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Google's instant app tech now lets you try games before you buy
Google doesn't really make games on its own, but with Android, it supports one of the biggest developer communities out there. As such, the company is sharing some news at the Game Developers Conference that'll be of interest to both players and devs alike: The "Instant App" technology that Google added to Android last year can now be used on games, as well.
Google Play lets you test drive Android apps before installing them
Google's Instant Apps are available in a few places for curious Android users, but they've been conspicuously absent in one place: the Play Store. Wouldn't you want to check out an app before committing to it? You can now. Google is now building Instant Apps into the store through a "Try It Now" button on app pages. Tap it and you can find out if an app is your cup of tea without the usual rigamarole of downloading it first. Only a handful of apps are explicitly labeled as Instant Apps-ready (the New York Times' crossword game is one example), but we'd expect that list to grow before long.
Android's 'instant' apps are now leaner and faster
Right now, Google's instant Android apps don't quite live up to their billing. Google has to load support for every possible device, which can slow down access to the app and chew up valuable space. That shouldn't be an issue going forward. Google has updated its instant app programming kit to let developers give you configurations that only target specific device profiles based on the display, chip architecture and language. If you're using a low-resolution screen, an ARM processor and Chinese, for example, you won't get the data needed for a sharper display, Intel chips and other languages. Google reckons that this saves an average of 10 percent space, which should translate to faster-loading apps.
Google opens up its 'instant' apps to all developers
This time last year, Google unveiled "instant apps" -- think of them as chunks of an application that can be run without downloading anything from the Play Store. For months after the announcement, Google only let certain partners build those bite-sized apps, but no longer. With the public launch of an SDK here at Google I/O, any developer can whip up an instant app of their own, and that's good news for everyone involved.
Google blurs the line between websites and Android apps
With its latest Chrome Beta release, Google has given app-like websites called "Progressive Web Apps" a higher status on Android. If you launch a site like Flipkart Lite in the latest Android Chrome beta, you'll now get the option "add to home screen," where it'll appear like any other app on your home screen and app drawer. You'll then be able to control notifications in the Android notification management controls, rather than in the Chrome settings like regular web sites.
Android Instant Apps begins limited testing
Back at last year's Google I/O conference, the search giant introduced a new concept that the Android team had in the works: Instant Apps. The abbreviated applications would be streamlined enough to start working immediately after users open them with a URL tap, temporarily loading the full software's functionality without going through the rigmarole of a traditional Play Store installation. After half a year, the Android team has opened up a select few Instant Apps to live testing.
China's WeChat messenger tests its own version of instant apps
WeChat might not mean much here in the US, but in Asia, the messaging app boasts some 800 million users. Its next step toward dominance is "small programs" that act like apps within the chat service, according The Information. These perform singular tasks, but won't require a download. "People would be able to scan a QR code via the WeChat app on their phone to use loyalty points at a favorite coffeeshop or transfer money without leaving WeChat or downloading a separate piece of software," the report says.
Google can help you avoid downloading apps you'll only use once
If you use a smartphone, you've surely gone through this experience: Someone shares something with you, or you click a link somewhere, and before you know it you're prompted to install an app. You're in a generous mood, so you go through the whole process, log in to the app, and then you're met with a welcome screen that isn't even the content you originally wanted to access! Apps are great, but the install process is sometimes pretty painful.
