Google Slams Brakes on Memory-Hungry Apps with 2027 Deadline
Google has set a February 2027 deadline for Android app developers to meet new memory limits, aiming to alleviate the RAM crisis. The company will introduce stricter Play Store thresholds, covering runtime memory, bitmap usage, and code optimization.
The requirements come as Android devices face increasing pressure from AI features and rising memory costs. Developers have until February 2027 to optimize their apps' performance or risk losing visibility or facing restrictions on publishing updates.
Google's new Play Store thresholds will measure how much memory apps use while running, how much memory they devote to images, and how much unnecessary code they carry. Games will have higher limits than normal apps due to their higher RAM requirements for standard operation.
The company is also updating Android's core memory management to adapt more efficiently to these changes. This includes per-app memory limits, which will start with Pixel devices and expand to more manufacturers over the coming year.