Google forces Android apps to use memory more wisely as RAMpocalypse rages

Google has declared that Android apps distributed through Google Play will have to meet new memory performance thresholds, starting in early 2027. Google is cracking down on poorly optimized code that might otherwise squander what's now a precious commodity, as RAM prices skyrocket and consumers choose phones with leaner specs. "An ecosystem-wide memory crisis is imminent due to rising RAM costs," the Chocolate Factory explains in its technical documentation. "Inefficient memory use, such as a single app with a runaway memory leak that consumes most of the device memory, causes the device to stutter and kill other well-behaving apps in the background. Android has announced strict memory limits, and Play wants to ensure your app's fall within this and minimize the chances that the device needs to terminate your app." On-device AI probably isn't helping. The new app quality requirements represent an expansion of the Android memory efficiency push announced in June, aimed at "[preventing] 'one bad actor' from destroying the multitasking experience and stability of the user's entire device." Technical scrutiny is scheduled to take effect in two stages: In February 2027, bad behavior thresholds and code optimization thresholds will come into effect. And in April 2027, the device migration experience - onboarding - will need to support zero-tap credential restoration. The former covers memory usage (Anonymous Resident Set Size + Swap), bitmap memory usage, and DEX code optimization - DEX (Dalvik Executable) files represent a compressed version of an application's Java bytecode. The specific memory requirements depend on the amount of physical RAM available on the device. For a device with 8 GB, an app can use no more than 2.25 GB in the foreground, 1.5 GB for user-perceived services, and 1.5 GB in the background. Devices with more than 16 GB are mostly exempt. Bitmap memory usage is capped at 200 MB in user-perceived services and in background, and 400 MB cached, for all devices. The limits differ somewhat for games. And DEX code optimization is being required to ensure modest memory usage, rapid app launches, and better runtime performance. The second stage requirement, Zero-tap Sign-In, aims to make device migration easier and more secure. As Google's documentation states, "Manual sign-ins during device setup doesn't just create onboarding friction and decrease user retention, it actively exposes apps to critical security vulnerabilities like phishing and credential theft during setup." So as of April, Android devs are advised to use the Android Restore Credentials API to help move user credentials from one device to another. (R)