How often are we tempted to make use of an app, after downloading and installing it? Concerns like the size of the application, the lengthy sign up process, the app permissions and lastly trusting the brand are inherent. For that matter, we have business ideas like – App Clip and Instant App.
What is App Clip and Instant App feature?
Apple’s App Clip is a newbie feature that lets you experience an app without installing it. These come with NFC Tags integrated and QR Code Scan only options.
Google Play Instant/ Android Instant Apps feature by Google, enables your native applications to launch on devices running Android 5.0 (API level 21) or higher without installation and work in the same way as App Clip. Instant Apps are partial apps that let users access some native app features without downloading and installing the full app. App Clips can help you pay via Apple Pay instantly by scanning the QR code. Instant App redirects to Google Pay while making a payment. These show up as a small window; users need to touch a marked object to enable the functionality.
Use Cases – App Clip and Instant App
Users can make an instant payment without signing up or installing the app. Users do not need to download, install, and register themselves to use Instant apps like ‘App Clip’ and ‘Google Play Instant’; Instant Applications glaze over the fine line in-between web and mobile. Instant Apps are not PWA’s; these are discoverable and accessible through browsers. They run like native apps with limited functionality. For example, we find App Clips in Safari browser, many video games, Apple Maps, Apple messages. We also find App Clips in the real world through NFC tags, App Clip Codes and QR codes.
These are a primary attribute in applications to:
- Rent a Bike – without signing up to the application
- Pay for Parking – to help direct users to available parking spaces and utilize contactless instant payment.
- Order Food (Takeaway) – without signing up to the application
- Order a Coffee– without signing up to the application
- Online Shopping – Helping users in impulse purchases without creating a user account
- Travel – It has most accessible uses of Instant App/App Clip. People travelling with limited data plans, require booking a hotel, looking for a quick taxi, searching routes on Maps and likewise; there are multiple ways in which they use Instant Apps.
- Lifestyle – Instant App and App Clips help in performing simple tasks like opening a recipe through the IM, connecting you to local supermarket.
Difference: Installed App vs. Instant App
| Installed App | Instant App |
|---|---|
| For example, consider a coffee-shop app (iOS) that users download from the App Store. It allows them to order a drink on their device, save favourite drinks, collect rewards, get special offers, and more such features. | Considering the same example, The App Clip only offers the functionality to order a drink. As the user walks past the coffee shop, the system displays a location-based suggestion from Siri on their device. They click the suggestive and use the App Clip card to make the payment. |
Figure 1: Grabbing a coffee via instant app/app clip
(Image Source: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/app_clips)
How Instant Apps and App Clip Work?
Android platform’s new app publishing format, the Android App Bundle, makes it easier to offer a Google Play Instant experience. Plus, it makes it easy to build games with Cocos and Unity plug-ins. Google Play Instant backings to all app and game developers.
What happens in instant App – Users tap the link, Google Play checks to see if there’s an app which could open the link (with deep linking). The link opens an Instant App, if you don’t already have it installed.
What happens in App Clip – Users can tap the banner at the top of the screen to see the full app in the App Store. Users can sign in using Apple Pay in supported App Clip.
Why it happens –
A small portion of the app is cached on the phone for future use, but the data that is downloaded is small when compared to an actual full experience.
Figure 2,3: The Try Now button that appears on an instant-enabled app or game’s page on Google Play
Figure: 3, 4, 5, 6: The Instant play button appears on a full experience game in the Google Play Games App
Instant apps are easy to access and make it easy for the B2B businesses and corresponding users to sample and download their applications. Enterprise IT use instant apps to encourage business app adoption on employees’ devices.
How to enable Instant App?
Go to Play Store>> Settings >> Google Play Instant >> Upgrade web links>> Turn on
Go to the App Library, then click Recently Added.
Click open when App Clip appears on the screen. Use Sign In with Apple in supported App Clips. It will automatically redirect you to Apple Pay. Some app Clips allow you to tap the banner at the top of the screen to view the full app in the App Store.
How to enable App Clips?
- You may find App Clips from App Clip Code or QR code. To buy a coffee, or while ordering food or renting a vehicle, scan the code using the iPhone camera or Code scanner in the control center.
- Another way to find App Clips is by integrating NFC App Clip Code or NFC tag. Hold your iPhone near the NFC tag to make an instant payment. Check for the supported iPhone models.
- Another way to find App Clip is via Safari or Messages. Click the App Clip link.
- Implement App Clips via Maps by tapping the App Clip on the information card (for supported locations).
How to remove App Clip?
To remove a specific App Clip: Go to App Library >> Click Recently added >> Touch and hold the App Clip to be deleted.
To remove all App Clips: Go to settings >> Click App Clips.
Instant App Distribution
Users can access parts of the apps without downloading them into their mobile devices. Instant apps focus on easy tasks, but these provide limited functionality. Developers activate instant apps through the following methods:
- NFC Tags
- QR Codes
- Safari App Banners
- Links in Messages
- Place Cards in Maps
- Apple’s App Clip Codes
Instant apps are made available as the “Try Now” option with Google Instant Apps, instead of the regular “Install” option in case of installed apps.
| Google Instant Apps | Apple App Clips |
|---|---|
| App banner in website | App Banners |
| NFC | NFC |
| Play Store with ‘Try Now’ | QR Code; |
| URL | Apple Clip Code |
| URL | |
| Apple Map |
Instant App Development Limitations
We need to integrate Google Play Instant with your Android project using Instant Development SDK.
Google Play Instant accredits two levels of instant experience, with a different app size limitation for each:
(1) Basic Instant Experience – It is an instant app that launches from a Try Now button or a website banner; such an app should be under 10MB.
(2) Enhanced Instant Experience – It is an instant app that launches any surface by launching any URL. E.g. Messaging Apps, Advertisements; must have an app size under 4MB.
Generally, the app or game with instant experience required under 15MB size, but the smaller, the better. The instant surfaces in the Play Store can be enabled by hitting ‘Try Now’; Google Play Games App homepage features “Instant Play”;
Many features that users are accustomed to like Push Notifications do not exist in Instant apps.
| Features | Google Instant App | Apple App Clips |
|---|---|---|
| Permissions | BILLING ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE CAMERA INSTANT_APP_FOREGROUND_SERVICE only in Android O. INTERNET READ_PHONE_NUMBERS only in Android O. RECORD_AUDIO VIBRATE |
Payment Location Notification Photo Gallery |
| App Size Limit | 15 MB | 10 MB |
| OS Support | Android 5.0 onwards | iOS 14 onwards |
| Quick Signup | No options are available | Users can Sign Up with Apple to onboard |
Success Stories: Instant Apps
Benefits of Instant App/App Clip
There are many potential benefits to this feature:
- Streamlining new user on-boarding
- Reducing data usage
- Creating an easy way to share in-app experiences without having to convince people to download the full app along with all the permissions
- Instant App/App Clip could provide the stopgap allowing further app downloads, even with a full memory.
- App Clip and Instant App are a powerful resource in the current marketplace when data is scanty.
How can we help you?
To enable you to create your instant apps from scratch, we use instant development SDK to convert them into instant apps.
- We make use of app bundles and app links in combination with instant apps.
- Plus, we can convert an existing app to an instant app and convert a game to an instant app.
- We can get your game featured with Instant Play.
- We can publish games to Google Play Instant with Cocos.
- We use Google Play Instant Plugin for Unity.
- We can reduce the size of your existing apps.
- We consider all technical requirements and make use of UX best practices for games.
Refer to Google Play Console Help for more details on how to publish instant apps. We are up-and-coming with Instant Apps gradually. If you seek more clarity on this, we are open to a discussion.
Conclusive: Key Takeaways
Instant App and App Clip provide users with a functional app experience without a full install. They open a portion of an app from a URL found either in a link, banner ad or a highlighted text somewhere. So if you wish to book a hotel, order food, call a taxi or make a parking payment, the Instant App or App Clip shows the slice of the app which allows you to perform the transaction, without having to download all other features. Instant Apps are designed to give users exactly what they need at a precise moment; removing the barrier of installation.