Google’s Extension SDK aims to bring latest features to older Android versions - TechCrunch

Fragmentation has been a longstanding ailment astir the Android ecosystem. Often users miss retired connected features of the latest Android mentation due to the fact that they are utilizing older devices that are nary longer updated. To trim the gap, Google has released the archetypal nationalist mentation of the Extension SDK, which aims to bring features of the latest Android mentation to older iterations.

As a portion of this announcement, Google is opening up Photo Picker API enactment to Android 11 and Android 12. Photo picker lets users springiness entree to prime photos from their room to an app — close now, lone Android 13 users tin usage the latest photograph picker interface.

Notably, arsenic this is an SDK app developers volition person to see this functionality successful their apps. But users won’t request a strategy update to usage the photograph picker.

The Extension SDK besides brings enactment to instrumentality AdServices APIs to hole for the motorboat of the Android Privacy Sandbox. The Android Privacy Sandbox is Google’s caller advertisement stack to regenerate cookies successful Chrome. Currently, Google is investigating Privacy Sandbox connected a constricted fig of devices moving Android 13 with a wider beta motorboat expected this year. With components similar the Extension SDK, Google volition purpose to rotation retired Privacy Sandbox enactment to devices moving older versions of Android.

Google has tried to compress diagnostic rollout times done programs similar Project Mainline, which was introduced with Android 10 to marque the operating strategy much modular and propulsion features done Google Play. So users don’t person to hold for telephone makers to contented a bundle update. The Extension SDK is different measurement successful that direction.