Summary
- Android 16 may speed up app installs on low-end devices using cloud compilation.
- Cloud compilation will shift processing to the cloud, reducing install times significantly.
- Android 16 also brings faster fingerprint unlock and better tablet windowing support.
While some brands like Samsung are now only releasing Android 15 for flagship devices, Google’s next version of Android, Android 16, is just around the corner. We’re already well into the Android 16 beta cycle, and Google has confirmed that the final release will arrive in June 2025.
While Android 16 doesn’t bring a major visual overhaul, it’s expected to pack several under-the-hood improvements. Now, a new report suggests one such improvement could be faster app installation.
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Installing apps on high-end devices hasn’t been much of an issue, thanks to faster hardware. However, lower-end phones often struggle with slow app installs due to weaker processors and limited storage. Android 16 may tackle this issue with a new feature aimed at optimizing app installs for lower-end phones.
Android 16 will speed up app installation
By offloading more work to the cloud
According to a report by Android expert Mishaal Rahman (via Android Authority), Android 16 may introduce a new feature called cloud compilation to speed up app installation. Currently, when you install an app, your phone has to process certain parts of the app (called application artifacts) to ensure it runs smoothly. This step is more time-consuming on devices with weaker hardware.
Cloud compilation aims to offload that processing to the cloud. Instead of your device compiling artifacts during install, Android 16 will download preprocessed artifacts directly from the Play Store along with the app files. While this might slightly increase the app’s file size, it will significantly speed up installation time.
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Rahman notes that the feature isn’t live yet, likely because Google still needs to configure the Play Store to generate and serve these artifacts. Setting up this infrastructure may take time, but signs point to the feature arriving soon. It might also be opt-in at first, as it requires users to download a bit more data per app.
In addition to cloud compilation, Android 16 is set to introduce other features like faster fingerprint unlock on Pixel devices and improved desktop windowing on Android tablets. We’ll likely hear more about these features at Google I/O 2025, happening next month.
