Entry level i.e. budget phones are often the first and only method of accessing the internet for many people across the world.
In the global smartphone market, entry-level phones account for over half of the shipments. Data, storage, memory, and other limitations are real problems for these phones.
Google’s vision of making Android OS accessible to everyone has driven the development of Android Go.
In 2017, Google released Android Go. With its lightning-fast performance and the ability to deliver an optimized experience, this operating system promises to be a great fit for low-end smartphones with RAM of less than 2GB.
According to Google, approximately 250 million monthly active devices are running on the Android Go operating system.
In light of the increasing number of devices running on the Go OS, businesses are eying it closely to Android Go app development.
Here in this blog, we will share detailed information on the Android Go operating system, its features, and several other information.
So, let’s get started.
As said, Android Go is an optimized version of the regular Android operating system built for devices with low specs.
Oreo was the basis for the first version of Android Go. Updates are delivered like traditional operating systems, resulting in a seamless user experience.
The Android Go platform consumes less storage space, allowing devices with low storage to store more content.
This stripped-down version of Android OS runs lighter and saves data but beyond that, it also delivers a lot of other things as well on an entry-level smartphone such as:
The latest release of the Android 13 (Go edition) takes the stripped-down version further. The new version places a great deal of emphasis on the three critical factors of reliability, usability, and customization. Let’s explore Android 13’s Go edition’s best features:
As part of the Android 13 release, Google system updates will be added to Go devices, ensuring that favorite software will receive regular updates.
Keeping the Android operating system, Google Play Store, and Google Play Services up-to-date is the responsibility of Google’s system updates.
In light of the limited storage available on Go devices, Android 13 (Go edition) enables the update to go smoothly without compressing the performance of the limited storage availability.
Android 13 (Go edition) pushes the capabilities of low-end smartphones to the greatest extent possible. It has developed the in-built intelligence to deliver tailored content that matches the preference of the users.
Swiping right on the home screen will lead you to see a curated list of articles and other content set to match your language and taste preference.
Every Android OS update adds innovations to make the operating system adapt to changing user needs. Material You was introduced by Google in May 2021 on Android 12. In Material You, animation was emphasized, larger buttons were used, and users can generate custom UI themes based on their wallpaper.
As of Android 13 (Go edition), Google is bringing Material You to devices running on Go for the first time. As a result, users are able to customize their phone’s entire look in response to their wallpaper scheme.
This is a list of the most popular Android Go apps. These apps will not only take up less space, but they will also be fast and efficient:
No one needs an introduction to Uber, a mobile app that allows users to hail a ride. The company was driven by the goal of making the process of booking cabs online convenient on all smartphones despite their specification configuration.
Uber Lite is available at only 5MB making it the perfect choice for the Android Go Compatible devices. The application also reduces its dependence on the internet connection, even people using a 2G network can conveniently request a ride.
Among the most popular social media platforms, Facebook allows users to interact with each other by sending text messages, images, videos, and other media.
The application size is the amount at 2MB only which enables the Go smartphone to deal with the limited storage capacity. Facebook Lite can even work on a 2G internet connection making it the ideal choice for keeping users connected with each other.
Moreover, the application has an in-app chat feature which eliminates the need of installing a messenger application. Several classic Facebook features are available in the app, including sharing, liking, searching, and editing your profile.
Instagram Lite is yet another best applications for Android Go Smartphones. This small and lightning-fast speed application is launched faster on low-specs smartphones and provides access to all the essential features of Instagram.
With Instagram Lite, you can add stories, message friends, post photos & so on. It works on a low internet connection making it an ideal choice for an Android Go smartphone.
Want to listen to music on your Android Go smartphone? Spotify Lite lets you enjoy millions of songs even with low internet connectivity.
Due to its small size (8MB) and exceptional performance, this application is perfect for Android Go users.
Here we’re going to compare the Android Go apps to regular Android apps to find out the difference between them:
The Google Go browser is a lighter, faster, and more efficient browser that optimizes search engine results to save 40 percent of data.
At 12MB in size, this browser lets low-end specs smartphone users stay connected to the internet. Similar to the regular Google Android app, Android Go is also capable of using voice search, translating search engine results, speaking a Google page, and so on.
Since Google Go is the smaller version it experiences a lack of features like offline downloading.
Introducing Google Maps Go, the lightweight Progressive Web App version of the original Google Maps app that now supports navigation.
For Google maps to work, you need the Chrome browser, while for Google Maps itself an app, you don’t need anything else.
Since Google Maps Go is accessible through the browser, it takes 100 times less space than a regular Google Map application.
It provides the users with all the essential features like real-time traffic updates, the fastest route, public transportation information, and route preview.
When it comes to offline maps, street views, and indoor maps to quickly locate places in airports, Google Maps Go falls short of the regular map application.
Android (Go) users can now enjoy the fast, lightweight Google Assistant, which offers a variety of helpful features.
Assistant Go lets you use your voice to get directions, make a call or text messages, play music, and weather information. This version is limited to essential features only but delivers a fast and lag-free experience on low-end specs Android devices.
This app lacks features like reminders, smart home controls, Actions on Google, and Device Actions compared to the standard version of the Assistant app.
The Google Assistant Go has been designed to run only when the user asks it to, leading to a battery life that is longer than normal.
YouTube Go allows you to maximize the fun without consuming a lot of data in the process. It allows the users to choose whether they want to download or view the video. Moreover, users can also choose how many MBs they want to use for videos.
Since Android Go smartphones lack storage, YouTube Go allows users to save downloaded videos on the SD card. Tuned to work on low-end specs devices, YouTube Go delivers a buffer-free video-watching experience.
YouTube Go is limited in terms of features than the standard Android YouTube app.
As we move forward in time, the mobile application is one of the most evident ways to pursue business growth. Why would you need an Android Go app if you already have a standard Android app representing your business, and how would it benefit you in terms of growth? This is what you will find out here:
The number of budget smartphones powered by Android Go has risen from 200 million in December 2021 to more than 250 million in 2022.
By creating an application that works on Android Go devices without causing any performance issues, you will expand your audience.
Leading mobile applications like Instagram, Facebook, Uber, and so forth created the light version to offer their services seamlessly on low-end devices.
With Android Go smartphones in 180+ countries, you can expand your business worldwide. Since 2017, over 16K smartphone models have been launched on Android Go.
Android Go app development consists of similar steps to a standard Android app development project such as prototyping, designing, development, testing, release, and maintenance. A unique aspect of the app is that it works smoothly on low-spec devices without any lag. Following are a few steps you should keep in mind to optimize your app for budget smartphones:
Even today, in the era of 5G, there are still some places that still have weak and unstable internet connections. This is the biggest challenge to solve with the Android Go application development project. You have to make an app that is capable of working on poor internet connection without creating buffering related.
In addition to designing the lighter version of the app, you should emphasize graphic optimization, network bandwidth optimization, and fine-tuning data synchronization.
Android Go operating system is primarily meant for smartphones that have a RAM capacity between 512MB to 2GB. Furthermore, such devices have limited storage capacities. Design your application in a way that ensures all performance-related issues are addressed, keeping in mind the limited specifications of the devices.
Optimizing the application to consume fewer data is another challenge for Android app developers to overcome. Minimizing your application’s network traffic costs will help you strengthen your presence among the sea of Android Go apps. You can accomplish this by reducing the size of the application and configuring its network settings.
As the entry-level smartphone price remains under the budget manufacturer’s price range, the battery capacity of the device is limited. Ensure that the battery life of your application is optimized to make the smartphone run for a longer period of time.
You can optimize the Android Go app battery consumption by preventing your application from running in the background. To prevent the application from draining the battery, follow the best power management practices.
Developing a lighter version of an application comes with a lot of challenges. The biggest challenge lies in the creation of the user interface and content. Optimizing the user interface should follow the minimalist approach to achieve superior results.
Android Go apps are breathing life into the low-end smartphone and empowering them to deliver an experience that is lag-free.
Android Go offers businesses a wide range of possibilities for expanding their business reach with its wide reach.
You can accomplish the vision of Android Go app development in two ways. Firstly, you can develop one app for both Android Go and regular Android versions. The app will work identically on both platforms.
Alternatively, you can create a lite version of an existing Android app to target Android Go edition users to expand your business reach.
Lead your way to secure your presence on the Android Go platform with a reliable Android app development company. You can let us know your vision, and we will make it a sure reality by utilizing the latest technology advancements.
Costs associated with Android Go app development depend on multiple factors, such as the complexity of the project, the features, and the location of the developer. Depending on the project that you are working on, some of these factors may vary, and so does the cost. Have a consultation with the Android app development company in India to get an accurate estimation of the cost.
Hardware requirements for Android Go operating depend on the version of the operating system you’re using. The minimum Ram requirement is 512MB which is as high as 2GB for Android 13 (Go Edition).
Manish Jain is the co-founder and Managing Director at Konstant Infosolutions. He is responsible for the overall operations of the company and has played a major role in bringing Konstant up from its humble beginnings and, with his immense energy and drive, transforming it into a globally trusted name in IT solutions.
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