On most Android phones, installing an app has typically been a sluggish process. If you own a flagship like the Galaxy S25 series, you might not notice it as much, but the experience is very different on low-end devices with comparatively weaker specs. That’s something Android 16 aims to improve, which means One UI 8.0 could significantly speed up app installations.
Android 16’s cloud compilation feature will make app installations much faster on One UI 8.0
According to Android Authority, Android 16 brings a new feature called cloud compilation, which lets apps load needed files from the Google Play Store instead of creating them on the phone itself. This means your phone doesn’t have to work as hard when installing apps. It helps speed up installation, especially on budget devices or apps with a lot of code. By using cloud servers, Android 16 makes setup quicker and easier for users with less powerful phones. Since One UI 8.0 will be based on Android 16, it means we’ll enjoy faster app installation.
As usual, Mishaal Rahman provides a great explanation of how this works, and I’ll add my bit of understanding here.
When you install an app, Android normally has to process files in the APK using a tool called dex2oat, which takes time and uses your phone’s CPU. These processed files, called application artifacts, help the app run faster later. Android 16 changes this by letting your phone download these artifacts directly from the Play Store using a new file format called SDM (Secure Dex Metadata). This skips the need for your phone to build them itself. Which is how Android 16 (and therefore One UI 8.0) can offer much faster app installations.
Speaking of One UI 8.0, it’s not far off. Per a recent report, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 will launch with Android 16-based One UI 8.0 out of the box. That means we’ll likely get our first taste of faster app installations with these devices. While this feature is primarily designed to benefit low- and mid-range phones, it should also provide performance improvements for flagship models.
