The ongoing memory crisis shows no signs of slowing down. As the shortage continues to affect the smartphone industry, Google is introducing stricter guidelines for Android developers on how their apps manage and optimize device memory.
Google said developers have until February 2027 to ensure their apps use RAM more efficiently. The initiative aims to ensure that apps continue to run smoothly, even on smartphones with limited memory.
If an app exceeds its predefined memory threshold, the operating system may slow it down or forcibly close it to prevent the entire device from becoming sluggish or crashing.
To address this, Google is requiring developers to optimize three key areas of their apps: dynamic memory usage, bitmap memory usage, and DEX code.
The changes could particularly benefit users with older or low-spec Android smartphones, who may be unable to upgrade as rising device prices—partly driven by the ongoing RAM shortage—make newer phones increasingly expensive.