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Google appears to be recommending ‘lite’ apps via the Play Store to some users

With initiatives like Android Go and Android One, developers have spent a fair bit of time trying to slim down their apps. One solution many have adopted is creating “lite” apps which ditch features for smaller apps sizes and better performance. Now, it seems Google Play is recommending these apps to some users.

Spotted by some users on Reddit and Google+ (via Android Police), it appears that Google is testing a new feature which can recommend the lite version of a specific app on that app’s Play Store listing.

This feature is one that would certainly be welcome with a wider rollout as it solves a couple of problems. Firstly, it’s a great way to make users aware that these lite apps exist as it’s not always obvious.

Secondly, this is the sort of feature that would go a long way in improving Android on lower-end devices. Being able to immediately see that a version of the app you want to download which takes up less storage and runs better on your device is something that a lot of users would no doubt appreciate.

Some have already speculated that Google is testing these feature with Android Go in mind, and that makes complete sense. It’s unclear exactly what triggers this feature, but it’s probably still in testing for the time being. I’d take a wild guess that it takes a peek at the user’s available storage or specifications to determine if the message should show. For now, though, we’ll just have to wait and see.


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