Google has rolled out a new algorithm for their Google Play Store platform that reduces the sizes of updates and patches for the apps plus it allows users to see the actual download size.
Previously, users could only see the size of the APK file itself. For instance, a game's APK size could just be around 50MB but the updates could be larger at 100MB or even more.
The search engine giant's new algorithm dubbed "bsdiff" is claimed by Google to reduce the patch and update sizes by up to 50 percent compared to the previous algorithm rolled out by the company on the Google Play Store, Venturebeat has learned. It might look like a huge boost but the actual size reduction is not that big.
Updates work in the Google Play Store by only downloading the changes in the APK file and not whole APK itself. The changes are then merged with what the user already has on their Android smartphones or tablets.
Another highlight is that the new bsdiff Google Play Store algorithm can reduce the filesizes of large games' APK by up to 12 percent, Engadget reported. It may not seem huge to high-end smartphones but it would be significant enough for those who only have 16GB for their storage capacities.
The algorithm compresses the file sizes before they are downloaded to a user's smartphone. It would also be beneficial for those who rely on their mobile data connections which often have a data cap or limit within a day.
Google Play Store now also displays additional data of the app before they can be downloaded. Users can view the overall download size of the app and not just the APK file. They can also see the previous update file size so that they can make size for it if they already have a low free space on their storage.
The changes in the Google Play Store is instantly rolled out through the updated app as well. Users should receive the update automatically if they have auto updates turned on in their Android smartphones' settings which is usually enabled by default.