Posted by Alice Yuan – Developer Relations Engineer, in collaboration with Software program Engineers – Matthew Valgenti and Emma Li – at Google
What’s person initiated information switch?
In Android 14 we launched user-initiated information switch jobs, or UIDT. You need to use the brand new API setUserInitiated in JobScheduler to specify that the job is a user-initiated information switch job. This API is useful to be used circumstances that require long-duration (>10 minutes), user-initiated switch of knowledge over community. UIDT can also be an alternate API to utilizing a dataSync foreground service, which has new timeout habits for apps that concentrate on Android 15.
UIDT is meant to assist person initiated use circumstances akin to downloading recordsdata from a distant server, importing recordsdata to a distant server or transferring information between two gadgets through Wi-Fi transport. Because the launch of Android 14, the brand new API has been adopted by a rising variety of Android apps working on a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of person gadgets.
What are the advantages if I undertake user-initiated information switch?
The Android staff’s in depth evaluation discovered gaps in foreground companies and WorkManager for lengthy length, person initiated information transfers. Though WorkManager might assist retries and constraints, it couldn’t assist lengthy length work which are sometimes obligatory for information switch operations. Builders additionally discovered it difficult to make use of foreground service, which didn’t present a super person expertise throughout interruption of community connectivity.
JobScheduler’s person initiated information switch API helps remedy for these gaps by providing builders the next advantages:
- Lengthy length, speedy background work execution that’s not impacted by present job quotas based mostly on app standby buckets.
- Helps enhance consistency in API habits throughout all gadgets, and the habits is enforced by way of Compatibility Take a look at Suite (CTS).
- Improved reliability of knowledge switch in comparison with utilizing a foreground service as indicated by Google Maps personal benchmarks.
- Assist for execution when sure constraints are met, akin to working solely on Wi-Fi or solely when the system is charging.
- Gracefully manages job timeouts and retries.
- Decreased reminiscence utilization and diminished notification litter when the app is ready for constraints to be met.
In the event you’re seeking to do quick or interruptible background work, WorkManager remains to be the advisable resolution. Take a look at information switch background activity choices to be taught extra.
Google Maps efficiently launched UIDT and noticed enchancment in obtain reliability!
Google Maps determined to make use of UIDT for his or her offline maps obtain use case. This use case ensures that customers are capable of obtain offline maps in order that they have map information even after they lose community connectivity.
What was Google Maps’ foremost motivation for adopting UIDT?
Google Maps determined to undertake UIDT to make sure that the obtain service works with the newest Android releases and continues to be dependable and environment friendly.
“We applied a number of options and optimizations, akin to resumable downloads in order that if a person’s web connection is interrupted or they exit the app earlier than the obtain is full, the obtain resumes from the place it left off when the person returns to the app or their connection is restored.” – Emma Li, Software program Engineer at Google
What’s the set off level to start out UIDT in Google Maps?
The UIDT is triggered when a person decides to obtain a map area to have that information offline. When a person hits obtain, the UIDT is triggered instantly and processing of the area begins as quickly as potential.
What had been Google Maps’ adoption outcomes?
Google Maps rolled out the challenge utilizing experiment flags to grasp metrics influence after every ramp stage.
“We efficiently launched UIDT on Android 14 in early 2024 migrating from our foreground service implementation. After a retroactive evaluation on Android 14 vs Android 13 implementation, we now see a ten%+ enchancment in obtain failure fee of offline downloads!” – Matthew Valgenti, Software program Engineer at Google
How do I get began implementing person initiated information switch API?
To be able to undertake person initiated information switch, you’ll need to combine with the JobScheduler platform API and gate the change to Android 14 or increased.
Take a look at the next developer documentation to get began with person initiated information switch:
This weblog submit is a part of our sequence: Highlight Week on Android 15, the place we offer assets — weblog posts, movies, pattern code, and extra — all designed that will help you put together your apps and make the most of the newest options in Android 15. You may learn extra within the overview of Highlight Week: Android 15, which will probably be up to date all through the week.
