To let users save space on limited storage devices, Google has been testing a new feature in its Play Store – called the App Archive.
This would let users uninstall an app from the Google Play Store while archiving the app’s data on the device. This would let them retain the experience they had before uninstalling the app – once they installed it again. This feature is now rolling out to everyone.
Google Deploy App Archiving on Play Store
To ease the user experience on Android, Google keeps on testing new features that are passed through the system or Play Store updates. The latest one in this pursuit is app archiving, which we saw for the first time last month during an apk teardown of the latest Play Store app.
It was revealed during the session that the new Play Store will let users slip apps on and off their phones without having to set them up each time. This is through app archiving, where the Play Store will retain the app data before it was uninstalled and reinstate it whenever the app is installed again.
Until then, the app will sit in the device catalog with a download symbol on its icon, and its data will be saved to the system. This will help users have the same experience they had prior to uninstalling the app. While it leaves some junk on the local device, it’s good for those who cycle through large games often and for the one who has phones with limited storage.
This feature is available in the Google Play Store v33.4 update, which the company released on Thursday. While Google may roll this update slowly, considering the ongoing holiday period, you can it from the APK Mirror if you want to try.
