AI’s memory crunch is coming for Android apps

Google is making changes to its requirements for Android apps as developers face industrywide memory chip shortages driven by the AI data center boom. This week, the tech giant announced two new app quality requirements, one of which is focused on reducing apps’ memory usage and optimizing its code.

The company explains that the mobile industry is now facing “significant hardware supply constraints that are altering device memory availability,” which can then, in turn, affect the consumer’s experience with their devices.

To address this, Google is now establishing new performance thresholds across several areas, like dynamic memory usage and bitmap usage. In addition, Google is adding code optimization requirements designed to prevent things like app slowdowns and crashes related to performance.

To aid developers, the company is rolling out new tools that will alert them when their apps exceed the new thresholds so they can take action by optimizing their code. More diagnostic tools will arrive later in the year, Google noted, including deeper insights provided by a Memory Limiter feature that prevents apps from using too much device memory.

The changes are meant to help Android app and game makers continue to deliver a quality experience, Google says, while reflecting a market where memory may not be as widely available, particularly for low-end devices where price points are a concern.

Developers have until February 2027 to meet the new thresholds, documented on Google’s Android Developer site.

In addition, the company will require all Play Store apps to meet the Zero Tap Sign-In requirement during device migrations by April 2027. This standard requires that apps with user sign-ins, whether optional or mandatory, automatically restore the user’s sign-in state when they move between Android devices using the Android Restore Credentials API.