Android 15 is set to bring a significant change to the budget smartphone landscape, as Google mandates a minimum of 32GB of internal storage for all devices running the operating system with Google Mobile Services (GMS). This move, doubling the previous 16GB requirement introduced with Android 13, aims to enhance the user experience on lower-end devices, ensuring smoother performance and more space for essential apps and updates.
The decision stems from the increasing demands placed on modern smartphones. As apps become more sophisticated and operating systems grow in size, devices with limited storage struggle to provide a seamless experience. Users often find themselves facing storage-related issues, such as the inability to install new apps, download updates, or store photos and videos. By raising the minimum storage requirement, Google hopes to mitigate these problems and deliver a more satisfying experience for budget phone users.
It's important to note that this mandate primarily affects devices seeking GMS certification. GMS is a suite of Google apps and services, including the Play Store, YouTube, and Gmail, that are pre-installed on most Android devices. While manufacturers can technically bypass this requirement by using the open-source version of Android (AOSP), doing so would mean sacrificing access to these essential Google services, which are a major draw for consumers.
The new requirement stipulates that at least 75% of the 32GB must be allocated to the data partition. This partition is where pre-installed system apps, system app data, certain system files, and all user apps and files are stored. This ensures that users have ample space for their own data and applications, preventing the frustrating "storage full" messages that are common on low-storage devices.
While the increased storage requirement is generally seen as a positive step, it could have some implications for the budget phone market. Manufacturers may be forced to increase the prices of their devices to accommodate the additional storage, potentially making them less accessible to consumers in emerging markets. Another possibility is that manufacturers might opt for cheaper, slower storage components to keep costs down, which could negatively impact performance.
Another change coming with Android 15 is the minimum RAM requirement. Devices with 2GB and 3GB of RAM must use Android Go Edition, the version designed for ultra-low-end phones, while those with less than 2GB of RAM can’t get GMS at all. Phones with 4GB of RAM can still get GMS and run full Android 15, but starting on Android 16 they will also have to go the Android Go route, meaning there will in effect be a minimum RAM requirement of 6GB for running full Android.
Beyond storage, Android 15 introduces other key improvements such as mandating that new chipsets support Vulkan 1.3 or higher, and comply with the Android Baseline 2022 profile and Vulkan Profile for Android 15. Furthermore, devices running Android 15 or later must include ANGLE libraries and provide a way for app developers to use these libraries as replacements for the native OpenGL ES driver.
Despite the potential challenges, the move towards 32GB of minimum storage is a necessary step to ensure that budget Android phones can keep pace with the evolving demands of modern mobile computing. By providing more storage space, Google is empowering users to enjoy a smoother, more feature-rich experience, ultimately making Android more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
