Posted by Terence Zhang – Developer Relations Engineer, Google; in partnership with Tina Ho – Companion Engineering, TPM and Kun Wang – Companion Engineering, Companion 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 can be coming shortly. As Android builders, you might be key gamers on this evolution; by staying on high of the targetSDK improve cycle, you make 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 offers a blueprint for each developer success and consumer satisfaction. Meta improved their velocity in the direction of targetSDK adoption by 4x, and so to grasp extra about how they constructed this, we spoke to the staff at Meta, with a watch in the direction of insights that each one builders might construct into their testing packages.
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, resembling Chat Heads, and with new necessities, like scoped storage integration. Fixing these points was difficult by gradual 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 assessments to proactively establish potential points, Meta was in a position to seamlessly undertake new Android 14 options, like Foreground Service sorts and ship well timed suggestions and bug reviews 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 adjustments whereas nonetheless sustaining compatibility. For instance, by automating and simplifying their SDK launch course of, Meta was in a position to reduce rollout time from three weeks to underneath three hours, enhancing cooperation between particular person app groups by offering quick entry to the most recent SDKs and permitting for fast testing of latest OS options. The centralized method additionally meant Threads adopted Android 14 assist rapidly 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 nicely. 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 most recent Android model. For instance, with partial media permissions, Meta’s intensive 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 most recent Android variations
Meta’s journey highlights the compelling causes for Android builders to undertake an identical forward-thinking mindset in working with the Android betas:
- Take a look at your apps early: Anticipate Android OS adjustments, guaranteeing your apps are ready for the most recent goal SDK as quickly as they develop into obtainable to create a seamless transition for customers who replace to the latest Android model.
- Make the most of newest instruments to optimize consumer expertise: Take a look at your apps completely in opposition to every beta to establish and tackle any potential points. Verify the Android Studio Improve Assistant to spotlight main breaking adjustments in every targetSDKVersion, and combine the compatibility framework instrument into your testing course of to assist uncover potential app points within the new OS model.
- Collaborate with Google: Present your useful suggestions and bug reviews utilizing the Google challenge tracker to contribute on to the development 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 complete Meta staff for his or her collaboration in Android 14 and in scripting this weblog! We’d particularly like to acknowledge the next of us from Meta for his or her excellent contributions in establishing a tradition of early adoption:
- Tushar Varshney – Companion Engineering, Companion Engineer
- Allen Bae – Companion 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