Update hassle-free

With an intention to help application developers to draw more and more users, Google has announced a new set of features as part of the new app publishing format, Android App Bundle. The new features include an In-app Updates API that will allow users to continue using Android apps while they’re being updated. The announcement was made at the Android Dev Summit alongside support for foldable displays while celebrating 10 years of the OS. The feature, according to the company, is meant to essentially push users into updating their apps who don’t want to be bothered with the nuisance of updating, which in turn is a win for developers also who want the users to opt for the latest version of their app.

Stephanie Cuthbertson, Android’s Director of Product Management, wrote in the Android Developer’s Blog, “You will have two options with this API; the first is a full-screen experience for critical updates when you expect the user to wait for the update to be applied immediately. The second option is a flexible update, which means the user can keep using the app while the update is downloaded. You can completely customise the update flow so it feels like part of your app.”

If an app contains a critical bug, the API helps developers more urgently push users to update to the latest patched version instead of assuming that the users have automatic updates turned on. It also erases the inconvenience of waiting for an app to update if the user wants to keep using the app, especially if he/she is working with low download speeds. Google hasn't announced an official date for releasing the feature, but said the API would be available to all developers soon.