New Google rules mandate Android 'Poundland' Edition, Go, for sub-2GB RAM phones once Android 11 is out
- Reference: 1595422145
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/07/22/android_go_sub_2gb_devices/
- Source link:
A copy of Google's "Android 11 Go Edition Device Configuration Guide" [1]obtained by XDADevelopers shows that all new Android 11 devices with less than 2GB of RAM must use Android Go.
[2]Android Go is a pared-down version of Android intended for cheaper, weaker smartphones – typically in the $30 to $100 range. It contains changes to multitasking to take advantage of the limited amount of RAM that can be drawn upon. Meanwhile, apps are optimised for the invariably slower processors included, with the Google Play Store prioritising similarly slimline apps.
Android Go debuted in 2017, winning support from vendors such as Nokia and Samsung along the way. While it has largely been up to OEMs whether they wanted to use it, this move from Google suggests that it's prepared to be more aggressive in pushing it towards users.
The documentation also suggests that new devices released after Q4 2020 running Android 10 and with 2GB RAM or less will be forced to present as an Android Go device. Existing low-RAM Android 10 devices will remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, devices with less than 512MB RAM will be unable to pre-load Google Mobile Services (GMS) altogether. While it's exceedingly uncommon to find a device with less than 512MB RAM in the UK, a cursory glance through Indian shopping site Flipkart highlights several phones that fit the bill, like the Itel 1409 and the Nuvo Alpha NS35. Both phones retail around the £30 mark.
These changes are unlikely to have much of an impact in the Western world. Very, very [3]few new devices with 512MB RAM are released these days – and the two phones highlighted above run much older versions of Android.
However, the 2GB rule could have some affect further up the line. Some of Nokia's cheapest devices ship with the full version of Android, but include 2GB of RAM. In this scenario, they'll be forced to choose between adding an extra gig of RAM (and thus increasing the component cost) or running a potentially unfamiliar version of Android. ®
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[1] https://www.xda-developers.com/android-go-edition-requirement-new-low-ram-devices/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2018/08/16/google_shaves_half_a_gig_off_android_poundland_edition/
[3] https://www.phonebunch.com/phone-filter/ram/512-mb/page/1/
[4] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Oh wonderful news!
I think it's needed.
I previously owned a cheap android phone that didn't have enough RAM or flash memory for the version of android installed. It was an atrocious experience. I replaced it very quickly.
Can I have it on a big phone?
Can I have the anorexic version of Android on a big phone, so it actually runs fast for more than the first six months I own it?
Re: Can I have it on a big phone?
If you are willing to hack it? Yes.
Re: Can I have it on a big phone?
I've got Android Go on my Nokia 1. Given that I very rarely use any mobile data, I'm probably not the type of user either the phone or that version of Android is aimed at, but it works OK for me. I've had it somewhere between 1.5 and 2 years, it seems to get software updates every couple of months or so, and it got automatically upgraded to Android 10 (Go) last weekend).
The one problem I have is the control over where apps are installed and where their data goes is abysmal. Without proper control over this, I can see that anyone who wants to install a lot of apps would be better off with a different phone with more built in storage and/or a different version of Android, assuming that fine grained control of storage hasn't been gutted from "real" Android.
Re: Can I have it on a big phone?
By default apps aren't installable on external storage unless they specify it (https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/install-location), and I think lots of apps don't bother as even the fastest SD card is still considerably slower than the built in storage on the phones, and they don't want their software to look bad. Not sure if rooting your phone allows you to ignore that, but don't think it's an Android Go specific thing.
Does Go come without the non-removable facebook app ?
If so it would be worth going for, as long as it lets me tether my laptop.
This appears a very odd way of putting it:
"It contains changes to multitasking to take advantage of the limited amount of RAM that can be drawn upon."
Less is more? Or just that it does what it can to work despite low memory availability?
It presumably disables multitasking entirely and simply suspends everything that isn't currently active. Bound to affect background processing as well.
Background processing works (mail fetches, and I'm listening to streaming radio) but it's quite aggressive about stopping non-foreground apps that are "sleeping".
[the low end tablet I'm writing this on is running Go]
I doubt 3 GB RAM will appear, am I naive? An odd number device capacity that isn't 1 looks like the work of a cheapskate. And it probably is, but will it sell? Cheapskates try to avoid making cheap products that don't sell.
Depends largely what it's in the channel – these phones are being assembled from existing components – but there definitely were phones with 3GB RAM.
Oh wonderful news!
The Android ecosystem is about to get even more fractured than it is already!
It'll be like when you tried to run a game in the early 90s and your nearly new PC said no.