users are frequently forced to remove unused applications before installing new ones, the more modern app structure is more essential. Numerous additional platforms and devices, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and automobiles, can also use AABs. The.aab file format for developers also makes it simpler to provide an optimised package for each device configuration as opposed to a one-size-fits-all method that consumes needless storage space.
Users who utilise an Android TV or Google TV-powered device shouldn't be concerned about the impending switchover. Developers must adopt the new format for submissions starting in May 2023 if they intend to build new apps or update existing ones for the platforms. Developers have been given six months by Google to switch to the.aab file type. According to the search engine giant, converting an Android TV app from Android Package Kit (APK) to Android App Bundle (AAB) can be completed by a single engineer in three days, thus it appears that developers have ample time to make the change.
