The name Project Mainline surely sounds to many Android users in Spain. Introduced in 2019, this initiative was one more step by Google to try to end the existing fragmentation in Android. Since then, Google has worked on making the operating system more modular, and now they are taking another step with their new decision: the Android Runtime becomes a module.
The Android Runtime is the execution environment for applications, so it is essential that their updates are simpler. This is what Google plans to do by converting it in an updateable module from Google Play, thus continuing with the Project Mainline initiative.
Google’s new solution to Android fragmentation: Project MainlineGoogle gives a twist to its update system on Android with Project Mainline, division of the components into modules to be updated by the Play Store.
The Android Runtime will be an upgradeable module
Google is betting everything on the modularization of Android, since as it has been seen in the source code of AOSP, the following version of the operating system (Android 12 or Android S), Android Runtime will become another upgradeable module. A new module within Project Mainline, which will get its updates through Google Play.
This runtime environment translates the code of applications and services into instructions that can be executed, making it essential in the operating system. If you want to make changes, you have to update the system completely, so these changes occur only once a year. Also, many phones are left without getting these changes, because after a while they do not get more system updates.
By making this Android Runtime a module within Project Mainline, you will get your system updates from Google Play, like the rest of the modules. These are updates that are automatically downloaded and installed when the system is restarted. The process becomes faster and simpler this way.
Beastly performance improvements with a Google Play update: so will GoogleGoogle has unveiled a technique that will drastically improve the performance of our phones in games and will come with an update to Google Play.
This is one more step for Android is a modular system, an important step in making this Android Runtime one of those modules. It remains to be seen if in the next version of the operating system we find more modules, in addition to knowing the consequences of this Google decision.
The Android 12 entry will be more modular: the Android Runtime will be updated from Google Play appears first in The Free Android.
