Incremental Android apk update via extension files?
I am creating an Android application that will be distributed in a controlled environment. (i.e. the app will be pre-installed on certain devices to be issued). The app will be installed outside of the Play Store. The final apk will be ~ 50MB, but may grow over multiple releases.
The question I have is if there is a way to publish updates for the application using some method so that we only need to provide a "patch"? This might involve updating the dependent library and code, not just assets?
I found extension files. http://developer.android.com/google/play/expansion-files.html
source to share
You have two options for distributing your application:
- use google play.
- host your application on your server
The Google Play store has a mechanism for updating bulletproof files and has supported delta updates since Android 2.3. It also supports a so-called private channel to specify which users can access your private applications.
If you are using your own server, you need to download ~ 50 MB with every update, or you need to implement your own smart update technology, which I would not count. In my understanding, Files extensions are for assets, not code, but I could be wrong.
So, in your case, I would recommend using a private channel to distribute your application.
source to share