Posted by Terence Zhang – Developer Relations Engineer, Google; in partnership with Tina Ho – Accomplice Engineering, TPM and Kun Wang – Accomplice Engineering, Accomplice Engineer
With the primary Developer Preview of Android 15 now launched, one other new Android launch that brings new options and under-the-hood enhancements for billions of customers worldwide will likely be coming shortly. As Android builders, you’re key gamers on this evolution; by staying on high of the targetSDK improve cycle, you’re making certain that your customers have the absolute best expertise.
The way in which Meta, the mother or father firm of Instagram, Fb, WhatsApp, and Messenger, approached Android 14 supplies a blueprint for each developer success and consumer satisfaction. Meta improved their velocity in direction of targetSDK adoption by 4x, and so to know extra about how they constructed this, we spoke to the staff at Meta, with a watch in direction of insights that each one builders may construct into their testing applications.
Meta’s journey on A14: A blueprint for sooner adoption
When Android 11 launched, a few of Meta’s apps skilled challenges with current options, reminiscent of Chat Heads, and with new necessities, like scoped storage integration. Fixing these points was sophisticated by sluggish developer tooling adoption and a decentralized app technique. This expertise motivated Meta to create an inside Android OS Readiness Program which focuses on prioritizing early and thorough testing all through the Android launch window and accelerating their apps’ targetSDK adoption.
This system formally launched final yr. By compiling apps in opposition to every Android 14 beta and conducting thorough automated and smoke checks to proactively establish potential points, Meta was capable of seamlessly undertake new Android 14 options, like Foreground Service varieties and ship well timed suggestions and bug studies to the Android staff, contributing to enhancements within the OS.
Meta additionally accelerated their targetSDK adoption for Android 14—updating Messenger, Fb, and Instagram inside one to 2 months of the AOSP launch, in comparison with seven to 9 months for Android 12 (a rise of velocity of greater than 4x!). Meta’s newly created readiness program unlocked this achievement by working throughout every app to undertake newest Android modifications whereas nonetheless sustaining compatibility. For instance, by automating and simplifying their SDK launch course of, Meta was capable of lower rollout time from three weeks to beneath three hours, enhancing cooperation between particular person app groups by offering quick entry to the newest SDKs and permitting for fast testing of recent OS options. The centralized strategy additionally meant Threads adopted Android 14 help shortly regardless of the fast-growing new app being supported by a minimal staff.
Reaping the rewards: The impression on customers
Meta’s early targetSDK adoption technique delivers vital advantages for customers as effectively. This is how:
- Improved reliability and compatibility: Early adoption of Android previews and betas prevented surprises close to the OS launch, guaranteeing a easy day-one expertise for customers upgrading to the newest Android model. For instance, with partial media permissions, Meta’s in depth experimentation with permission flows ensured “customers felt knowledgeable concerning the change and in management over their privateness settings,” whereas maximizing the app’s media-sharing performance.
- Strong experimentation with new launch options: Early Android launch adoption gave Meta ample time to collaborate throughout privateness, design, and content material technique groups, enabling them to thoughtfully combine the brand new Android options that include each launch. This enhanced the collaboration on different options, permitting Meta to roll out Extremely HDR picture expertise on Instagram inside 3 months of platform launch in an “Android first” method is a good instance of this, delighting customers with brighter and richer colours with the next dynamic vary of their Instagram posts and tales.
Embrace the newest Android variations
Meta’s journey highlights the compelling causes for Android builders to undertake the same forward-thinking mindset in working with the Android betas:
- Check your apps early: Anticipate Android OS modifications, making certain your apps are ready for the newest goal SDK as quickly as they change into out there to create a seamless transition for customers who replace to the latest Android model.
- Make the most of newest instruments to optimize consumer expertise: Check your apps totally in opposition to every beta to establish and handle any potential points. Verify the Android Studio Improve Assistant to spotlight main breaking modifications in every targetSDKVersion, and combine the compatibility framework device into your testing course of to assist uncover potential app points within the new OS model.
- Collaborate with Google: Present your worthwhile suggestions and bug studies utilizing the Google difficulty tracker to contribute on to the advance of the Android ecosystem.
We encourage you to take full benefit of the Android Developer Previews & Betas program, beginning with the newly-released Android 15 Developer Preview 1.
The staff behind the success
A giant thanks to the whole Meta staff for his or her collaboration in Android 14 and in penning this weblog! We’d particularly like to acknowledge the next people from Meta for his or her excellent contributions in establishing a tradition of early adoption:
- Tushar Varshney – Accomplice Engineering, Accomplice Engineer
- Allen Bae – Accomplice Engineering, EM
- Abel Del Pino – Fb, SWE
- Matias Hanco – Fb, SWE
- Summer time Kitahara – Instagram, SWE
- Tom Rozanski – Messenger, SWE
- Ashish Gupta – WhatsApp, SWE
- Daniel Hill – Cellular Infra, SWE
- Jason Tang – Fb, SWE
- Jane Li – Meta Quest, SWE
