The Android and Google Play team today announced Android 12 will let users run games while they're still downloading. The aptly named "Play as You Download" feature was revealed during today's Google for Games Summit, and the dev team hopes the feature provides easier access to the most popular titles on its storefront.
Much like it works on other platforms, Google Play's new feature will download core assets immediately, letting you quickly jump into certain mobile games as they continue to download in the background. For now, the service is only available as a beta and it's unclear when the function will be fully implemented.
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"Play as you download, built into the core of Android 12, will allow users to get into gameplay in seconds while game assets are downloaded in the background," Greg Hartrell, product management director of Google Play and Android, said. "We are seeing games being ready to open at least 2 times faster and we are very excited about the improved user experience."
Hartrell mentioned other improvements coming in the future, such as changes to pre-registration, improved Texture Compression Format Targeting for better downloads, and a new Play Integrity API to fight hackers and cheaters.
"Last year we saw Android and Play reach new heights with people playing more games safely at home," Hartrell continued. "By continually making Google Play a better place for consumers, we've made it a richer place for game developers to connect with a diverse global audience. So much in fact, that Android has reached 3B monthly active devices, and Play grew to reach 2.5B monthly active users driving 140B installations worldwide."
As Google Play continues to expand its userbase, the dev team has turned its attention to the studios creating apps and games for its massive audience. With these new improvements and adjustments, Hartrell hopes it's easier than ever to bring a game to market.
And – as a consumer – the upcoming Play as You Download feature should mean less time waiting for massive apps to install and more time gaming on the road.
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