Instant Apps for Android is a feature which is said to change how user s will download apps in their devices. It was announced in the Google I/O developer conference last year and according to the Android Developers blog, the feature has already been released through several apps, as part of a test which users can join.
The Instant Apps feature for Android lets users download and run apps on their devices without having to fully install apps. When users are suggested to download an app, it will allow for a streamlined mobile device experience to access the website's content and users would not have to go through the full installation process and access the browser version instead.
Instant Apps will open and load Android apps instantly. It is not as fast as loading a webpage but will take only several seconds which is a lot faster than downloading and installing an app. Developers have to update their existing apps to include this feature. Instant Apps uses the same APIs and source code in Android apps.
Those who want to join in the limited Instant Apps testing can access the first websites to test this feature such as Periscope, BuzzFeed, Viki and Wish. The Android team will collect feedback and aim to expand the functionality to more apps and users in the future.
It was expected to be released before 2016 ended but it was delayed. Google plans to have the full SDK for the feature finished in the next few months so developers can start adding it to their apps. Users need to utilize their mobile devices' capabilities to access content rather than visiting a website and Instant Apps will offer them just that.