Google started removing the APK file format on the Play Store app store

Google has announced a major change for developers looking to get their apps on the Play Store, which will likely impact the Android ecosystem. Currently, the standard format for apps is APK. But starting this August, Google will require developers to switch to the new Android App Bundles format.

On the Google page about Android App Bundles, the search giant introduced many improvements to the new format, such as a smaller download application. But the new format also has a problem, which is only supported by Google’s Play Store, which can make app distribution more complicated.

The time of Google’s announcement was just a few days after it was announced that Microsoft’s Windows 11 allows downloading and installing Android APK files. With Google forcing developers to switch to the Android App Bundles format, there will be fewer Android apps that can run on Windows 11.

According to Google, the requirement to switch to the Android App Bundles format will only apply to newly launched apps. Existing applications will not be required to convert to the new format. However, that means the APK format will gradually disappear.

Reference: theverge