Android Apps Face New Memory Usage Requirements Amid Chip Shortage

Google has announced new requirements for Android apps to address the growing issue of memory chip shortages driven by the AI data center boom. The tech giant is introducing two new app quality requirements, one focused on reducing memory usage and optimizing code.

The mobile industry is facing 'significant hardware supply constraints' that are affecting device memory availability, impacting consumers' experience with their devices. To address this, Google is establishing new performance thresholds across several areas, including dynamic memory usage and bitmap usage.

Developers have until February 2027 to meet the new thresholds, which will be documented on Google's Android Developer site. The company is also rolling out new tools that will alert developers when their apps exceed the new thresholds, allowing them to optimize their code.