Not everyone has the luxury of having access to high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity all the time, with a majority of the people in developing countries having to rely on spotty 2G coverage for their internet needs. In such cases, it is troublesome for the user to download hefty app updates regularly for their installed apps. 

While Google has already implemented delta update feature for app updates in the Google Play Store, it is now further reducing the app update sizes using its new delta algorithm, bsdiff. The company notes that with its new delta algorithm, it has seen app update size reduce by up to 50%. The new algorithm achieves this by producing “more efficient deltas of native libraries by taking advantage of the specific ways in which compiled native code changes between versions.” As Google points out, the M46 to M47 update of Chrome came in at 12.9 MB with the bsdiff algorithm vs 22.8 MB without it.

Additionally, Google has also applied its delta algorithm to APK Expansion files — the additional files that are downloaded after the original APK is downloaded, especially in games — that has led to initial download size of such apps and games reducing by 12% and updates by more than 60% on an average.

Lastly, Google is making the download size of an app clearer on the Play Store. If you don’t have an app or game installed, you will see its actual download size, and not just the APK file size. If you already have the app installed, you will only see its update size being listed.

None of the changes being rolled out above are game changing or noteworthy especially if you live in a developed country or have access to a fast and unlimited Wi-Fi connection. But if you don’t, then you will definitely appreciate these changes coming to the Play Store.