Android Instant Apps was one of the features that were shown off at Google I/O last year. Instant Apps made it easy to run Android applications without any installation and are an expansion of the app streaming feature on which the company has been working for a few years. Instant Apps are an important part of our effort to help users discover and run apps with minimal friction. Remember, that this is different from the streaming apps functionality that Google introduced in 2015.
Mahbod, Software Engineer at Google Play revealed that Google worked with selected developers to bring the first set of Android Instant Apps. Starting from January 23, a small number of applications via Instant Apps will be available to users in a limited test, including many of the sites like- Buzzfeed, Wish, Periscope, and Viki. After receiving user feedback, Google plans to refine the feature and expand its availability to “more apps and users”.
Android Instant Apps will allow users to access apps from search, social media, messaging, and other deep links without installing the app. To use the app efficiently, users will access only the necessary modules when tapping on an app’s feature without downloading the app.
To develop an Instant App, you’ll need to update your existing Android app to take advantage of Instant Apps functionality and then modularize your app, so part of it can be downloaded and run on-the-fly. You’ll use the same Android APIs and Android Studio Project. Today, you can also take some important steps to be ready for Instant Apps development. The full SDK will be available in the coming months.