Google ends with .apk installers. They’re coming .aab

You don’t need a Google Play store or other app store to install any app or game on your Android device. Just download the APK installation file. However, Google plans to end this type of file and will slowly replace it with AAB format. 9to5Google reported on the topic.

Google introduced the Android App Bundle (AAB) format at the I / O conference in May 2018. This format is better optimized, and AAB files need, on average, 15% less storage space compared to APKs. For users, this means that applications will install faster and take up less space on the phone.

For the time being, only new applications have to switch to AAB format

Google claims that the AAB format is currently used by more than 1 million applications and includes popular titles such as Twitter, Netflix, Gameloft, Adobe and Duolingo.

However, this August will replace the good old APK format, and AAB will have to use all the new apps that will be added to the Google Play store. It will also change how developers publish larger applications. At this time, Google does not allow uploads of files larger than 100 MB to the Play Store. If the application is larger than 100 MB, developers must upload other files additionally in OBB format. From now on, they will not be able to use this format and will have to upload other files using Play Asset or Feature Delivery.

Existing applications are not affected and may continue to use the APK format, but it is likely that Google will force them to switch to the new format in the future.