Google tells Android app developers to cool it on memory use, or else

Aug 28, 2026 01:33 AM - 2 hours ago 1

Allison Johnson

is a elder reviewer pinch complete a decade of acquisition penning astir user tech. She has a typical liking successful mobile photography and telecom. Previously, she worked astatine DPReview.

Google will commencement policing memory-hungry Android apps arsenic a nonstop consequence to the RAM crisis. Spotted by TechCrunch, the institution yesterday published a memo addressing the Play Store’s domiciled successful enforcing caller memory-usage restrictions. The station emphasizes the value of gathering caller representation usage limits for apps, successful bid “to thief developers navigate industry-wide hardware constraints and Android’s broader representation limits,” it says. And failing to meet the caller representation restrictions will travel pinch consequences.

The representation limitations were first introduced pinch Android 17, appearing first connected Pixel phones. It’s astir apt nary coincidence that the guidelines configurations of the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL travel pinch less RAM than past year’s models. As Android 17 rolls retired to the wider ecosystem, Google warns developers that they’ll request to play bully pinch a overmuch bigger scope of devices: “Over the coming year, an expanding number of manufacturers will leverage the Android per-app representation limits crossed their portfolio of instrumentality RAM configurations from 4GB to 16GB+ devices.”

Google has a beautiful clear directive if apps misbehave: “If your app exceeds these limits, it will beryllium slowed down and whitethorn beryllium terminated.” But yesterday’s station hints astatine moreover bigger… ramifications (I’m truthful sorry): “Apps and games that do not meet these thresholds whitethorn spot reduced app visibility and publishing capabilities connected Google Play. Additional specifications will beryllium provided later this year.” Google says it will commencement enforcing the representation limits successful February 2027, truthful app makers person immoderate clip to fig it out, but dang. That’s perchance beautiful serious.

The representation shortage has had a well-documented effect connected hardware, and it seems that it’s clip for package developers to consciousness the squeeze, too. And Google isn’t playing astir — it seems to beryllium putting immoderate existent teeth down its caller representation policies.

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