Google Play Store Policy Update: Google has announced important changes to its Play Store policies to further improve the experience of Android smartphone users. According to Google, from February 2027 it will be mandatory for all Android apps and games available on Google Play to comply with the new memory usage, bitmap memory and DeX code optimization standards. The company has given enough time in advance to developers to make their apps more efficient and reduce memory wastage. Apps that fail to meet these new quality standards will have their visibility on the Google Play Store reduced or limits imposed on their publishing capabilities.

Under the new rules, Google will now strictly monitor dynamic memory usage. This system will check how much an app is using the smartphone’s private memory. Whether an application is active in the foreground or running in the background, its memory usage will be monitored. Memory limits may vary depending on the capacity and performance of different devices. This decision will have a direct impact on apps that run in the background and consume too much RAM and put unnecessary burden on the phone’s processor.

Special focus will be on bitmap memory and R8 code optimization

In addition to the general RAM usage, Google has also included the management of bitmap memory in the quality standards. How much memory the app’s bitmaps consume will be checked when they are cached in the background, so that enough system resources are available for other primary activities. Along with this it has been made mandatory to use advanced tools like R8 for code optimization. Published apps need to have at least 25 percent optimization coverage, so that redundant code is reduced, app size is smaller, and devices run smoothly.

Zero-Tap Sign-in: Freedom from the hassle of login in new Android phones

Apart from RAM restrictions, Google has also introduced a new convenience feature for users called ‘Zero-Tap Sign-in’. The main purpose of this feature is to ease the process of repeatedly logging into each app while setting up a new Android phone or transferring data. The new rule requires developers to use the Android Credential Restore API, which will automatically restore a user’s login status on a new device.

Strict implementation and future plans

Apps that do not comply with the zero-tap sign-in rule may lose their visibility and full publishing capabilities on Google Play from next April, though gaming apps are exempted from the rule for now. Google has made it clear that these standards may be subject to further revisions in the future as per the needs of the Android ecosystem. The company believes that these strict measures will reduce app crashing issues and provide users with a faster and safer Android experience.