Google has recently announced the Instant apps for Android during the I/O keynote, thereby giving the ability to the applications for running even without installing them.
One among the latest features of Android announced in the Google I/O keynote 2016 was the Instant apps for Android. Companies that are interesting in getting the deep linking implemented, like Facebook, Apple, URX, Twitter, are making attempts to convince the app developers to index the applications of theirs with deep links so that when a user presses on the certain deep link will be taken to that particular page within the app. But it would need the app to be installed in the device first.
What are Instant Apps?
Google was working on this idea and have now come up with a strategy which would implement the deep links in the android without wanting the app to be installed. When the user touches on the certain deep link, the app related is downloaded and the adjacent activity is displayed even when the app has not been installed previously. Google has shown such instant apps that run inside other apps. The user experience was effortless, getting back to the initial app after that user was over with the instant app. The users could be provided with a choice to install the app permanently if they want to.
In trials shown when the keynote happened, the target apps got loaded pretty quickly and few also commented that they got loaded quicker than a website’s page in Google chrome during their trial. This is possible as the app which is supposed to be loaded is designed by being segregated into modules and only the module which is desired would be loaded. It is just the same app, same source code too, but there are 2 builds created. One is for the common installable APK and another one for an instant run. The latter is saved on Google Play, without needing anything extra from the android developers. As per Google, developing an app for instant run generally takes not more than twenty-four hours, but the effort needed is based on how an app would be structured.
An instant app would require Play services and would run on a 16+ API level which is 4.1+ Android Jelly Bean. Android instant apps would use the scheme of permission introduced along with Marshmallow. And if the app supports the model of permission introduced with 6.0 Android, it would not need any extra work to turn into an instant app which works on old devices. Also, few of the features would not be available for these instant apps like background notifications, background services or also unique mobile device identifiers.
The instant Android apps are now in preview. Those who are interested are invited to fill up a form of interest. Instant android apps would probably be available for use by this year’s end.
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