The overall size of app data hosted by google can be much bigger anyway (if apk is split into aab files), why complicate things?
It’s more manageable for people downloading when they have data caps.
You can upload larger by using app bundle (.aab)
How exactly does splitting makes it more manageable? Split or no split, data amount would be the same
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There a couple of ways how splitting can help:
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Without splitting app would have to include all languages and all versions of image assets (high and low resolution ones). With appropriate usage of splitting functionality only the language used by user and assets matching current device vould be downloaded. This is more relevant for apps than games, Language files are relatively smaller fraction of overall size in games compared to other apps. But games could still have multiple resolutions of textures for lower end devices and higher end phones or tablets.
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Downloading levels on demand. If the data for different levels are split in separate resource packages. Initial download only needs to include core gameplay logic and shared assets. Not everyone fully completes the game and visits every level. Some areas or game modes might be completely optional, visited only by fraction of players.
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Reducing time until starting the game. Even if player is going to visit everything in game and require downloading everything. Decreasing time until starting to play can be helpful. Instead of having to wait while 2GB downloads player could download only 100MB and start playing first level while rest of the stuff gets downloaded in background or between play sessions. After having enjoyed first levels of game, player is more likely to be willing to wait while the big download finishes.
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Splitting the download across multiple months. Whole game might exceed monthly data cap. But downloading and playing half of it one month, and downloading the rest next month might be within data cap.
No it wont. You can control what is in the second/ other parts of the application, and therefore omit things like languages that are not relevant etc.
Splitting the build also means smaller updates.
Thanks for the detailed reply.
Sure, splitting can be beneficial, but the question still stands: how can the 100mb limit be helpful?
Is it supposed to motivate developers to exploit benefits of splitting? Those developers who care about it would split their apps anyway, those who don’t - would anyway split their apps naively, not saving any space/bandwith/etc
We literally just explained why the limit is helpful.
Sorry, I can’t find the explanation of that.
It was explained why splitting is helpful, but it’s unclear how the limit itself can be of any benefit.
Some users split their apps not because of the limit, but because of everything listed above.
The rest of users just check the “split the apk” box in build settings after encountering the limit problem, which I don’t see any usefulness to.
To force developers to split them.
Well, yes. And how’s that helpful? The forced developer splits them naively, uploads the same amount of interdependent data, no good done
Android doesn’t install everything to the same location. APK files are installed on the system drive but expansion files are installed into shared storage which can optionally be add-on storage like flash cards or external drives.
https://stuff.mit.edu/afs/sipb/project/android/docs/google/play/expansion-files.html
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Finally, an interesting point, thank you
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