As consumers have increased the number of streaming apps they use, device storage has become a major issue.
On average, according to Google, smart TVs and other connected TV gadgets have around 8 gigabytes of digital storage … or less. That’s pretty tight, especially when you compare it to the 64GB size of storage found in smart phones.
It’s a big reason why an app you haven’t used in a while has disappeared from your TVOS when you go to look for it again.
Also read: For Fast-Aging Streaming Devices, 8GB Is Not Enough
Google has been pushing its device partners to adopt 16GB as their digital storage standard — not an easy ask, given the heated price competition in the global smart TV market. The tech giant has also been working on a number of software solutions to make its Google/Android TV device storage more efficient.
On Monday, for example, Google formally announced (opens in new tab) its transition to the new “Android App Bundles” publishing format, which will replace the legacy “Android Package Kits” (APKs) format in May 2023. Google said that App Bundles will make storage of each streaming app 20% more efficient, on average.
The new AAB format also allows apps to be archived instead of fully installed. This allows users to store a shortcut to a full download, resulting in space savings of around 60%, on average. ▪️
