Android 16 to deliver Near-Instant App Updates
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – Android 16 will significantly reduce app update times, possibly from seconds to mere milliseconds, thanks to a new system called “seamless app updates” announced by Google. The change, rolling out with the next major Android release, promises a smoother, less disruptive experience for users as apps receive critical security patches and feature enhancements.
Introduced over a year after google enabled the Play Store to handle three simultaneous app updates,this latest optimization tackles the final bottleneck in the process: the time apps spend unavailable during optimization. Previously, these steps occurred after an app was frozen, causing noticeable delays. Android 16 shifts those optimization procedures to occur earlier in the installation, minimizing downtime, particularly for large applications or those integral to system functionality.
The enhancement is a technical advancement focused on enhancing the user experience, rather than introducing new visible features. It will be moast noticeable when the Play Store updates multiple apps concurrently – a common occurrence – and applies to all devices running Android 16. Google detailed the feature in documentation released alongside the Android 16 beta, highlighting its impact on reducing app unavailability from several seconds to as little as tens of milliseconds.
This change is expected to benefit the over three billion active Android devices worldwide, offering a more fluid and responsive experience as app updates become increasingly frequent and essential for maintaining device security and performance.
