American tech giant Google has confirmed that the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones are the first Android phones to exclusively support 64-bit apps.
According to Android Developers, explaining the few benefits to dropping support for 32-bit apps, the company stated that not only does it reduce RAM usage but also improves performance and security.
This is a major move as previously all Android devices that support 64-bit apps have also supported legacy 32-bit apps.
Google expects that over time, devices without support for 32-bit apps will become increasingly common.
The tech giant made this move with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro because they believe the Android ecosystem is ready to make the transition. Google says this configuration is faster because 64-bit apps can access instructions and resources not available to 32-bit apps, adds the report.
It also claims that modern CPUs can provide up to 25 percent faster performance when 32-bit support is dropped. Further, this configuration can free up 150MB of RAM — which is used whether 32-bit apps are running or not.
Developers are encouraged to begin testing apps and updates for 64-bit-only devices. There are developer tools already available for testing compatibility issues with the new configuration.
As per the report, Google noted that 32-bit-only devices will continue to serve Android Go, Android TV, and Android Wear and that 32-bit ABIs should continue to be supported.
The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones powered by the second-generation Tensor G2 SoC were launched recently. The Google Pixel 7 price in India has been set at Rs. 59,999 for the sole 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant, while the Google Pixel 7 Pro costs Rs. 84,999 for the lone 12GB RAM + 128GB storage model.
The Google Pixel 7 features a 6.32-inch full-HD+ (2,400 x 1,080 pixels) OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Pro model has a larger 6.7-inch Quad-HD (3,120 x 1,440 pixels) LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Google Pixel 7 series smartphones are offered in three colour opinions and will receive five years of security updates. The Pixel 7 features a 50-megapixel dual rear camera setup, while the Pixel 7 Pro flaunts a triple camera setup with an additional 48-megapixel telephoto lens. Both phones feature a 10.8-megapixel selfie camera and have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
