Android Instant Apps and How To Use It

Right now, more DIY developers than ever before are getting seriously creative with Android.  Diving into Android Rooting Tutorials, tinkering with its coding and generally enhancing their everyday mobile experience.  But there’s one persistent question that’s been asked over recent years perhaps more than most:

Do you really need to download an app to own it?

And when you think about it, it’s certainly a valid question.  Consider, if you will, an app that turns your phone into a flashlight.  Given the fact that it only takes a few seconds to download and install, is there really any advantage of storing it on your device?  Wouldn’t it be easier to simply access it as and when required, rather than downloading and keeping a copy of it?

Why take up precious space with apps you could technically access in an instant?

The answer…well, much as it may be a judgement call, this is nonetheless precisely what Android Instant Apps was created for.  A little-known feature which enables users of Google’s mobile platform to access and use applications, without it being necessary to download them first.  Instead, you simply find the apps you are looking for via Google Play, choose the ‘Open App’ option and away you go.

Android Instant Apps is currently being rolled out to Android users all over the world, meaning that if it isn’t already available for your device, it will be soon.

But does Android Instant Apps really make much of a difference for the average user or developer?

Using Android Instant Apps

If you’re interested in giving it a go, all you need to do is head over to your settings menu and activate Android Instant Apps for yourself. Well, assuming you have a Pixel or Nexus device, given that these are currently the only two devices that support the feature. Though it is being rolled out on a much wider basis, so there’s a chance that by the time you read this, it may also be available for your own device!

Head to Personal > Google and then Services.  Then it’s just a case of turning the Instant Apps option on and you’re good to go.  It’s worth noting that at this stage, not all apps (in fact comparatively few of them) have adopted and embraced Android Instant Apps fully.  Nevertheless, there are plenty with which you can experiment with the feature and see how it works for yourself.

As for what all of this really means for the average user, there are a couple of significant benefits to Android Instant Apps that make it a potential game-changer.  For one thing, it’s worth considering just how often you require certain apps on a one-off basis.  You need them for something specific, you download them, install them, use them and uninstall them.  Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could just access them and use them on a one-time-only basis, without the need to download?

Likewise, how about being able to try apps out before going through the process of downloading them?  How many times have you downloaded and installed an app – or dozens of them – before finding one you actually like?

And of course, there’s so much to be said for those who still deal with 8GB or 16GB internal storage on their mobile devices. When internal storage space is limited – or you’ve simply gone and overloaded your mobe with selfies – you’ll still be able to access apps, without the need to download them.

So as you can see, there are some real benefits to Android Instant Apps which extend to a pretty enormous audience of Android users on a global basis. Just be sure to keep your eyes peeled for when Android Instant Apps rolls out for your own device, after which we’d highly recommend giving it a go for yourself.