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Welcome to Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in the world of Android development.
You can catch a short subset of what\u2019s in this gigantified update on YouTube, but read on for the full\u00a0story.
https://medium.com/media/406ea21381b605792c1cb5f40715bc89/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*k-qSFagXPs28dlyz.png\")
The Android Show | XR Edition introduced updates to the Android XR platform, focusing on new devices and developer tools. The platform is expanding to include lightweight AI and Display AI glasses from Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker, integrating Gemini for features like live translation and visual search. Uber is exploring AI Glasses for contextual directions. Wired XR glasses, such as XREAL\u2019s Project Aura, are scheduled for release next\u00a0year.
Android XR SDK Developer Preview 3 offers increased stability for headset APIs and opens development for AI Glasses. This includes new libraries like Jetpack Compose Glimmer for transparent display UI and Jetpack Projected for extending your mobile apps to glasses. ARCore for Jetpack XR gains Geospatial capabilities, and new APIs enable detection of device field-of-view for adaptive\u00a0UIs.
The platform, built on OpenXR, supports Unreal Engine development with a Google vendor plugin for hand tracking coming next year, and Godot Engine now includes Android XR support via its OpenXR vendor plugin v4.2.2\u00a0stable.
Start building for glasses, new devices for Android XR and more in The Android Show | XR Edition
Check out #TheAndroidShow in 60 seconds for a quick video overview of what we\u00a0covered.
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Android XR SDK Developer Preview 3 is now available, enabling you to build augmented experiences for AI Glasses in addition to immersive experiences for XR Headsets.
Key updates\u00a0include:
To begin building, update to Android Studio Canary (Otter 3, Canary 4 or later) and emulator version 36.4.3 Canary or later, then visit developer.android.com/xr for libraries and\u00a0samples.
Check out the The Android Show XR Edition Recap to get caught\u00a0up.
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The Android Studio Otter 2 Feature Drop is now stable. This release introduces updates to Agent Mode, including the Android Knowledge Base for improved accuracy and the option to use the Gemini 3 model. You can now use Backup and Sync to maintain consistent IDE settings across your machines and opt-in to receive communications from the Android Studio team. Additionally, this release incorporates stability and performance enhancements from the IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2 platform, such as Kotlin compiler and terminal improvements.
Android Studio Otter 2 Feature Drop is stable!
We\u2019ve released a bunch of shorts to highlight important Otter 2 features, such as The Gemini 3 model is now available for AI assistance in Android Studio, Agent Mode\u2019s Android knowledge, and
Android Studio Otter Backup and Sync. Also check out Top 4 agentic experiences for Gemini in Android Studio, and What\u2019s new in Android Studio\u2019s AI\u00a0Agent.
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Android 16 QPR2 has been released, marking the first minor SDK version. This release aims to accelerate innovation by delivering new APIs and features outside of major yearly platform releases.
Key updates\u00a0include:
To get started, you can get the Android 16 QPR2 release on your Pixel device, or use 64-bit system images with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. Using the latest Canary build of Android Studio Otter is recommended.
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The Jetpack Compose December \u201925 release is now stable, including core Compose modules version 1.10 and Material 3 version 1.4. To use this release, update your Compose BOM version to 2025.12.00.
Key updates\u00a0include:
New Features:
Tools: Android Studio adds Transform UI for natural language design iteration, the ability to generate @Preview for composables, customized Material Symbols in the Vector Asset wizard, code generation from screenshots using Gemini (with remote MCP support), and UI quality issue\u00a0fixes.
Upcoming Changes: Modifier.onFirstVisible will be deprecated in Compose 1.11 due to non-deterministic behavior; migrate to Modifier.onVisibilityChanged. Coroutine dispatch in tests will shift to StandardTestDispatcher by default in a future release to align with production behavior; you can opt-in now using effectContext = StandardTestDispatcher() in createComposeRule.
What's new in the Jetpack Compose December '25 release
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Jetpack Navigation 3 version 1.0 is now stable. This new navigation library is built to embrace Jetpack Compose state, offering full control over your back stack, helping you retain navigation state, and facilitating adaptive layouts. A cross-platform version is also available from JetBrains.
Developed to address the shift to reactive programming and declarative UI, Navigation 3 provides more flexibility and customizability compared to the original Jetpack Navigation (now Nav2) through smaller, decoupled APIs. For example, NavDisplay observes a list of keys backed by Compose state to update the UI. It also allows you to supply your own state for a single source of truth, lets you customize screen animations, and create flexible layouts with the Scenes\u00a0API.
If you are currently using Navigation Compose with Nav2, you can consider migrating to Nav3. A migration guide is available that outlines key steps, including adding Nav3 dependencies, updating routes to implement NavKey, creating navigation state classes, and replacing NavController with these classes. You also move destinations from NavHost\u2019s NavGraph into an entryProvider and replace NavHost with NavDisplay. You can experiment with an AI agent, like Gemini in Android Studio\u2019s Agent Mode, for this migration by providing the markdown version of the guide as\u00a0context.
For common navigation scenarios, a recipes repository is available, covering topics such as multiple back stacks, modularization, dependency injection, passing arguments to ViewModels, and returning results from screens. A deep links and Koin integration recipe are currently in development, and a Compose Multiplatform version of the recipes is also available.
To get started, you can refer to the official documentation and the recipes. You can file any issues you encounter in the issue tracker. We have lots of video content that can help, including a Navigation 3 API overview, our 3 things to know about Jetpack Navigation 3, a recording of our Navigation 3 #AskAndroid session, as well as shorts on Navigation 3 basics, How to animate screen transitions, and Implementing deep\u00a0links.
Jetpack Navigation 3 is stable
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Performance Spotlight Week concluded with several announcements aimed at optimizing Android app performance.
You can now utilize the R8 optimizer for faster, smaller, and more stable apps, with updated documentation available. For instance, enabling R8 full mode has resulted in 40% faster cold startup and 30% fewer ANR errors for some\u00a0apps.
Profile Guided Optimizations, including Baseline Profiles and Startup Profiles, can enhance startup speed, scrolling, animation, and rendering performance. Jetpack Compose 1.10 also introduced performance improvements like pausable composition and a customizable cache window for handling complex list\u00a0items.
To measure performance, a new Performance Leveling Guide outlines a five-step journey, starting with data from Android Vitals and progressing to advanced local tooling like Jetpack Macrobenchmark and the UiAutomator 2.4 API for accurate measurement and verification.
Debugging tools received upgrades, including Automatic Logcat Retrace in Android Studio Narwhal to de-obfuscate stack traces automatically. New guidance on Narrow Keep Rules helps fix runtime crashes, supported by a lint check in Android Studio Otter 3. Additionally, new documentation and the Background Task Inspector offer insights into debugging WorkManager tasks and background work.
Performance optimization is an ongoing process, and the App Performance Score framework can help you integrate continuous improvements into your product\u00a0roadmap.
Fully Optimized: Wrapping up Performance Spotlight Week
You can learn more on video at App Performance Spotlight Week Overview, App Performance #AskAndroid, App performance improvements, and Boost Android app performance with the R8 optimizer\u00a0.
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CameraX 1.5 introduces features for video recording and image capture, alongside core API enhancements.
For video, you can now capture slow-motion or high-frame-rate videos. The new Feature Group API enables combinations like 10-bit HDR and 60 FPS, supporting features such as HDR (HLG), 60 fps, Preview Stabilization, and Ultra HDR, with plans for 4K recording and ultra-wide zoom.
Concurrent Camera improvements allow binding Preview, ImageCapture, and VideoCapture concurrently, and applying CameraEffects in composition mode. Additionally, CameraX 1.5 includes dynamic audio muting during recording, improved insufficient storage error handling, and a low light boost for dark environments on supported devices.
For image capture, CameraX 1.5 adds support for capturing unprocessed, uncompressed DNG (RAW) files, either standalone or simultaneously with JPEG. You can also leverage Ultra HDR output when using Camera Extensions.
Core API changes include the new SessionConfig API, which centralizes camera setup, removes the need for manual unbind() calls when updating use cases or switching cameras, and provides deterministic frame rate control. The camera-compose library has reached stable version 1.5.1, addressing bugs and preview stretching. Other improvements include fine-grained control over torch strength (querying max strength and setting levels) and NV21 image format support in ImageAnalysis.
To access these features, update your dependencies to CameraX 1.5.1. You can join the CameraX developer discussion group or file bug reports for\u00a0support.
Introducing CameraX 1.5: Powerful Video Recording and Pro-level Image Capture
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The Health Connect Jetpack library has reached its 1.1.0 stable release, providing a foundation for health and fitness applications. This version incorporates features such as background reads for continuous data monitoring, historical data synchronization, and support for data types including Personal Health records, Exercise Routes, Training Plans, and Skin Temperature. The platform supports over 50 data types across various health and fitness categories.
Additionally, Health Connect is expanding its device type support, which will be available in version 1.2.0-alpha02. New supported device types include Consumer Medical Devices (e.g., Continuous Glucose Monitors, Blood Pressure Cuffs), Glasses (for smart glasses and head-mounted optical devices), Hearables (for earbuds, headphones, and hearing aids with sensing capabilities), and Fitness Machines (for stationary and outdoor equipment). This expansion aims to enhance data representation by specifying the source hardware.
You are encouraged to upgrade to the 1.1.0 library, review the official documentation and release notes for further details, and submit feedback or report issues via the public issue\u00a0tracker.
Health Connect Jetpack v1.1.0 is now available!
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ML Kit has released the Alpha version of its GenAI Prompt API, enabling custom on-device Gemini Nano experiences. This API allows you to send natural language and multimodal requests to Gemini Nano, supporting use cases requiring more control and flexibility for generative models.
The Prompt API processes data locally, offering offline functionality and enhanced user privacy. Examples of its application include image understanding, intelligent document scanning, transforming data for UI, content prompting, content analysis, and information extraction.
Implementation involves a few lines of code, using Generation.getClient().generateContent() with optional parameters like temperature, topK, candidateCount, and maxOutputTokens. Detailed examples are available in the official documentation and a GitHub\u00a0sample.
The API performs optimally on the Pixel 10 device series, which features Gemini Nano (nano-v3), built on the same architecture as Gemma 3n. Developers without a Pixel 10 can prototype features locally using Gemma 3n. Refer to the device support documentation for a comprehensive list of compatible devices.
ML Kit's Prompt API: Unlock Custom On-Device Gemini Nano Experiences
https://medium.com/media/18b817ba22ef1b852f5a63fffa05ec1b/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*obJyZU48JJqWkAAy.png\")
Kakao Mobility utilized Gemini Nano via ML Kit\u2019s GenAI Prompt API for two main functions:
The implementation of Gemini Nano on-device led\u00a0to:
You can use ML Kit\u2019s GenAI Prompt API to integrate on-device AI capabilities like Gemini Nano into your applications.
Kakao Mobility uses Gemini Nano on-device to reduce costs and boost call conversion by 45%
The Android team has launched a redesigned, open-source Android AI Sample Catalog app on GitHub to showcase various AI-enabled features using both on-device (ML Kit GenAI API with Gemini Nano) and cloud (Firebase AI Logic SDK) models. The catalog includes samples for tasks like image generation (Imagen), on-device text summarization, a chatbot for image editing (Gemini 3 Pro Image model), on-device image description, a voice-controlled to-do list, and on-device rewrite assistance. The app features a new Material 3 design and provides structured code for easy integration into your own projects.
Explore AI on Android with Our Sample Catalog App
We had a Nav3 Spotlight Week to help you learn and integrate the library into your app. Nav3 can assist in reducing technical debt, improving separation of concerns, accelerating feature development, and supporting new form\u00a0factors.
The week featured daily\u00a0content:
Learn about our newest Jetpack Navigation library with the Nav3 Spotlight Week
#WeArePlay spotlights DELISH KITCHEN co-founder Chiharu and her app, which provides 55,000 video recipes to over 13 million Japanese users to solve the \u201cdinner dilemma.\u201d Google Play supports the app\u2019s growth, offering distribution to Android users, developer tools, and feature campaigns. Future plans for you to note include an AI-powered cooking assistant, a new health management app, and supermarket partnerships.
#WeArePlay: Solving the dinner dilemma - how DELISH KITCHEN empowers 13 million home cooks
https://medium.com/media/06e3bd45e1117251eb9b6a667c259eca/hrefThe Android Developers Blog published a \u201cLeveling Guide for your Performance Journey,\u201d outlining five stages for optimizing app performance.
Leveling Guide for your Performance Journey
The Play Integrity API has received updates aimed at improving threat detection and simplifying integration. It verifies that user interactions originate from your unmodified app on a certified Android device installed via Google Play, resulting in an average of 80% lower unauthorized usage for apps utilizing its features.
The API provides various verdicts to detect specific threats, including checks\u00a0for:
Improvements also focus on user recovery through new Play in-app remediation prompts.
Other integrity solutions include Google Play\u2019s automatic protection (installer checks, advanced anti-tamper protection), Android platform key attestation (which Play Integrity API leverages, with direct implementers needing to prepare for root certificate rotation in February 2026), Firebase App Check, and reCAPTCHA Enterprise.
Stronger threat detection, simpler integration: Protect your growth with the Play Integrity API
Uber has reduced manual logins by an estimated 4 million per year by integrating the Restore Credentials API into its rider app. This feature enables a seamless transition for users when they switch to a new device, eliminating the need for re-authentication.
A five-week A/B experiment confirmed the positive impact, demonstrating:
Interested in implementing Restore Credentials? You can consult sample code, documentation, a codelab, and validate your integration using new features in Android Studio\u00a0Otter.
How Uber is reducing manual logins by 4 million per year with the Restore Credentials API
R8 is the primary tool for shrinking and optimizing Android apps. Keep Rules are essential because R8 cannot predict dynamic code (like reflection), which could lead to unintended code\u00a0removal.
Key takeaways for Keep\u00a0Rules:
Configure and troubleshoot R8 Keep Rules
https://medium.com/media/1bf73a6e311227404a606b8526f03522/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/74bd69139e892547555a0116254c1bde/hrefThe Gemini 3 Pro model is now available for AI assistance, providing new coding and agentic features in the latest version of Android Studio\u00a0Otter.
Gemini 3 is now available for AI assistance in Android Studio
https://medium.com/media/1d51e9c0dfd0b12cbfde5b0ff8a0be1b/hrefReddit significantly improved its app\u2019s performance by implementing the R8 optimizer in full mode, which took less than two\u00a0weeks.
Key results from the implementation:
Real-World Metrics (Android Vitals/Crashlytics):
Controlled Testing (Macrobenchmark):
You can enable R8 by setting minifyEnabled and shrinkResources to true in your release build type within app/build.gradle.kts. This process should be followed by holistic end-to-end testing, and you may need to define keep rules to prevent R8 from modifying essential parts of your\u00a0code.
The latest #WeArePlay stories highlight game creators who develop for Google Play. These stories feature developers who entertain players, inspire new ideas, and spark imagination through their creations.
You can learn\u00a0about:
#WeArePlay: Meet the game creators who entertain, inspire and spark imagination
This week\u2019s #WeArePlay series highlights applications and games on Google Play that focus on health and wellness. You can learn\u00a0about:
#WeArePlay: Meet the people making apps & games to improve your health
Android developer verification has begun its early access phase. This initiative introduces verification requirements as an additional layer of security to protect Android users from scams and digital fraud, particularly with sideloaded apps. The system aims to deter malicious app distribution by linking apps to verified identities.
In response to community feedback, changes address specific developer needs:
You can find a video walkthrough and detailed guides for the new Android Developer Console experience.
Android developer verification: Early access starts now as we continue to build with your feedback
https://medium.com/media/de308484e541e79c05e4f9ea8dad6c1d/hrefThe \u201cexcessive partial wake locks\u201d metric has moved out of beta and is now generally available as a new core vitals metric in Android vitals. This metric, co-developed with Samsung, identifies user sessions where an app holds more than two cumulative hours of non-exempt wake locks within a 24-hour\u00a0period.
If your app surpasses a bad behavior threshold\u200a\u2014\u200a5% of user sessions being excessive over 28 days\u200a\u2014\u200ait may be excluded from prominent Google Play discovery surfaces and a warning may appear on its store listing, starting March 1,\u00a02026.
Android vitals now features a wake lock names table to help you pinpoint excessive wake locks by name and duration, particularly those with P90 or P99 durations over 60 minutes. You are encouraged to review your app\u2019s performance in Android vitals and consult the updated documentation for best practices.
Raising the bar on battery performance: excessive partial wake locks metric is now out of beta
redBus utilized Gemini Flash via Firebase AI Logic to revamp its customer review system, resulting in a 57% increase in review length. The company\u2019s previous text-based review process presented challenges such as language barriers and a lack of detailed feedback.
To address this, redBus implemented a voice-first approach, enabling users to submit reviews in their native language. Gemini Flash transcribes and translates speech, performs sentiment analysis, and generates star ratings, relevant tags, and summaries from these voice inputs. Firebase AI Logic facilitated the frontend team\u2019s independent development and launch of this feature within 30 days, removing the need for complex backend implementation. The solution employs structured output to ensure well-formed JSON responses from the AI model. redBus plans to continue exploring on-device generative AI and will use Google AI Studio for prompt iteration.
redBus uses Gemini Flash via Firebase AI Logic to boost the length of customer reviews by 57%
https://medium.com/media/09cd7d1f65a8169230a0faca741bf26d/hrefGoogle Play has released new tools and programs designed to streamline your development and accelerate your app\u2019s growth. You can now validate deep links directly within Play Console using a built-in emulator. A new Gemini-powered localization service offers no-cost translations for app strings, automatically translating new app bundles into selected languages while allowing you to preview, edit, or disable\u00a0them.
On the Statistics page, a new Gemini-powered feature generates automated chart summaries to help you understand data trends and provides access to reporting for screen reader users. The Play Console now includes a \u201cGrow users\u201d overview page, offering a tailored view to acquire new users and expand your reach. A new \u201cYou\u201d tab on the Play Store is available for re-engagement; you can integrate with Engage SDK to help users resume content or get personalized recommendations. Game developers can use this tab to showcase in-game events, content updates, and offers, with promotional content, YouTube video listings, and Play Points coupons available.
For monetization, you can now configure one-time products with more flexibility, including limited-time rentals and pre-orders through an early access program, and manage your catalog more efficiently with a new taxonomy. A new Play Points page in Play Console provides reporting on the revenue, buyers, and acquisitions generated by both your developer-created and Google-funded Play Points promotions.
New tools and programs to accelerate your success on Google Play
Calm has brought its mindfulness content to Android XR. Its engineering team developed functional XR orbiter menus in one day and a core XR experience within two weeks. This involved extending existing Android development, including leveraging Jetpack Compose and reusing codebase components such as backend and media playback.
The team utilized Android XR design guides and evolved features like the \u201cImmersive Breathe Bubble\u201d for 3D breathwork and \u201cImmersive Scene Experiences\u201d for ambient environments. The creative workflow involved concept art, 3D models with human-scale reference, and in-headset testing, with the Android XR emulator available as a testing\u00a0option.
To build for XR, you can integrate Jetpack XR APIs into existing Android apps and reuse code to create prototypes quickly. Resources for building on the Android XR platform are available at developer.android.com/xr.
How Calm Reimagined Mindfulness for Android XR
https://medium.com/media/d71e9f223cb76acf4f5dd1c635c5098f/hrefAndroid Developers has introduced Cahier, a new GitHub sample application designed to showcase best practices for building productivity and creativity apps optimized for large\u00a0screens.
Cahier demonstrates how you can develop versatile note-taking applications that combine text, freeform drawings using the Ink API (now in beta), and image attachments. Key features include fluid content integration with drag and drop for importing and sharing, and note organization capabilities.
The sample utilizes an offline-first architecture with Room and supports multi-window and multi-instance capabilities, including desktop windowing. Its user interface adapts to various screen sizes and orientations, including phones, tablets, and foldable devices, by employing ListDetailPaneScaffold and NavigationSuiteScaffold from the material3-adaptive library.
Cahier also illustrates deep system integration, showing you how to enable your app to become the default note-taking app on Android 14 and higher by responding to Notes intents. Lenovo has enabled Notes Role support on its tablets running Android 15 and above, allowing note-taking apps to be set as default on these devices. The sample provides comprehensive input support, including stylus, keyboard shortcuts, and mouse/trackpad interactions.
Introducing Cahier: A new Android GitHub sample for large screen productivity and creativity
Material 3 Adaptive 1.2.0 is now stable, building on previous versions with expanded support for window size classes and new strategies for display pane placement.
The release introduces support for Large (L) and Extra-large (XL) breakpoints for width window size classes, enabled by setting supportLargeAndXLargeWidth = true in your currentWindowAdaptiveInfo() call.
New adaptive strategies, reflow and levitate, are available for ListDetailPaneScaffold and SupportingPaneScaffold. The reflow strategy rearranges panes based on window size or aspect ratio, moving a second pane to the side or underneath. The levitate strategy docks content and offers customization for draggability, resizability, and background scrim. Both strategies can be declared in the Navigator constructor using the adaptStrategies parameter.
Material 3 Adaptive 1.2.0 is stable
When publishing and distributing your app for Android XR, consider five key\u00a0areas:
5 things you need to know about publishing and distributing your app for Android XR
The Android Developers Blog details how the Androidify app was adapted for Extended Reality (XR) using the Jetpack XR SDK, coinciding with the launch of Samsung Galaxy XR powered by Android\u00a0XR.
Originally designed with adaptive layouts for phones, foldables, and tablets, Androidify is compatible with Android XR without modifications. For a differentiated XR experience, developers created specific spatial\u00a0layouts.
Key XR concepts include Home Space, which allows multitasking with multiple app windows in a virtual environment, and Full Space, where an app uses the full spatial features of Android XR. You are advised to support both\u00a0modes.
Designing for XR involved organizing UI elements using containment, embracing spatial UI elements that adjust to the user, and adapting camera layouts for headsets. Design tips for spatial UI include allowing uncontained elements, removing background surfaces, motivating with motion, and choosing an anchor element for\u00a0content.
For development, the Jetpack XR Compose dependency was added. You can transition to Full Space by checking for XR spatial features using LocalSpatialConfiguration.current.hasXrSpatialFeature and\u00a0!LocalSpatialCapabilities.current.isSpatialUiEnabled. Spatial UI elements like SpatialPanel, SubspaceModifier, and Orbiter enable the creation of XR layouts with existing 2D content. SpatialPanels can incorporate ResizePolicy and MovePolicy for user interaction, and hierarchical relationships allow grouped movement.
To publish, include <uses-feature android:name=\u201dandroid.software.xr.api.spatial\u201d android:required=\u201dfalse\u201d /> in your AndroidManifest.xml to signify XR-differentiated features. The same app binary can be distributed to both mobile and XR users, with options to add XR-specific screenshots or spatial video assets for immersive previews on the Play\u00a0Store.
Bringing Androidify to XR with the Jetpack XR SDK
https://medium.com/media/6d3f613eba1492cb3448c1a11d04e167/hrefMiksapix Interactive launched their game \u201cRaanaa\u201d on Google Play, leveraging S\u00e1mi mythology to preserve and share indigenous culture. This demonstrates a successful approach to niche content development and localization on the platform, with the game being translated into various S\u00e1mi languages.
https://medium.com/media/a51be358e8f2f4e48338152ddfeba4b9/hrefGoogle is empowering you to build intelligent apps using Gemini AI, offering a comprehensive end-to-end AI stack. Key takeaways include:
It\u2019s time to build adaptive apps that optimally scale across diverse form factors (tablets, foldables, Chromebooks, etc.).
Key takeaways:
Material 3 Expressive is now available, offering new capabilities to build more premium, engaging, and expressive UIs.
Key updates\u00a0include:
Crucially, these new features are available today for both Jetpack Compose and Android Views, ensuring bidirectional compatibility with existing Material 3 implementations. The update aims to improve clarity, usability, and user delight, as validated by extensive user research.
https://medium.com/media/791296c2e25223d8f46223bbf0109592/hrefAndroidify has been re-released as an open-source app, built with Jetpack Compose. It offers you a practical example of integrating Firebase AI Logic SDK, Gemini, and a fine-tuned Imagen model for AI features like image validation, captioning, and bot generation.
Key takeaways include:
Android apps using Jetpack Compose will benefit from significant performance improvements, including 21% faster Time to First Frame and a 76% reduction in\u00a0jank.
New resources are available for TV and car app development:
Testing is also enhanced with new Android Automotive OS emulators, an early access program for Firebase Test Lab offering direct device access, and an AAOS image for the Pixel Tablet. Google champions adaptive app development with Compose for extensive code reuse across all Android form\u00a0factors.
https://medium.com/media/17303449d90f688bc6fb7b1d468bec87/hrefGoogle Play\u2019s October 2025 policy updates bring several key changes for developers:
The redesigned Google Play Console introduces key new features for Android developers:
Pre-launch Deep Link Testing: A new built-in emulator on the Deep links page allows developers to test deep links and visualize user experience before\u00a0launch.
Enhanced Monitoring: The \u201cMonitor and improve\u201d section provides actionable recommendations to address issues like ANR rates and slow warm-start times.
Gemini AI Integration:
Pocket FM significantly cut Android development time (50% for new features, 30% for existing) by integrating Gemini in Android Studio. For developers, this highlights Gemini\u2019s practical utility in generating code (like impression tracking), resolving complex issues (e.g., Media3 errors), and streamlining SDK upgrades by identifying dependencies, enabling engineers to focus on more complex development.
https://medium.com/media/0bb8761f3497dd8d205281f8aa2959f5/hrefHere\u2019s a summary of the AndroidX changes, many of which have been covered earlier in the\u00a0post:
New UI Modifiers:
Important Deprecation:
Default Behavior\u00a0Changes:
Advanced Layouts:
That\u2019s it for now, with Android XR, the Android Studio Otter 2 feature drop with Gemini 3; the release of Android 16 QPR2, compose updates including the stable release of Jetpack Navigation 3, highlights performance spotlight week, and much, much, much\u00a0more.
See you all in the new year for more updates from the Android developer ecosystem!
Now In Android #123 was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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Welcome to Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in the world of Android development.
Read on for coverage of Android 16 QPR2 beta 1, the Android Studio Narwhal feature drop, Jetpack Compose 1.9, Media 3 1.8, Shape Morphing and Autofill in Compose, and much\u00a0more.
You can watch a video\u00a0summary:
https://medium.com/media/87a24ed0bca13b2d58bd3e59517b4273/hrefAnd we also have a\u00a0podcast:
https://medium.com/media/ef0552e532d340d1dd8ced3c6b6d85c5/hrefBut this post has the most in-depth information, so read\u00a0on!
The first beta of Android 16 QPR2 is now available, the inaugural Android release with an Android minor SDK version. Minor SDK versions can include new APIs that extend platform features but cannot introduce targetSdkVersion gated behavior changes, minimizing the amount you need to test your apps against\u00a0it.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/958/0*wDHk7dWCW8XgAZ7L.png\")
You can call new APIs by checking SDK_INT_FULL against the VERSION_CODES_FULL enumeration:
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT_FULL >= Build.VERSION_CODES_FULL.BAKLAVA_1) {
// Call new APIs from the Android 16 QPR2 release
}VERSION_CODES_FULL cannot be used in uses-sdk manifest attributes.
Here are some key updates from QPR2 Beta\u00a01.
UI, System Experience, and Accessibility:
Media and\u00a0Audio:
Connectivity:
Privacy and Security:
Developer Productivity:
You can enroll any supported Pixel device to receive Beta updates over-the-air or use 64-bit system images with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. Platform Stability is targeted for October\u00a02025.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*_9eR89EPCjXvvSXd.png\")
Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop is now stable, new features and enhancements include:
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*C2JTTd_BDaI_FVDy0E6h9Q.gif\")
Android Device Streaming, powered by Firebase, has introduced stable support for Android Partner Device Labs, allowing you to remotely connect to physical Android devices hosted by OEM partners, including Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, and\u00a0vivo.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*7sK72Po3aBi7vLN-5JfsRw.png\")
Android Studio is transitioning to a monthly stable release cadence to speed up getting you new features and critical bug fixes. While the Android Studio IDE will update monthly, new IntelliJ platform versions will be introduced every few months, with Feature Drops filling the interim stable releases. The Android Emulator and Android Gradle Plugin will continue to update separately every two months. This accelerated release schedule is supported by long-term investments in testing infrastructure.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*IKNjj5lQS7lUlZql.png\")
The Jetpack Compose August \u201925 release (version 1.9) is now stable. This release introduces Modifier.dropShadow and Modifier.innerShadow for rendering box-shadow effects. New onVisibilityChanged and onFirstVisible modifiers let you track element visibility for UI updates or impression logging. You can apply rich styling within OutputTransformation using TextFieldBuffer.addStyle for text transformations.
The LazyLayout building blocks are now stable, and you can define a LazyLayoutCacheWindow for improved Lazy List and Grid performance with enhanced prefetching. Scrollable2D enables two-dimensional scrolling, including flinging and nested scrolling, with various improvements for scroll and nested scroll interop with Views. An opt-in API (Composer.setDiagnosticStackTraceEnabled) provides richer crash location details in stack traces, recommended for debug builds only. New @RememberInComposition and @FrequentlyChangingValue annotations, along with associated Lint checks, are available in a new runtime-annotation library. Context menus can be customized using Modifier.appendTextContextMenuComponents and Modifier.filterTextContextMenuComponents. Android Gradle Plugin (AGP) / Lint version 8.8.2 or higher is now required.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*2oQtLhJZmTlOmacc.png\")
Media3 1.8.0 is now available, introducing several new features and improvements. ExoPlayer gains a scrubbing mode for frequent, user-driven seeks, which you can enable via ExoPlayer.setScrubbingModeEnabled. HlsInterstitialsAdsLoader now supports live streams for server-guided ad insertion.
The MetadataRetriever has been updated to allow you to retrieve media item durations without playback. For Transformer, the release introduces faster trim operations using MP4 edit lists with experimentalSetMp4EditListTrimEnabled and chipset-specific encoder optimizations via CodecDbLite, enabled by calling setEnableCodecDbLite on DefaultEncoderFactory.Builder.
Additional updates include partial download support in Downloader with PreCacheHelper, automatic XR audio routing in ExoPlayer, and more efficient MediaCodec interactions. The MediaSession module now keeps notifications visible longer by default, and the media session demo app showcases playback resumption functionality. A new Composition demo app, built with Kotlin and Compose, demonstrates advanced multi-asset video\u00a0editing.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*Ee6Xp8Fv3NhtfaY3LvLRZg.png\")
The #WeArePlay initiative highlights Android apps and games that address environmental challenges. The game BoRa\u200a\u2014\u200aIgua\u00e7u National Park, developed by Mayla, Fl\u00e1via, Andr\u00e9ia, and Ariane, provides gamified and accessible interactive experiences for nature education during park visits. Louis and Justin\u2019s app, CyberTracker, allows non-literate indigenous trackers to record biodiversity data through an icon-based interface, supporting conservation efforts. Lastly, Earth5R, co-founded by Bharati and Saurabh, offers environmental education and connects users with internships and projects to develop skills for the green\u00a0economy.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*MQytXLcNV8bESxRuG6SHMA.png\")
High Dynamic Range (HDR) enables increased peak brightness beyond Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) for Android developers, offering enhanced visual fidelity. Android supports HDR for video and images, including technologies like UltraHDR for backward compatibility.
Understanding color involves three components:
Common misconceptions about\u00a0HDR:
HDR primarily signifies higher peak brightness. This \u201cHDR headroom\u201d is defined as a floating region relative to SDR. While traditional HDR video often encodes fixed headroom, modern displays use dynamic headroom, which can lead to quality differences. Technologies such as Ultra HDR and gainmaps offer alternatives with efficient bit usage. Android\u2019s UI toolkit utilizes the extendedRangeBrightness API to deliver HDR experiences, even with RGBA_8888.
Jetpack Compose now enables advanced shared element transitions, sophisticated shape morphing, and reveal animations. Developers can configure SharedTransitionLayout at the app\u2019s top level and use Modifier.sharedBounds to link elements.
Shape morphing is a key new feature, achieved by leveraging Material 3\u2019s AndroidX graphics shape library. This involves creating a Morph object with defined start/end shapes, driving its progress with animateFloat (from AnimatedVisibilityScope), and applying it as a clip via a custom OverlayClip. Reveal effects use skipToLookaheadSize and skipToLookaheadPosition. All these advanced animations are also compatible with predictive back gestures.
https://medium.com/media/04f3dba48bf6f4afd9515442221a8da3/hrefGemini AI in Android Studio assists UI development by generating code from designs (including image-to-code), creating Compose Previews with synthetic data, and refining existing UI via direct commands.
https://medium.com/media/b0ef87aa42a154597ff832b2b546937f/hrefAndroid 14 introduces SDK Runtime, a new technology isolating third-party SDKs in a secure, separate process sandbox to enhance privacy and security.
For developers:
Wear OS Material 3 for Compose now simplifies shape morphing. Developers can easily add animated shape changes to round buttons with IconButtonDefaults.animatedShapes, create button groups that animate width changes using the ButtonGroup component and Modifier.animateWidth(), and build vertically scrolling lists (TransformingLazyColumn) where items scale and morph using TransformationSpec as they approach the screen\u00a0edges.
https://medium.com/media/6a75fde69752a2bd42c064c8594e9d38/hrefHere\u2019s a summary of the AndroidX changes, prioritizing those most relevant to Android app developers:
Overall Impacting Change for Compose Libraries:
Key Changes for Compose Developers:
New Libraries & Utilities:
Other Notable\u00a0Changes:
Android Developers Backstage is back with another\u00a0episode.
Jetpack Compose 1.8 introduces significantly improved Autofill capabilities, leveraging Compose\u2019s semantics system. Developers can now easily integrate system-level Autofill by simply tagging text fields with relevant content type semantics (e.g., username, password), eliminating the need for manual Autofill tree management and improving performance.
https://medium.com/media/a909600f480230ea27b893fb2f4e8c49/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/f1815dd207a3a8ec3affdbe95a74cc9f/hrefNow then\u2026\u00a0\ud83d\udc4b
That\u2019s it for this edition, with coverage of Android 16 QPR2 beta 1, the Android Studio Narwhal feature drop, Jetpack Compose 1.9, Media 3 1.8, Shape Morphing and Autofill in Compose, and much\u00a0more.
Check back soon for your next update from the Android developer universe!
Now in Android #121 was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #121"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/now-in-android-120-76eb908b9a8c?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"August 06, 2025","summary":"![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*Sy3ea40KCd6LSmU6QFUgDA.png\")
Welcome to Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in the world of Android development.
This edition features the Android platform Canary Channel, the first release of Agentic AI in Android Studio, Play updates including 16 KB Page Size requirements and other policy changes, new capabilities around one-time purchases, Play Games Services v2, and Google Play Games on PC, I/O recaps on AI and dev productivity, next gen Samsung devices running Android 16, Compose tips, and\u00a0more.
https://medium.com/media/2034f6e8beea3e321d4483d4ee77ebdf/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/0247cb404c27e0b8725bc258c35923bc/hrefMost of the content of this post is available in the form of a video or podcast, so feel free to watch or listen rather than read on. (Or do all three to help you remember! There won\u2019t be a\u00a0quiz.)
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*sLqj2zL8CRpQgzQa.png\")
Android has introduced a new Canary release channel for its early-access programs, replacing the previous developer preview model. This channel provides earlier and more consistent access to in-development platform features throughout the\u00a0year.
The new Canary channel offers continuous, rolling over-the-air (OTA) updates for supported Pixel devices, addressing previous limitations where previews required manual flashing and the preview program ended once a platform version reached Beta, requiring manual flashing to enter it again for the next\u00a0cycle.
You can use the Canary channel\u00a0to:
The Canary channel operates in parallel with the existing Beta program. Canary builds are bleeding-edge and may contain bugs or breaking changes, making them best suited for exploring and trying out apps, rather than primary device use. The Beta channel remains as the place to focus your testing to make sure you\u2019re ready for the next platform\u00a0launch.
You can get started by flashing your supported Pixel device using the Android Flash Tool or configuring the Android Emulator with a Canary image. You can provide feedback and bug reports through the Google Issue\u00a0Tracker.
Evolving Android's early-access programs: Introducing the Canary channel
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*ZOYS0-IEwSmG07Yi.png\")
The latest Android Studio Narwhal Feature Drop Canary release includes \u201cAgent Mode,\u201d a new capability that enables the AI to handle complex development tasks. This feature allows you to describe a goal in natural language, and the agent formulates an execution plan that can span multiple project files, utilizing IDE tools for code changes, building, and searching.
You interact with it by describing tasks and then reviewing, accepting, or rejecting the proposed changes, with an option for auto-approve.
Additionally, you can enhance Agent Mode by adding your own Gemini API key, which expands the context window to 1 million tokens with Gemini 2.5 Pro. This expanded context allows Gemini to process more instructions and code. Business tier subscribers automatically receive this benefit through their Gemini Code Assist\u00a0license.
Agent Mode also supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), providing a standardized way to integrate with external tools. In this initial release, MCP supports stdio transport for tool interaction. You configure MCP servers via an mcp.json file in your Studio configuration directory.
Agentic AI takes Gemini in Android Studio to the next level
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*3NYsXjqzkIw3hdsl.png\")
Android is transitioning to 16 KB memory page sizes to enhance app performance. Beginning November 1, 2025, new and updated apps developed against the NDK and targeting Android 15+ submitted to Google Play must support 16 KB page sizes. Apps developed exclusively with Kotlin or Java are already compatible.
Devices configured for 16 KB page sizes may see overall performance improvements of 5\u201310%, including faster app launch times, reduced battery consumption, and quicker camera starts. Since 4KB pages are also aligned to 16KB boundaries, a single application binary can run on both 4 KB and 16 KB devices once\u00a0updated.
Android Studio provides tools to assist with this transition:
Transition to using 16 KB page sizes for Android apps and games using Android Studio
https://medium.com/media/c5a9758ac72f7ebcf9e8b803ef6d9fba/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/944a18f35bbba6257046bf730d1a0020/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*VrXeK7O_QDYNqNX-.jpg\")
Google Play is updating how you manage one-time products, introducing a new three-level hierarchy for defining and selling digital\u00a0items.
The new model consists\u00a0of:
This allows you to sell the same product in multiple ways. New capabilities include configuring rental periods, setting up pre-orders with defined dates and discounts, and managing regional pricing and availability for individual purchase options and offers. The concept of a default product price has been\u00a0removed.
To utilize these new features, you must upgrade to Play Billing Library 8.0 and use the new monetization.onetimeproducts service of the Play Developer API or the updated Play Developer Console. You also need to integrate with the queryProductDetailsAsync API. Existing SKUs can be migrated, but new features are not supported by the older querySkuDetailsAsync API or inappproducts service. Products created via the Play Console UI will be normalized within the new system. Pre-order functionality is currently available through an Early Access\u00a0Program.
New tools to help drive success for one-time products
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*3M9if-7CVnuTQV95.png\")
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7, and Galaxy Watch8 series, offering you new opportunities to build for adaptive experiences. The foldables run Android 16 with an enhanced desktop windowing experience, and you can create adaptive apps for them with Compose Adaptive Layouts, Jetpack Navigation 3, and Window Size Classes. The Galaxy Watch 8 series is the first device to feature Wear OS\u00a06.
Start building for the next generation of Samsung Galaxy devices
Google Play\u2019s Indie Games Fund in Latin America returns for its fourth year, committing another $2 million to support ten indie game studios in the region. This new round of funding will bring the total investment in Latin American indie games through this program to $8 million\u00a0USD.
Selected studios will receive between $150,000 and $200,000, along with support from the Google Play team. The program is open to indie game developers who have already launched a game on any platform (mobile, PC, or console).
Applications closed on July 31, 2025, with priority given to submissions received by July 15,\u00a02025.
Level up your game: Google Play's Indie Games Fund in Latin America returns for its 4th year
Wear OS watch face development is changing to exclusively support the Watch Face Format. As of January 27, 2025, you cannot publish new AndroidX or Wearable Support Library (WSL) watch faces to the Play Store. By January 14, 2026, existing legacy watch faces will no longer be installable from the Play Store, nor will you be able to update them or continue monetizing them. To continue offering your watch faces, you must migrate them to the Watch Face Format and resubmit them to the Play Store by January 14, 2026. Watch Face Studio users should resubmit using version 1.8.7 or newer. The blog post lists resources that are available to assist with migration.
Upcoming changes to Wear OS watch faces
Amanotes, a mobile game company founded by Bill and Silver, has surpassed 3 billion downloads for its rhythm-based music games like Magic Tiles 3. The company aims to make musical performance accessible by combining mobile gaming with rhythm-based taps. Amanotes leveraged tools such as Firebase for A/B testing and Play Console for analytics and custom pricing for its global growth on Google\u00a0Play.
#WeArePlay: With over 3 billion downloads, meet the people behind Amanotes
https://medium.com/media/df68be4843a63a7fb905a0156bf4bb8f/hrefAt I/O \u201925, Google Play introduced several updates to help you streamline subscriptions and maximize\u00a0revenue.
Additional initiatives include prompting users to set up payment methods, expanding payment options and market availability, optimizing in-app transactions with AI, and using cart abandonment reminders.
Top announcements to know from Google Play at I/O '25
https://medium.com/media/a6cb15da9465191df60a2f993e9852a7/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/86bbb5d1ed02a11d52f21102d3381a5e/hrefPlay Games Services (PGS) is updating its features to enhance game discovery and player retention on Google Play. You must migrate from PGS v1 to PGS v2 by May 2026, as games using the v1 SDK will no longer be publishable or updatable after this date, and v1 APIs will be fully deprecated by Q3\u00a02028.
Key updates and features\u00a0include:
Future developments include AI-powered avatars that you can integrate into player profiles within your\u00a0game.
Get ready for the next generation of gameplay powered by Play Games Services
Amazing Seasun Games is launching its action shooting game, Mecha BREAK, on Google Play Games on PC as part of its multiplatform PC and console\u00a0release.
The game uses Google Play Games on PC for its launch strategy, including pre-registration campaigns that attracted over 3.5 million players during beta. You can access the native PC program to receive up to 15% in additional earnback, along with support for PC game development, distribution, and growth. This support includes managing PC builds, releases, and store listings through Play Console, and accessing PC-specific sales\u00a0reports.
The platform provides a secure infrastructure with tools like Play Integrity API, offering malware protection and anti-cheat capabilities. Mecha BREAK itself delivers a high-fidelity PC experience with a proprietary 3D engine, offering diverse combat styles such as 6v6 hero battles, 3v3 matches, and a PvPvE \u201cMashmak\u201d extraction mode.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/720/1*ED0JCX1fqOtZz1eAQ-3D-A.gif\")
How Mecha BREAK is driving PC-only growth on Google Play Games
Here are the top 3 updates for Android developer productivity from Google I/O\u00a02025:
Top 3 updates for Android developer productivity at Google I/O '25
https://medium.com/media/98ec1f321511a55a5fadaf490d62ca39/hrefGoogle I/O \u201925 announced three key updates for AI on Android development.
Additionally, the open-source Androidify app demonstrates building AI-driven experiences with these new APIs, and more examples are available in the Android AI Sample\u00a0Catalog.
Top 3 things to know for AI on Android at Google I/O '25
https://medium.com/media/20f2595294e8268a5ef0e6b60c8f7e51/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/c3602599083e0f8ede3f3c329ff018b5/hrefAsh and Aaron cover the new capabilities for Widgets and Live\u00a0Updates.
Widgets now offer Canonical Layouts for faster development and Generated Previews (enhanced in Glance 1.2 for Android 15+) that display real user data, requiring careful management of memory and rate\u00a0limits.
For Live Updates & Notifications, a new ProgressStyleTemplate streamlines progress indicators for time-sensitive, user-initiated journeys (e.g., delivery, ride-share)\u200a\u2014\u200anot for ads or spam. Developers can programmatically determine if notifications meet Live Update criteria and customize a new prominent status chip for quick user\u00a0access.
https://medium.com/media/ee3f8a01fe9c2d5dd90cb525a14e8c91/hrefGoogle Play now enables multi-platform Android game distribution from a single Android App Bundle, reaching billions of users across phones, tablets, foldables, and PCs. Google Play Games on PC is nearing general availability, offering automatic keyboard-to-touch translation for existing games and optional native mouse support (via a manifest flag) for an enhanced PC experience.
https://medium.com/media/bc6b334bf99e6cdf139b096ae61f1eca/hrefJetpack Navigation 3 is now in Alpha, offering a new state-based approach specifically designed to align with Jetpack Compose\u2019s declarative nature.
Key newsworthy points for Android app developers:
Developers are encouraged to explore the Alpha and provide feedback.
https://medium.com/media/ec670a925f62a0ac59bea8bd40e2c47b/hrefCompose Previews in Android Studio significantly accelerate UI development by allowing you to test Jetpack Compose UI changes instantly without full\u00a0builds.
Key features\u00a0include:
Crucial best practices include:
The Embedded Layout Inspector in Android Studio is a crucial tool for debugging Jetpack Compose UIs, allowing you to inspect layout hierarchy. It\u2019s accessed via the Running Devices Tool Window while your app is\u00a0running.
https://medium.com/media/ea63e567bd6942700324e679040136ac/hrefAndroid 14 introduced SDK Runtime, a new technology enhancing privacy and security by isolating third-party SDKs (called Runtime-enabled SDKs or RE SDKs) in a secure sandbox. Apps/SDKs (called Runtime-aware SDKs or RA SDKs) interact with these RE SDKs via automatically generated \u201cshims,\u201d with backward compatibility provided by\u00a0Jetpack.
For SDK developers, building an RE SDK requires significant changes: a specific project structure using Android SDK Bundles (ASB), new Gradle configurations (including Privacy Sandbox plugins and specialized Jetpack dependencies), and declaring APIs with new annotations (@PrivacySandboxService, @PrivacySandboxInterface). Special considerations apply for UI and launching activities, and a specific entry point must be implemented. This marks a fundamental shift in how SDKs will be built and integrated on\u00a0Android.
https://medium.com/media/895d831e6669da53e2f9ee4b08d35c1f/hrefKey Takeaways:
Policy announcement: July 10, 2025
Google Play has updated its policy for personal loan apps targeting Pakistan: Apps promoting short-term personal loans (repayment within 60 days or less) are now generally prohibited. If you have such apps, make sure to review your compliance.
https://medium.com/media/f347999ea5c9429f963fbc020dd7737a/hrefFor Android apps dealing with blockchain content (like crypto exchanges or software wallets), Google Play now provides a Blockchain-based Content Policy Help Center. This resource details country-specific compliance requirements, including potential location-specific forms. If your app targets a location not explicitly listed, you must declare it as a crypto exchange or software wallet in the Financial Features declaration. See goo.gle/blockchain-policy for full\u00a0details.
https://medium.com/media/667e3ee55996041ddaa79e469e89d47e/hrefFacing declining mobile gaming growth in 2023, Google Play highlights \u2018genre expansion\u2019 as a crucial strategy for developers. This involves integrating gameplay, monetization, or aesthetics across genres to acquire broader audiences, deepen engagement, and boost monetization (e.g., 4X games adding casual mini-games). You should focus on early UA testing, understanding player motivations, ensuring seamless integration, and utilizing Play Console tools like store listing experiments and staged rollouts for effective iteration.
https://medium.com/media/3ddabeff444d2714e4cf70d1dbf079ac/hrefGoogle\u2019s Android team highlights Vulkan and the Adaptive Performance Framework (ADPF) as crucial for modern Android game development. Vulkan is an advanced graphics API offering increased efficiency and access to advanced GPU features, enabling you to maximize your games\u2019 potential on contemporary hardware.
https://medium.com/media/b00c1100f9b05d1b70f21b3fc64fe80d/hrefHere\u2019s a summary of the recent AndroidX\u00a0changes:
Critical Bug Fixes & Stability Improvements:
Paging (3.4.0-alpha01): Several critical bugs affecting UI stability and data loading have been\u00a0fixed:
Room (2.8.0-alpha01): Fixed a deadlock that could occasionally occur when using suspending transactions with the AndroidSQLiteDriver.
Significant New Features & API Enhancements:
WebKit (1.15.0-alpha01): Major enhancements for WebView\u00a0control:
Room (2.8.0-alpha01): Introduced androidx.room:room-sqlite-wrapper and the RoomDatabase.getSupportWrapper() extension function. This allows developers adopting SQLiteDriver to still obtain a SupportSQLiteDatabase wrapper, easing incremental migration for codebases that have extensive SupportSQLite API\u00a0usages.
Expanded Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) Support (Medium Priority, High for KMP Developers):
Wear OS Specific Updates (Medium Priority, High for Wear Developers):
Other Notable Changes (Lower Priority for general app development, but important for specific use\u00a0cases):
The Android Developers Backstage podcast is back with two more episodes.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*HTZiRTiuzat8Nlyz\")
AI-powered Gemini features in Android Studio have significantly evolved, offering comprehensive developer support from design to maintenance. Key advancements include intelligent code completion, design tool integrations (e.g., composable previews), and unit test scenario generation.
Newsworthy features:
Android Studio now automates app data backup and restore testing, eliminating cumbersome manual ADB commands. This significantly simplifies validating your app\u2019s data persistence (settings, game states, permissions) across devices and emulators. Developers can configure backup scope via the manifest, differentiating between cloud (25MB) and device-to-device (1\u20132GB) transfers. Customization of backup descriptors is possible for complex scenarios, though sensitive data is excluded for security. This new tooling streamlines testing for reliable data transfer and a seamless user experience.
https://medium.com/media/cf7c7edd0a234b605cb18b9212bca722/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/20709a3617837e0421d0180519e48289/hrefThat\u2019s it for this edition of Now in Android, including the Android platform Canary Channel, the first release of Agentic AI in Android Studio, Play updates including 16 KB Page Size requirements and other policy changes, new capabilities around one-time purchases, Play Games Services v2, and Google Play Games on PC, I/O recaps on AI and dev productivity, next gen Samsung devices running Android 16, and Compose\u00a0tips.
Check back soon for your next update from the Android developer universe!
Now in Android #120 was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #120"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/now-in-android-119-7b86ad2b3e81?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"July 09, 2025","summary":"![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*7cTmk_VzyuwZUlal\")
Welcome to Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in the world of Android development. In this edition we will cover Android 16, Desktop Experiences, Adaptive Apps, Testing Videos, AndroidX and\u00a0more!
https://medium.com/media/e5e1b0709e27441479904677742b5c3e/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/91590868757d125ca9ea41b7f1260065/hrefMost of the content of this post is available in the form of a video or podcast, so feel free to watch or listen rather than read on. (Or do all three to help you remember! There won\u2019t be a\u00a0quiz.)
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*8SQ6sk-NdBHkr1rv\")
Android 16 is released and available on supported Pixel devices, with new devices to follow. The source code is available at the Android Open Source\u00a0Project.
Key updates\u00a0include:
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*SAaNHUI0vI9pX7TT\")
At Google I/O 2025, several advancements were announced for Android, including the rollout of Android 16, a Developer Preview for enhanced Android desktop experiences, and updates for Android users across Google\u00a0apps.
Key announcements for developers:
Top 3 updates for building excellent, adaptive apps at Google I/O '25
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*xIUyEOFX66rtGiiNSqIqvw.gif\")
With the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 release, you can now access connected displays support on compatible Android devices. By connecting an external display to your Android device, you can transform it into a workstation. This gives users the ability to move apps beyond a single screen to unlock Android\u2019s full productivity potential on external displays.
Desktop windowing is now stable as well. We\u2019ve made improvements in the stability and performance of desktop windowing in Android 16 and added some new features:
You can try out these features today on your connected display with the Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2 on select Pixel\u00a0devices.
Developer preview: Enhanced Android desktop experiences with connected displays
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*eflmFPJJ8qAVcuZG\")
In Android 16, adaptive apps are essential to provide a consistent user experience across various devices. Product managers should prioritize adaptive design for your apps to meet user expectations on foldables, tablets, Chromebooks, and other form\u00a0factors.
By building adaptive apps, you can improve user engagement, increase app discoverability on Google Play, and ensure accessibility for users with disabilities. You can start by checking how your app currently looks on large screens, addressing common UI issues, and incrementally optimizing your app screen by\u00a0screen.
A product manager's guide to adapting Android apps across devices
We have a few new testing videos for you to check\u00a0out!
https://medium.com/media/ea5a00c878a16235c2855001f69222bf/hrefAutomated testing is crucial for scalable and efficient quality assurance as apps grow in complexity. However, the traditional testing pyramid might not be the best approach. Learn more about using a strategy that considers both the scope (test size) and the size (code executed) of different test categories: release candidate, application, feature, component, and unit tests. This helps ensure reliable results and faster execution times.
https://medium.com/media/4ba3a8298e46bcc951231c9643770b93/hrefAndroid app developers should embrace automated testing (unit, smoke, hermetic, screenshot) to replace time-consuming and error-prone manual testing. Learn more about how automation improves app quality, provides fast feedback, catches bugs, and prevents feature regressions, ultimately increasing developer productivity and freeing up time for critical\u00a0tasks.
https://medium.com/media/c545646fbc1f960e75254fef6c049602/hrefAndroid app developers should be aware of the tools and patterns used in scalable app testing: Learn more about using screenshot tests, robolectric, device emulation, management for flaky tests, and gradle managed devices in this\u00a0video.
Here\u2019s a summary of the AndroidX changes, prioritized for app developers:
That\u2019s it for this week\u2019s episode, with Android 16, Desktop Experiences, Adaptive Apps, Testing, AndroidX and\u00a0more!
Check back soon for your next update from the Android developer universe!
Now in Android #119 was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #119"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/now-in-android-118-google-i-o-2025-part-ii-0176766c2061?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"June 18, 2025","summary":"![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*DGhSo0oIKFVorFLA\")
Welcome to part two of a special Google I/O 2025 edition of Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in Android development.
This second edition covers the latest from Jetpack Compose, Camera and Media, Accessibility\u00a0,Kotlin Multiplatform, Android development tools, Google Maps, AndroidX, Google Home with Gemini, integrating web functionality, Google Play, and\u00a0more.
Part one included coverage of Material Expressive, watches, cars, tablets, laptops, connected displays, the latest in adaptive app development, XR development, taking advantage of on-device and cloud based AI, and Android\u00a016.
https://medium.com/media/ac4b380d9ad7f761525349fa12cc14a0/hrefNow in Android: 118 - What's new in Android development at Google I/O 2025 (part 2)
Most of the content of this post is available in the form of a video or podcast, so feel free to watch or listen rather than read on. (Or do all three to help you remember! There won\u2019t be a\u00a0quiz.)
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*PKpf102AGaQTatZ3\")
Jetpack Compose introduced new features, including autofill support, auto-sizing text, visibility tracking, the animate bounds modifier, and accessibility checks in tests, and that\u2019s just the beginning of what\u2019s\u00a0new:
Announcing Jetpack Navigation 3
Read about What\u2019s new in Jetpack Compose or watch the\u00a0talk.
https://medium.com/media/5558a3547ad7285728e35d27897d64b2/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*fznqvJyaCDayBa8G\")
The \u201cSeamless video capture, editing and playback with CameraX and Media3\u201d session covers how you can use CameraX and Media3 together with LiteRT to create video capture, sharing, and editing apps with custom\u00a0effects.
CameraX simplifies camera integration (preview, capture, analysis), while Media3 Transformer handles video editing and transcoding. Media3 ExoPlayer provides flexible video playback\u00a0options.
https://medium.com/media/950a42cebc56068edb301a817e072386/hrefIn the \u201cBuilding delightful Android camera and media experiences\u201d blog, the Android Developer Relations Camera & Media team shared learnings from creating sample media code and demos, including:
Building delightful Android camera and media experiences
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*tdBL56KLrhSx847Q\")
The Androidify app is an open-source project showcasing how to build AI-driven Android experiences, using Jetpack Compose, Gemini, CameraX, and Navigation 3.
The first article, \u201cAndroidify: Building powerful AI-driven experiences with Jetpack Compose, Gemini and CameraX\u201d is a thorough introduction into how the app was architected, tested, and how many of the features were\u00a0created.
The app uses the Gemini API through the Firebase AI Logic SDK to access Imagen and Gemini models. It uses Gemini models for image validation, text prompt validation, image captioning, a \u201chelp me write\u201d feature, and image generation from the generated prompt. The UI is built with Jetpack Compose, and it adapts to different devices using WindowSizeClass. CameraX is integrated for photos, and Media3 APIs are used to load an instructional video. Screen transitions are handled using the new Jetpack Navigation 3\u00a0library.
Androidify: Building powerful AI-driven experiences with Jetpack Compose, Gemini and CameraX
The \u201cAndroid Developers Blog: Androidify: Building delightful UIs with Compose\u201d post focuses on how the user experience was built using Material 3 expressive with the MaterialExpressiveTheme and MotionScheme.expressive. The app uses the HorizontalFloatingToolbar for prompt type selection and MaterialShapes.
It leverages Jetpack Compose 1.8 to automatically adjust the font size of text composables, and uses the new onLayoutRectChanged to help make fun animation.
Androidify: Building delightful UIs with Compose
The \u201cAndroidify: How Androidify leverages Gemini, Firebase and ML Kit\u201d post covers how Google AI is powering the new Androidify with Gemini AI models, Imagen, and the Firebase AI Logic SDK to enhance the app experience.
The app uses Gemini 2.5 Flash via Firebase to validate uploaded images, ensuring they contain a person who is in focus and that the image is safe. The app also uses Gemini 2.5 Flash with structured output to caption the\u00a0image.
The detailed description of your image is used to enrich the prompt for image generation. A fine tuned version of the Imagen 3 model is called to create the\u00a0bot.
The app uses the ML Kit Pose Detection API to detect when a person is in the camera view, triggering the capture button and adding visual indicators.
Androidify: How Androidify leverages Gemini, Firebase and ML Kit
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*z0dyicx1fAmZJvTV\")
The \u201cWhat\u2019s new in Android development tools\u201d talk covered the Narwhal Feature Drop (2025.2.1) of Android Studio, bringing lots of new AI assistance features, Compose dev improvements, and more. Here are many of the highlights:
Google I/O 2025: What's new in Android development tools
https://medium.com/media/0219d009df502a0793670c21895f88f4/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*tc4nOoJuAKswoL0E\")
At Google I/O 2025 we highlighted new Play Console tools, updates to app discovery, changes to subscriptions, updates for games, and\u00a0more:
Check out the I/O talk or the blog post to learn more with more in-depth coverage.
https://medium.com/media/05414dff13862231a9509773b12def50/hrefI/O 2025: What's new in Google Play
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*l2hRWkEZxpxWJXg5\")
At Google I/O and KotlinConf 2025, several Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) updates were announced:
Announcing Kotlin Multiplatform Shared Module Template
Also in Kotlin-related news:.
You can read all of the KMP updates in the\u00a0blog.
Android's Kotlin Multiplatform announcements at Google I/O and KotlinConf 25
And those weren\u2019t the only highlights from the I/O season worth talking\u00a0about.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*txE66Xb0r8By7VNY\")
As mentioned in the Compose highlights, we announced Jetpack Navigation 3 (Nav3) a Compose-first navigation library that enables you to build scalable navigation experiences.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*x3ix8lgT3stTaKc1\")
The Nav3 display observes changes to the developer-owned back\u00a0stack.
With Nav3, you own the back stack, which is backed by Compose state. Nav3 provides building blocks and helpful defaults that you can use to create custom navigation behavior.
Key features:
You can navigate to the developer documentation and a recipes repository to get\u00a0started.
Announcing Jetpack Navigation 3
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*cX8gTr0PdHrXTt94\")
Zoho integrated passkeys and Android\u2019s Credential Manager API into their OneAuth Android app. As a result, they achieved up to 6x faster logins and a 31% month-over-month growth in passkey adoption. Zoho\u2019s implementation involved both client and server-side adjustments, including adapting their credential storage system and handling requests from Android devices. Based on their experience, consider leveraging Android\u2019s Credential Manager API, optimizing error handling, educating users on passkey recovery, and monitoring adoption metrics as you implement passkeys in your\u00a0apps.
Zoho Achieves 6x Faster Logins with Passkey and Credential Manager Integration
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*rllP7JavT16qP7AA\")
The Android Studio Meerkat Feature Drop (2024.3.2) is now stable, offering features such as the Gemini Prompt Library, improved Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) integration, and device management enhancements.
Key updates:
Download the latest stable version of Android Studio to explore these features.
Android Studio Meerkat Feature Drop is stable
https://medium.com/media/a54e1cc62e86af779d7138b21d2d2ef1/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*8k6q9WqtoOYLZFKj\")
Cl\u00e9ment, founder of Imagine Games, created My Lovely Planet, which combines mobile gaming with real-world action to make environmental preservation fun. In the game, planting a tree results in planting a real tree via partnerships with NGOs. According to Cl\u00e9ment, 70% of the game\u2019s players come through Google Play, and Google Play\u2019s flexibility, responsiveness, and powerful testing tools improve their velocity when launching and scaling the\u00a0game.
#WeArePlay: How My Lovely Planet is making environmental preservation fun through games
https://medium.com/media/c0b63230dcf23fb9fc16d3dd0bce9188/href#WeArePlay | Google Play Console
\u201cAndroid accessibility updates\u201d highlights the latest Android key accessibility features and APIs, including updates to products such as Talkback and Live Captions, best practices for developing more accessible apps, and accessibility API changes in Android\u00a016.
Key takeaways include:
\u201cBest practices for using web in your Android apps\u201d covers what you should do when embedding web content in your Android apps using WebView, Custom Tabs, and Trusted Web Activities (TWA). WebView allows inline display of web content with full customization, while Custom Tabs provide an in-app browsing experience powered by the user\u2019s preferred browser (handling permissions, cookies, etc.). TWAs offer similar web features/APIs but are launched as a standard Android activity. The choice depends on the level of control and integration needed within your\u00a0app.
https://medium.com/media/c64a00ee4905fc1c1405124072143f98/href\u201cNext-gen Android experiences with photorealistic 3D maps \u201c introduces the new Kotlin-first Google Maps 3D SDK for Android, allowing you to create immersive map experiences with 3D capabilities. Topics covered\u00a0include:
Announcements include:
Sign up for the Developer Newsletter to be among the first to explore these cutting-edge capabilities and to stay updated on the latest developments.
https://medium.com/media/aa95f96f4e9a2538acb28b32a9369de8/hrefBringing Gemini intelligence to Google Home APIs
Here\u2019s a summary of some of the most impactful AndroidX changes. Key takeaways:
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*02atHH0PNLGatpS-\")
This was covered in the previous Kotlin Multiplatform section, but just in-case you missed it, Android Developers Backstage is back with another\u00a0episode.
Dustin Lam and Yigit Boyar joined host Tor Norbye to chat all about Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP), which allows you to write Kotlin code and run it just about anywhere. Learn about how to make sure your code is KMP ready, avoiding platform-specific assumptions.
https://medium.com/media/8f5ff95a23c80a9c906df94d5a8d74fd/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/52aa1685e27d3f5ae581eff65220f101/hrefThat\u2019s it for part two of our I/O season coverage, with the latest around Jetpack Compose, Camera and Media, Accessibility\u00a0,Kotlin Multiplatform, Android development tools, Google Maps, AndroidX, Google Home with Gemini, integrating web functionality, Google Play, and\u00a0more.
Check back soon for your next update from the Android developer universe!
Now in Android #118\u200a\u2014\u200aGoogle I/O 2025 Part II was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #118\u200a\u2014\u200aGoogle I/O 2025 Part II"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/a-product-managers-guide-to-adapting-android-apps-across-devices-b2e9b8bfe5f1?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"June 10, 2025","summary":"Posted by Fahd Imtiaz, Product Manager, Android Developer Experience
This article is also shared on the Android Developers Blog
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*1Im05SgMaUsfqgUUdMQzJw.png\")
Today, Android is launching a few updates across the platform! This includes the start of Android 16\u2019s rollout, with details for both developers and users, a Developer Preview for enhanced Android desktop experiences with connected displays, and updates for Android users across Google apps and more, plus the June Pixel Drop. We\u2019re also recapping all the Google I/O updates for Android developers focused on building excellent, adaptive Android\u00a0apps.
With new form factors emerging continually, the Android ecosystem is more dynamic than\u00a0ever.
From phones and foldables to tablets, Chromebooks, TVs, cars, Wear and XR, Android users expect their apps to run seamlessly across an increasingly diverse range of form factors. Yet, many Android apps fall short of these expectations as they are built with UI constraints such as being locked to a single orientation or restricted in resizability.
With this in mind, Android 16 introduced API changes for apps targeting SDK level 36 to ignore orientation and resizability restrictions starting with large screen devices, shifting toward a unified model where adaptive apps are the norm. This is the moment to move ahead. Adaptive apps aren\u2019t just the future of Android, they\u2019re the expectation for your app to stand out across Android form\u00a0factors.
![\"500+](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*d9Uv1GMgCjsuLM6kN9Y_Cg.png\")
Prioritizing optimizations to make your app adaptive isn\u2019t just about keeping up with the orientation and resizability API changes in Android 16 for apps targeting SDK 36. Adaptive apps unlock tangible benefits across user experience, development efficiency, and market\u00a0reach.
![\"Side](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*xLopzecGrFtMz6ghDi7FhQ.png\")
Concepts saw a 70% increase in user engagement on large screens after optimizing.
Usage for 6 major media streaming apps in the US was up to 3x more for tablet and phone users, as compared to phone only\u00a0users.
![\"A](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*0aBRSQpoNiZzaGfRCJCCoQ.png\")
\u201c\u2026looking at the number of users, the ROI does not justify the investment\u201d.
That\u2019s a frequent pushback from product managers and decision-makers, and if you\u2019re just looking at top-line analytics comparing the number of tablet sessions to smartphone sessions, it might seem like a closed\u00a0case.
While top-line analytics might show lower session numbers on tablets compared to smartphones, concluding that large screens aren\u2019t worth the effort based solely on current volume can be a trap, causing you to miss out on valuable engagement and future opportunities.
Let\u2019s take a deeper look into\u00a0why:
![\"A](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*NSHmAdllwemFcwlL__sCXw.png\")
For organizations ready to move forward, Android offers many resources and developer tools to optimize apps to be adaptive. See below for how to get\u00a0started:
Begin by looking at your app\u2019s current state on tablets, foldables (in different postures), Chromebooks, and environments like desktop windowing. Confirm if your app is available on these devices or if you are unintentionally leaving out these users by requiring unnecessary features within your\u00a0app.
Assess what feels awkward in your app UI today. We have a lot of guidance available on how you can easily translate your mobile app to other\u00a0screens.
a) Check the Large screens design gallery for inspiration and understanding how your app UI can evolve across devices using proven solutions to common UI challenges.
b) Start with quick wins. For example, prevent buttons from stretching to the full screen width, or switch to a vertical navigation bar on large screens to improve ergonomics.
c) Identify patterns where canonical layouts (e.g. list-detail) could solve any UI awkwardness you identified. Could a list-detail view improve your app\u2019s navigation? Would a supporting pane on the side make better use of the extra space than a bottom\u00a0sheet?
It may be helpful to prioritize how you approach optimization because not everything needs to be perfectly adaptive on day one. Incrementally improve your app based on what matters most\u200a\u2014\u200ait\u2019s not all or\u00a0nothing.
a) Start with the foundations. Check out the large screen app quality guidelines which tier and prioritize the fixes that are most critical to users. Remove orientation restrictions to support portrait and landscape, and ensure support for resizability (for when users are in split screen), and prevent major stretching of buttons, text fields, and images. These foundational fixes are critical, especially with API changes in Android 16 that will make these aspects even more important.
b) Implement adaptive layout optimizations with a focus on core user journeys or screens\u00a0first.
i. Identify screens where optimizations (for example a two-pane layout) offer the biggest UX\u00a0win
ii. And then proceed to screens or parts of the app that are not as often used on large\u00a0screens
c) Support input methods beyond touch, including keyboard, mouse, trackpad, and stylus input. With new form factors and connected displays support, this sets users up to interact with your UI seamlessly.
d) Add differentiating hero user experiences like support for tabletop mode or dual-screen mode on foldables. This can happen on a per-use-case basis\u200a\u2014\u200afor example, tabletop mode is great for watching videos, and dual screen mode is great for video\u00a0calls.
While there\u2019s an upfront investment in adopting adaptive principles (using tools like Jetpack Compose and window size classes), the long-term payoff may be significant. By designing and building features once, and letting them adapt across screen sizes, the benefits outweigh the cost of creating multiple bespoke layouts. Check out the adaptive apps developer guidance for\u00a0more.
The message for my fellow product managers, decision-makers, and businesses is clear: adaptive design will uplevel your app for high-quality Android experiences in 2025 and beyond. An adaptive, responsive UI is the scalable way to support the many devices in Android without developing on a per-form factor basis. If you ignore the diverse device ecosystem of foldables, tablets, Chromebooks, and emerging form factors like XR and cars, your business is accepting hidden costs from negative user reviews, lower discovery in Play, increased technical debt, and missed opportunities for increased user engagement and user acquisition.
Maximize your apps\u2019 impact and unlock new user experiences. Learn more about building adaptive apps\u00a0today.
A product manager\u2019s guide to adapting Android apps across devices was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"A product manager\u2019s guide to adapting Android apps across devices"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/now-in-android-117-google-i-o-2025-part-i-fd20a09a2299?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"June 05, 2025","summary":"![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*Ot1KaPKcaN053hSW\")
Welcome to part one of a special two-part Google I/O 2025 edition of Now in Android. This first post will cover a bunch of changes related to the latest evolution of Material Design, watches, cars, tablets, laptops, and connected displays, the latest in adaptive app development, XR development, how to take advantage of on-device and cloud based AI, and Android\u00a016.
https://medium.com/media/f4779f9096112bf2cfff21aec7eeb199/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/d23b17afda66e01541bb4c84ecea4974/hrefMost of the content of this post is available in the form of a video or podcast, so feel free to watch or listen rather than read on. (Or do all three to help you remember! There won\u2019t be a\u00a0quiz.)
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*ZBy7MUWmxInYhlQB\")
We began the I/O season with a special edition of The Android Show, where we introduced the latest evolution of Material Design, Material 3 Expressive.
https://medium.com/media/815112dc9a5b3a849cced5343837f4e6/hrefThe Android Show: I/O Edition - what Android devs need to know!
https://medium.com/media/906cc031e2cbb814b2a4964db156a2cc/hrefMaterial 3 Expressive adds a new motion physics system, new type styles for variable and static fonts, an expanded shape library with morphing animations, and an expanded range of colors. Fifteen new or updated components now feature more configuration capabilities, shape options, emphasized text, and other expressive updates. The Material team has a post where you can read all about it, including design\u00a0tactics.
M3 Expressive: Engaging UX Design
At I/O Build next-level UX with Material 3 Expressive covered how to use the new expressive design patterns; breaking down the research, explaining new guidelines, and including new design files +\u00a0code.
https://medium.com/media/4ce31edc8b396f71acc6192d1ac6160f/hrefThe first beta of the Q3 Android 16 update contains much of the new visual polish associated with Material Expressive, and you can get the Q3 beta today on your supported Pixel\u00a0device.
The Android Design at Google I/O 2025 post covered how to use new emotional design patterns to boost engagement, usability, and desire, while making sure your app is updated with the latest Android 16 accessibility features like enhanced dark themes and increased text contrast. It covers designing across Android form factors with Gemini in-car and the new Car UI Design Kit. Learn new ways Google TV helps users engage with content and explore bringing 3D models to Android XR. WearOS is also releasing an updated design kit and learning\u00a0Pathway.
New Android design guidance includes in-app settings, help and feedback, widget configuration, and edge-to-edge design. You can also find new and updated resources at figma.com/@androiddesign.
Android Design at Google I/O 2025
The Android Show also covered how we\u2019re bringing Material 3 expressive to watches with Wear OS 6, and at I/O we launched the Wear OS 6 developer preview, allowing you to test your apps using the Wear OS 6 emulator.
The What\u2019s New in WearOS 6 post from I/O covers lots more, including new tile components, the new Edge Hugging button, The TransformingLazyColumn, a new ScrollIndicator, and ProgressIndicator, CredentialManager for WearOS, and Richer Wear Media Controls.
Wear OS 6 introduces Watch Face Format v4 with a new Watch Face Push API, designed to support watch face marketplaces.
Version 4 also brings new features like the Photos element for user-selectable photos and transitions when exiting and entering ambient mode. Color Transforms are extended to more elements, with new functions for manipulating color. The Reference element lets you refer to any transformable attribute from one part of your watch face scene in other parts of the scene tree, and all that\u2019s detailed in the What\u2019s new in Watch Faces\u00a0post.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*PlijvncR5eMb_KCs\")
Google announced the latest advancements for in-car experiences at\u00a0I/O.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*IGxGgCiCT8FijB5v\")
Google TV has over 270 million monthly active devices. New platform features and developer tools are available to help you increase app engagement.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/640/0*N_F0MFaLLw9waw1F\")
Engage users on Google TV with excellent TV apps
https://medium.com/media/b1df988a060e60856dd47176e1b11ed7/hrefThe In-App Ratings and Reviews for TV article covers integrating the newly-available Google Play In-App Review API for\u00a0TV.
In-App Ratings and Reviews for TV
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*s0yTO0v4se3EcUoS\")
The Android XR SDK Developer Preview 2 is now available, featuring updates to Jetpack XR, Jetpack Compose, Material Design, ARCore, and the Android XR Emulator.
Key updates\u00a0include:
Android XR will be available first on Samsung\u2019s Project Moohan, launching later this year. Soon after, our partners at XREAL will release the next Android XR device, codenamed Project\u00a0Aura.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*g-X_AFWQ9IsFwedL\")
Unity developers can upgrade to Pre-Release version 2 of the Unity OpenXR: Android XR package, which includes support for Dynamic Refresh Rate and SpaceWarp.
The Google Play Store will list supported 2D Android apps on the Android XR Play Store when it launches later this year. If you are building an Android XR-differentiated app, you can prepare it for launch by testing your app in the Android XR Emulator and learning how to package and distribute apps for Android XR. You can make your XR app stand out from others on the Play Store with preview assets such as stereoscopic 180\u00b0 or 360\u00b0\u00a0videos.
Updates to the Android XR SDK: Introducing Developer Preview 2
You can learn more about building for Android XR with the \u201cBuilding differentiated apps for Android XR with 3D content\u201d session covering Jetpack SceneCore and ARCore for Jetpack XR, while \u201cThe Future is now with Compose and AI on Android XR\u201d covers creating XR-differentiated UI and our vision on the intersection of XR with cutting-edge AI capabilities.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*9RgVnydrQJGMXVuY\")
In today\u2019s multi-device world, users expect their favorite applications to work flawlessly and intuitively, whether they\u2019re on a smartphone, tablet, or Chromebook. At Google I/O 2025, we explored adaptive app development as a fundamental strategy to make sure your same mobile app runs well across phones, foldables, tablets, Chromebooks, connected displays, XR, and\u00a0cars.
The article covers tools and libraries to help build adaptive\u00a0apps:
Note, beginning in Android 16 manifest and runtime restrictions on orientation, resizability, and aspect ratio will be ignored on large displays (displays that are at least 600dp in both dimensions) for apps targeting SDK 36. Your apps will need support runtime resizing, with layouts that work for both portrait and landscape windows.
The article and I/O talk covers all this and more in additional detail.
Google I/O 2025: Build adaptive Android apps that shine across form factors
https://medium.com/media/dc3b9a86a6df7930db8498f29cbe2bb8/hrefSee how Peacock used Jetpack Compose and the WindowSizeClass API to adapt its Android app for various screen sizes, including foldables and future Android XR\u00a0devices.
Peacock built adaptively on Android to deliver great experiences across screens
https://medium.com/media/f16d7e89b68c69f39ca89e3ab397d62e/hrefThe \u201cUnlock user productivity with desktop windowing and stylus support\u201d talk covers how to make sure your app is ready to be productive on Android, including support for multiple instances of an app, drag-and-drop, connected displays, and styluses.
https://medium.com/media/02b117520ac46907a353f08736d9b8ce/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*_N_iBufYV75eHFM8\")
On-device GenAI APIs as part of ML Kit help you easily build with Gemini Nano\u00a0\ud83e\udd16
ML Kit now includes on-device GenAI\u00a0APIs:
On-device GenAI APIs as part of ML Kit help you easily build with Gemini Nano
https://medium.com/media/08fba5c392f0ff3af3df0e09edd201be/hrefWhile the Android announcements were focused on on-device AI, Google I/O had sessions about leveraging cloud models as well as hybrid approaches.
Finding the perfect Gemini fit on Android is an overview of AI offerings, with guidance around considering the modality, complexity, and context window of your app\u2019s AI needs to choose the right models and infrastructure.
https://medium.com/media/ac579a19acbe9e0150b4ae50dac7c217/hrefEnhance your Android app with Gemini Pro and Flash, and Imagen covers how you can integrate Google\u2019s generative AI models, Gemini Pro and Flash, into your apps using the Firebase SDK. This provides access to functionalities like text, image, audio, and video processing. The Gemini Developer API offers a no-cost tier and scalable plans. Additionally, Imagen 3 is available via Firebase for generating visuals and enhancing existing screens (currently in public preview). You are encouraged to use App Check to protect app assets and traffic monitoring in the Firebase\u00a0console.
https://medium.com/media/b46d617e5780f3f8a548e5a749af8e0e/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*AZ3qA3WUf93uW4rw\")
What\u2019s new in Android spans both this and the next episode of Now in Android. This episode focuses on top Android 16 developer updates.
With Android 16, we\u2019ve added the concept of a minor SDK release to allow us to iterate our APIs more quickly, reflecting the rapid pace of the innovation Android is bringing to apps and\u00a0devices.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*i-3mMHZ554XXqsRU\")
Even if you aren\u2019t yet targeting Android\u00a016:
Once your app targets Android\u00a016:
Get your app ready for the\u00a0future:
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*37CRnnL-qoRpLkyY\")
In honor of Android 16, Google I/O \u201925 featured 16 key announcements for Android developers:
In this part one of the I/O 2025 edition of Now in Android, we\u2019ve covered Generative AI, Adaptive Apps, Material 3 Expressive, Cars, TV, Wear, and Android 16 from this list, and the next part will cover Jetpack Compose, Android Studio, and\u00a0more.
16 things to know for Android developers at Google I/O 2025
That\u2019s it for part one of our I/O coverage in Now in Android, with Material Expressive, watches, cars, tablets, laptops, connected displays, the latest in adaptive app development, XR development, AI, and Android 16. Part two of our coverage will include the latest from Android Jetpack, Jetpack Compose, Android Studio, so be sure to tune\u00a0in.
Remember to like, subscribe, share, and stay safe, and come back here soon for more of Now in\u00a0Android.
Now in Android #117\u200a\u2014\u200aGoogle I/O 2025 Part I was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #117\u200a\u2014\u200aGoogle I/O 2025 Part I"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/now-in-android-116-d442393ebeb3?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"May 09, 2025","summary":"Welcome to Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in the world of Android development.
In this edition, we\u2019ll cover the Google IO program lineup, what\u2019s new in Jetpack Compose 1.8, the redesigned Play Console app dashboard, new Android Vitals Metrics, the launch of the Testing at Scale blog series, and the latest in AndroidX.
https://medium.com/media/f791874912c70580592d3dc0ac12e0fa/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/514683104227eecfef6dcedea0d6ddb4/hrefMost of the content of this post is available in the form of a video or podcast, so feel free to watch or listen rather than read on. (Or do all three to help you remember! There won\u2019t be a\u00a0quiz.)
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*vWVUW4sfVXz8x0g_\")
The Google I/O agenda is now available, and you can register to explore sessions on AI, Android, Web, and Cloud, taking place May 20\u201321. The Google Keynote will be on May 20th at 10:00 AM PT, with the Developer Keynote at 1:30 PM PT. You can join online for livestreams May 20\u201321, with on-demand sessions and codelabs on May 22. Sessions will cover AI advancements using Gemini models, building apps for multiple devices using Google AI, and new features for web development.
Get ready for Google I/O: Program lineup revealed
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*IVvLBDLF9S2RYMRB\")
Jetpack Compose 1.8 is out with new features, API updates, and bug fixes. You can upgrade your Compose BOM version to 2025.04.01 to use the new\u00a0release.
Here are some of the key\u00a0updates:
Check out the post to learn everything new in Jetpack Compose\u00a01.8.
What's new in the Jetpack Compose April '25 release
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*H1Vs8OCU1m3lw2u1oHCmOA.gif\")
Android 16 Beta 4 is out, marking the final scheduled update and platform stability. The developer APIs and app-facing behaviors are finalized.
Apps targeting Android 16 can now be made available in Google Play. This release includes the latest fixes and optimizations. Consider testing your apps against behavior changes around JobScheduler, broadcasts, ART, intents, 16KB page size, accessibility, and Bluetooth.
Note that if you develop an SDK, library, tool, or game engine, it\u2019s even more important to prepare any necessary updates now to prevent your downstream app and game developers from being blocked by compatibility issues and allow them to target the latest SDK features.
While the API and behaviors are final and we are very close to release, we\u2019d still like you to report issues on the feedback page. The earlier we get your feedback, the better chance we\u2019ll be able to address it in this or a future\u00a0release.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*TDc5QjEiGpJeaeXv\")
The Google Play Console has a redesigned app dashboard that centralizes quality-focused metrics, helping you improve app performance and user experience. The dashboard groups metrics into four core developer objectives:
A new notification center helps you stay up to date with your account and apps. New metrics\u00a0include:
To stay informed about all the latest Play Console enhancements and easily find updates relevant to your workflow, explore our new What\u2019s new in Play Console page, where you can filter features by the four developer objectives.
From dashboards to deeper data: Improve app quality and performance with new Play Console insights
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*RPzGXFRSoh5UuYBv\")
The Android Developers blog announced new Android Vitals metrics aiming to help you improve app performance and battery life. The new metrics provide fleet-wide visibility into performance and battery life, equipping you with the data needed to diagnose and resolve performance bottlenecks. We just launched the first of these new metrics in beta: excessive wake locks. This metric directly addresses one of the most significant frustrations for Android users\u200a\u2014\u200aexcessive battery drain. By optimizing your app\u2019s wake lock behavior, you can significantly enhance battery life and user satisfaction.
We launched the excessive wake lock metric documentation to provide clear guidance on interpreting the metrics. Please check out this page and provide feedback with your use case on this new metric. Your input is invaluable in refining these metrics before their general availability.
Boost app performance and battery life: New Android Vitals Metrics are here
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*oyxmE-Ouj6U9w3DXwQXFVw.png\")
Android Developers Blog launches \u201cTesting at Scale\u201d series, featuring real-world testing strategies and tips from large apps. This series complements the new \u201cTesting Strategies\u201d documentation and offers opportunities for developers to contribute their own experiences. Check out the first two parts posted\u00a0below:
In part 1 of the \u201cTesting at Scale\u201d series Ken Yee, Senior Engineer at Netflix, tells us about the challenges of testing a playback app at a massive scale and how they have evolved the testing strategy.
Netflix\u2019s Android app development prioritizes comprehensive testing, especially on physical devices due to wide device support. They\u2019ve moved to native and are adopting Jetpack Compose. Their large team uses unit tests (Strikt, Turbine, Mockito, Hilt, Robolectric), screenshot tests (Paparazzi, Espresso accessibility), and device tests (Espresso, UIAutomator). Minimizing flakiness (state, async code) is key. They use a dedicated device lab and are exploring emulators, Roborazzi, and modular \u201cdemo apps\u201d to improve testing efficiency. The team has created a custom toolchain to isolate and notify engineers of flaky tests. Feature developers own all aspects of\u00a0testing.
In part 2 of the \u201cTesting at Scale\u201d series Ryan Harter, Staff Engineer at Dropbox, shares how the shape of Dropbox\u2019s testing pyramid changed over time, and what tools they use to get timely feedback.
Dropbox\u2019s Android app development team utilizes a multi-faceted testing approach, emphasizing unit tests with tools like JUnit and Paparazzi for screenshot testing. They\u2019re reinvesting in end-to-end tests, leveraging their own Dropshots library for full instrumentation testing and are experimenting with Compose Preview Screenshot Testing. They also integrate manual testing with web-based tools and third-party services for scenarios difficult to automate. They are expanding Dropshots to support multiple device configurations.
How Dropbox leverages testing to maintain high level of trust at scale
Key Highlights for Compose Developers:
We have a bunch of new Compose APIs in\u00a0alpha:
Compose Animation Version 1.9.0-alpha01
Compose Foundation Version 1.9.0-alpha01
Compose Material Version 1.9.0-alpha01
Compose Runtime Version 1.9.0-alpha01
Compose UI Version 1.9.0-alpha01
CustomView Version 1.2.0, CustomView-Poolingcontainer Version 1.1.0, Leanback Leanback-Preference, Version 1.2.0, Leanback-Grid Version 1.0.0, Leanback-Paging Leanback-Tab Version 1.1.0, and Print Version 1.1.0 are all released in\u00a0stable.
Recent Release Notes | Android Developers
That\u2019s it for this edition, with Google IO program lineup, Jetpack Compose 1.8, Play Console insights Android Vitals Metrics, Testing at Scale blog series, and the latest in AndroidX!
Check back soon for your next update from the Android developer universe!
Now in Android #116 was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #116"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/now-in-android-115-d13a60cbf092?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"April 23, 2025","summary":"![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*9w73-KvnDfnnSbCV\")
Welcome to Now in Android, your ongoing guide to what\u2019s new and notable in the world of Android development.
In this episode we\u2019re covering the third beta of Android 16, Gemini in Android Studio for Business and Gemini Multimodal, Widgets, GDC announcements, safety and security updates on Play, Android XR, Media, Camera, and so, so much\u00a0more.
https://medium.com/media/efa5d35e15afc0461acc8ea49689529a/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/45fefbec951133090403383e9cce63e4/hrefMost of the content of this post is available in the form of a video or podcast, so feel free to watch or listen rather than read on. (Or do all three to help you remember! There won\u2019t be a\u00a0quiz.)
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*DaZFcaO0I7pJFZO2\")
Android 16 has reached Platform Stability with Beta 3. The API surface is locked, app-facing behaviors are final, and you can now push Android 16-targeted apps to the Play\u00a0Store.
The Android 16 beta now supports Auracast broadcast audio with compatible LE Audio hearing aids on Pixel 9 devices, It introduces outline text, replacing high contrast text, which draws a larger contrasting area around text to greatly improve legibility for users with low vision, and adds the ability to test the Local Network Protection feature, which gives users more control over which apps can access devices on their local\u00a0network.
Make sure to test your apps for compatibility now, as the release is coming to non-beta users soon with changes to JobScheduler, broadcasts, ART, Intents, accessibility, Bluetooth, and\u00a0more.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*FgFPeUyLYYj7-JGr\")
Android Studio now has Gemini in Android Studio for businesses through Gemini Code Assist to meet the privacy, security, and management needs of organizations.
With Gemini Code Assist, your code remains secure with a data governance policy, you retain control and ownership of your data and IP, and you benefit from generative AI IP indemnification, safeguarding against copyright infringement claims related to AI-generated code.
With a Code Assist Enterprise license, you can connect to your GitHub, GitLab, or BitBucket repositories to get assistance customized to your organization\u2019s codebases. Gemini in Android Studio also provides tailored assistance for Android developers, with features like build and sync error support, Gemini-powered App Quality Insights, and help with Logcat\u00a0crashes.
Gemini in Android Studio for businesses: Develop with confidence, powered by AI
https://medium.com/media/292e8c16b27de3e0d30cc0026c671fdf/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/502b112554c8402b93f3dc5e6e8f4226/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*5zIaM7Jpum6dmxFP\")
Gemini in Android Studio now supports multimodal inputs, allowing you to attach images directly to prompts. To try this out, download the latest Android Studio\u00a0canary.
With the image attachment icon in the Gemini chat window, you can attach JPEG or PNG files to prompts. You can convert wireframes or mockups into Jetpack Compose code, gain insights into architecture or data flow diagrams, and troubleshoot UI bugs by uploading screenshots and asking Gemini for solutions.
Multimodal image attachment is now available for Gemini in Android Studio
https://medium.com/media/28c77393194b2a5f3b572a5a22572871/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*l-E6CZgJ5EAEq02N.png\")
Samsung\u2019s One UI 7 offers greater personalization and an optimized, more prominent widget experience. Widgets put your brand and key features front and center on the user\u2019s device, leading to better user engagement and more. Google Play now has a dedicated widgets search filter to help more easily identify apps with widgets, new widget badges on App Detail Pages and a curated widgets editorial page to help apps with widgets gain visibility and reach a wider audience.
Widgets take center stage with One UI 7
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*WNsuvg_a_wqDDZou\")
We just finished the Widget Spotlight week, covering our new widget Quality Tiers, Canonical Layouts, the new Figma Widget Design Kit, Jetpack Glance, and the Coding Widgets layout video plus codelab to help you design and build amazing\u00a0widgets.
Spotlight Week: Design and develop widgets
https://medium.com/media/38a4f6ad792974682bac06ba9c76b7b7/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/b128ae0d740167791c53d714d2b8e1c3/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/191a91d8e905f468a868b9c8146818c0/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/0183064ea729217ae6eb42a2b8d5b286/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*gjmQMOBq5ZQNtqt0\")
Android and Google Play had a bunch of announcements at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) last month in San Francisco.
Android announced that Vulkan is now the official graphics API, unlocking features like ray tracing and multithreading. If your game uses OpenGL, Android will use ANGLE to translate OpenGL to\u00a0Vulkan.
The Android Dynamic Performance Framework (ADPF) has been updated to provide longer and smoother gameplay sessions. ADPF is designed to work across a range of devices and offers built-in support with game\u00a0engines.
Play Console will include Low Memory Killers (LMK) in Android Vitals, providing insights into memory constraints that can cause your game to\u00a0crash.
There is a pilot program to simplify bringing PC games to mobile, with games such as DREDGE and TABS Mobile growing their mobile audience using this\u00a0program.
Building excellent games with better graphics and performance
https://medium.com/media/52b02d7f64290a1d9b9304d9adef150c/hrefGoogle Play is improving its platform for PC games, providing better user experiences and new ways for developers to engage PC\u00a0players.
You can use the Play Games PC SDK for native PC games on Google Play Games, providing tools like in-app purchase integration and security protection. You can distribute through the Play Console, where you can manage both mobile and PC game builds. There is a new earnback program that allows you to earn up to an additional 15% when you bring your PC games to Google Play Games on\u00a0PC.
Mobile games will be available on PC by default, with the option to opt out. Games will have a playability badge indicating their compatibility with PC. We\u2019re partnering with OEMs to make Google Play Games accessible from the start menu on new devices this year. New features such as custom controls are now available to help players tailor their setup, and multi-account and multi-instance support are being\u00a0added.
In addition, Play Points will be easier to track and more rewarding on PC, with up to 10x points boosters, and Google is working on a solution to help you run user acquisition campaigns for both emulated mobile and native PC titles within Google Play Games on\u00a0PC.
Making Google Play the best place to grow PC games
https://medium.com/media/b7fe6ea31a036b72b0e284c6ebe1f05a/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*CjHBMbpU7U-YCpny\")
We announced the Android XR developer preview, a unified platform for XR development using familiar tools and Open Standards. You can use Android Studio, Jetpack libraries, and Compose for XR (for simplified UI development). Unity developers get support for Unity\u2019s editor and XR packages. Apps will be distributed via the Play Store. Key features include eye, voice, and hand multimodal input, Android accessibility features, automatic adaptation of your existing large-screen compatible apps, Jetpack XR SDK with ARCore, and Unity support based on\u00a0OpenXR.
https://medium.com/media/acb31a6a6fd1ccd0a4b50a842db8f85c/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/b547113ac0f5637ecd68070cf5e2843d/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/81ed6348dc9965f5dcd504211fc497aa/href![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*GpjF0n1LPG6tdcbf\")
Google is enhancing safety and security on Google Play and Android by providing tools that make it easier for you to build secure\u00a0apps.
Here are some of the ways Google is improving the app ecosystem:
Strengthening our app ecosystem: Enhanced tools for secure & efficient development
The Google Play team covered how you can prioritize media privacy in your app, recommending requesting only essential permissions, and using the Android Photo Picker instead of requesting broad storage access. Be transparent with users about why your app needs access to their photos and videos if you\u2019re using a custom\u00a0picker.
Prioritize media privacy with Android Photo Picker and build user trust
#WeArePlay talked about how Memory Lane Games helps people with dementia, and how they\u2019re offering deeply personal games in multiple languages. Co-founder Bruce was inspired by his mother and co-founder Peter\u2019s mother, who, despite having vascular dementia, lit up when looking at old family\u00a0photos.
The creators strive for frustration-free game design and Generative AI may be used to create personalized and localized game content, with the goal to offer deeply personal games in multiple languages.
#WeArePlay | How Memory Lane Games helps people with dementia
https://medium.com/media/206b769e22c85114085631018f5086af/hrefNevin covered common media processing operations with Jetpack Media 3 Transformer, including common editing operations such\u00a0as:
Transformer prioritizes transmuxing (repackaging video streams without re-encoding) for basic video edits where possible. When not possible, Transformer falls back to transcoding (decoding video samples into raw data, then re-encoding them for storage in a new container).
Common media processing operations with Jetpack Media3 Transformer
Jolanda showed how to implement smooth transitions for foldable devices entering tabletop mode using CameraX and Compose. Key takeaways include:
Adaptive Camera: Smooth Tabletop Mode with Animations
Since Android 16 requires you to make WebViews edge-to-edge, Ash covered best practices for doing so, such\u00a0as:
Cyril over at Amo covered how they leveraged Jetpack Compose to create a delightful user experience through touch-based feedback using graphics, haptics, and sound. Bump\u2019s implementation of custom audio, shader-based animations, and interactive map elements are all built with the Android SDK, Jetpack Compose, Kotlin, and Google Play Services.
Bump\u2019s Journey into Delightful Experiences on Android with Jetpack Compose
Google Play\u2019s April 2025 policy updates impact Android developers in several key\u00a0areas:
Christopher, Nam, and Carmen covered how the Android team is working to improve Android app startup performance, focusing on bridging the performance gap between initial launch and subsequent runs. Key takeaways include:
We\u2019ve got two new videos covering the SDK Runtime, a new way to work with third party code in your\u00a0app.
Anatomy of the SDK Runtime covers how the SDK Runtime in the Privacy Sandbox isolates third-party SDKs into their own sandboxes, enhancing user privacy and app security. Key takeaways:
Introduction to the SDK Runtime covers the features and benefits of the tech both for you and for your app\u2019s users. The SDK Runtime isolates third-party Software Development Kits (SDKs)\u200a\u2014\u200acommon sources of app functionality like ads or analytics\u200a\u2014\u200ainto a separate environment. Benefits of this\u00a0include:
Check out the new runtime to help build more secure and private experiences.
https://medium.com/media/9749d5119f8e321461418ece867f8038/hrefThe Google Play \u201cBest of 2024\u201d awards highlighted Infinite Painter which reduced inking latency by 5x using the graphics core and input motion prediction Jetpack libraries.
https://medium.com/media/acb019fbd016cefb3cd03705e1f5ee78/hrefCompose for Android TV allows you to reuse existing business logic and architecture from your mobile apps to accelerate TV app development, and this Compose for TV video from Paul shows you how. The recommended approach is to separate business logic from UI-specific view models, enabling the creation of dedicated TV UIs using TV-specific Compose components (from the TV material artifact) with focus management features like `onFocusChanged` and `bringIntoViewSpec`. Building a modular architecture with shared UI components, domain models, and data layers enhances code reuse across form\u00a0factors.
https://medium.com/media/5bda3c85d5a6b2ed0d319aa41e37608d/hrefThere\u2019s a bunch of new stuff in AndroidX, headlining:
Media3 version 1.6.0 is now available, which includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features.
Jetpack WindowManager 1.4 is now stable, introducing new features for building adaptive\u00a0apps.
Jetpack WindowManager 1.4 is stable
The Health Connect Jetpack SDK is now in beta. The beta release includes mandatory recording methods and device types for more accurate and insightful data.
New permissions let your app access Health Connect data while running in the background, if the user grants consent. The PERMISSION_READ_HEALTH_DATA_HISTORY permission enables access to user data beyond the default 30-day\u00a0window.
Health Connect now also offers expanded data types, such as Exercise Routes and skin temperature.
Unlock deeper health insights: Health Connect Jetpack SDK is now in beta and new feature updates
Android app developers should note that Lifecycle 2.9.0-alpha08 introduces ViewModelScenario for easier unit testing of ViewModels. This new tool simplifies testing ViewModel lifecycle and state restoration, including SavedStateHandle functionality, and ensures ViewModel.onCleared() is properly called. ViewModelScenario is also KMP compatible, facilitating cross-platform development.
Unit Testing Lifecycle and State in ViewModels
Other Highlights:
androidx.core:core-i18n:1.0.0:
androidx.webkit:webkit:1.14.0-alpha01:
androidx.datastore:datastore-:1.2.0-alpha01:
androidx.wear:wear-phone-interactions:1.1.0:
androidx.dynamicanimation:dynamicanimation:1.1.0:
androidx.activity:activity:1.11.0-beta01:
![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/200/0*BFsti-oDZBIEAwmC\")
Tor, Chet, Romain, Theresa, and Naheed took a deep dive into what Google\u2019s doing around app safety, including the SDK Index, pre-review checks, and Safety Labels to help you build secure apps and protect users from suspicious activity, tying into the Strengthening our app ecosystem blog\u00a0post.
https://medium.com/media/ece658762db4c389131f59b9ad82b7ec/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/fb8bbaea69ef5a490c044be8a858593d/hrefStrengthening our app ecosystem: Enhanced tools for secure & efficient development
That\u2019s it for this edition, with third beta of Android 16, Gemini in Android Studio for Business and Gemini Multimodal, Widgets, GDC announcements, safety and security updates on Play, Android XR, Media, Camera, a ton of AndroidX updates, and much\u00a0more.
Check back soon for your next update from the Android developer universe!
Now in Android #115 was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
","title":"Now in Android #115"},{"link":"https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/how-dropbox-leverages-testing-to-maintain-high-level-of-trust-at-scale-b7b1bdf6161e?source=rss----95b274b437c2---4","published":"April 23, 2025","summary":"![\"\"](\"https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*oy_DGcZTVyjO20qQUvPvHw.png\")
This is part 2 of the Testing at scale series of articles where we asked industry experts to share their testing strategies. In this article, Ryan Harter, Staff Engineer at Dropbox, shares how the shape of Dropbox\u2019s testing pyramid changed over time, and what tools they use to get timely feedback.
With more than one billion downloads, the Dropbox app for Android has to maintain a high quality bar for a diverse set of use cases and users. With less than 30 Android engineers, manual testing and #yolo isn\u2019t enough to maintain confidence in our codebase, so we employ a variety of different testing strategies to ensure we can continually serve our users\u00a0needs.
Since Dropbox makes it easy to access your files across all of your devices, the Android app has to support viewing as many of those files as possible, including media files, documents, photos, and all of the variations within these categories. Additionally, features like Camera Uploads, which automatically backs up all of your most important photos, require deep integration with the Android OS in ways that have changed significantly over the years and across Android versions. All of this needs to continually work for our users, without them having to worry about the complexity, because the last thing anyone wants is to worry that they might lose their\u00a0data.
While the size and distribution of the Android team at Dropbox has changed throughout the years, it\u2019s imperative that we\u2019re able to consistently build and refine features within the app while maintaining the level of trust from our users that we\u2019ve become known for. To help underscore how Dropbox has been able to foster that trust, I\u2019d like to share some ways that our testing strategies have changed over the\u00a0years.
While automated testing has always been an important part of engineering culture at Dropbox, it hasn\u2019t always been easy on Android. Years ago Dropbox invested in testing infrastructure that leaned heavily on End-to-End (E2E) testing. Built on Android\u2019s instrumentation tests, we developed test helpers for features in the app following the test robot pattern. This enabled a large suite of tests to be created that could simulate a user moving throughout the app, but came with its own significant costs.
Like many Android projects at the time, the Dropbox app started out as a monolithic app module, but that wasn\u2019t sustainable in the long run. Work was done to decompose the monolith into a more modular architecture, but the E2E test suite wasn\u2019t prioritized in this effort due to the complex interplay of dependencies. This left our E2E test suite as a monolith of its own, resulting in test code that didn\u2019t exist alongside the feature code it exercised, allowing them to easily be overlooked and become outdated.
Additionally, the long build times that come with monolithic modules with many dependencies mixed with the tests being executed on emulators in our custom continuous integration (CI) environment meant that the feedback cycle for these E2E tests was slow. This resulted in engineers feeling incentivised to remove failing tests instead of updating\u00a0them.
As the Android ecosystem embraced automated testing more and more, with the introduction of helpful libraries like Espresso, Robolectric, and support for unit testing built directly into Gradle, Dropbox kept up with these changes by moving from the heavy reliance on E2E tests towards more and more unit tests, filling out the bottom layer of the previously inverted testing pyramid. This was a significant win for test coverage within the app, and allowed us to roll out quality assurance practices like code coverage baselines, to ensure that we continually improved the reliability of the product as it moved\u00a0forward.
Over time, as unit testing became easier and easier and engineers became more and more frustrated with the slow feedback cycles of E2E tests, our testing pyramid became lopsided in the other direction. We had confidence in our unit tests and the infrastructure supporting them, but our E2E tests aged without much support, becoming more and more unreliable, to the point that we mostly ignored their failures. Tests that can\u2019t be trusted end up becoming a maintenance burden and provide little value, so we recognized that something needed to\u00a0change.
Over the past year we\u2019ve doubled down on our focus on reliability. We\u2019ve invested in our test infrastructure to ensure that engineers are not only able to, but incentivised to write valuable tests across all layers of the testing pyramid. In addition to technical investment in code and tooling, that has also required that we take the time to evaluate the things we test, and how we test them, and make sure the entire team has a better understanding of which tools to use\u00a0when.
Unit testing
We continue to spend most of our efforts writing unit tests. These are fast, focused tests that provide quick feedback, and serve as our first line of defense against regressions. We write JUnit tests whenever we can, and fall back to instrumentation tests when we need to. Robolectric\u2019s interoperability with AndroidX Test has allowed us to move many of our instrumentation tests to JVM-based unit tests, making it even easier to meet our test coverage\u00a0goals.
Speaking of test coverage goals, the unit testing layer is the only layer that we use to determine our code coverage. By default we target 80% test coverage, though we have a process to override this target for circumstances in which unit testing is either not valuable, or infeasible.
E2E testing
Over the past several months we\u2019ve been renewing investment in our automated E2E test suite. This test suite is able to alert us to extremely important issues that unit tests simply can\u2019t identify, like OS integration issues or unexpected API responses. Therefore we\u2019ve worked hard to improve our infrastructure to make tests easier for engineers to run locally, we\u2019ve audited and removed flaky or invalid tests, and worked on documentation and training to ensure that we support our engineers in the creation and maintenance of our E2E test\u00a0suite.
Change in E2E test counts before and after test suite improvement effort.
As I mentioned above, our E2E tests simulate a user moving throughout the app. This means that the task of defining our E2E test cases is more than simply an engineering problem. Therefore, we developed guidance to help engineers work with product and design partners to define test cases that represent true use\u00a0cases.
We recently introduced a practice of using a proper Definition of Done for development work. This amounts to a checklist of items that must be completed in order for a project to be considered \u201cdone\u201d, which is defined and agreed upon at the beginning of the project. Our standard checklist includes the declaration of E2E test cases for the project, which ensures that we are adding test cases in a thoughtful manner, taking into account the value and purpose of those tests, instead of targeting arbitrary coverage\u00a0numbers.
Screenshot testing
Another dimension of our tests that we\u2019ve ramped up in recent years is screenshot testing. Screenshot tests allow us to validate against visual regressions, ensuring that views render properly in light and dark mode, different orientations, and different form\u00a0factors.
In unit tests we leverage Paparazzi for screenshot testing. This allows us to write fast, isolated tests and we find it\u2019s best suited for testing individual view or composable layouts, including our design system components.
We also find value executing screenshot tests in more full featured instrumentation tests. For this, we use our own Dropshots library, which supports screenshot testing on devices and emulators. Since Dropshots executes screenshot tests on real (or emulated) devices, it is a great way to validate system integrations like edge-to-edge display, the default window mode on Android 15\u00a0devices.
Manual testing
With all of the investment we\u2019ve made into automated testing you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking that we do no manual testing, but even today that\u2019s simply not feasible. There are many workflows for which automated tests would either be too hard to write, or too hard to validate. For example, we have both unit and E2E tests to validate that the app behaves appropriately when rendering file content, but it can be hard to programmatically validate file content, and screenshot tests can sometimes prove too\u00a0flaky.
For these cases, we use a web based test case management tool to maintain a complete set of manual test cases, and a third party testing service to execute the tests prior to each release. This allows us to catch issues for which we haven\u2019t yet written tests, or which require human judgement.
Testing has proven invaluable in identifying quality issues before they make it to users, allowing us to earn our customer\u2019s trust. Given that value, we intend to continue investing in testing to ensure that we can continue to maintain high quality and reliability. There are a few things that we\u2019re looking forward to in the\u00a0future.
I\u2019m currently in the process of expanding the functionality of Dropshots to support multiple device configurations, which will allow us to perform screenshot tests across a broad range of devices with a single set of tests. Since the Dropbox app works across many different form factors, it will be valuable for us to simultaneously run our screenshot test suite on a variety of devices or emulators to prevent regressions on less common form\u00a0factors.
Additionally, we\u2019re beginning to experiment with Compose Preview Screenshot Testing, which allows our Compose Preview functions to serve double duty by speeding up development cycles while also being used to protect against regressions.
Finally, we intend to continue ensuring that we have a good balance of the right kinds of tests. Balancing our testing pyramid to ensure that our investment in testing serves our reliability goals instead of chasing arbitrary coverage targets. We\u2019ve already seen the value that a healthy test suite can provide, and we\u2019ll continue investing in this area to ensure that we continue to be worthy of\u00a0trust.
How Dropbox leverages testing to maintain high level of trust at scale was originally published in Android Developers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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