Google Maps improved obtain reliability by 10% utilizing consumer initiated knowledge switch API

Posted by Alice Yuan – Developer Relations Engineer, in collaboration with Software program Engineers – Matthew Valgenti and Emma Li – at Google

What’s consumer initiated knowledge switch?

In Android 14 we launched user-initiated knowledge switch jobs, or UIDT. You should use the brand new API setUserInitiated in JobScheduler to specify that the job is a user-initiated knowledge switch job. This API is useful to be used instances that require long-duration (>10 minutes), user-initiated switch of knowledge over community. UIDT can also be another API to utilizing a dataSync foreground service, which has new timeout conduct for apps that concentrate on Android 15.

UIDT is meant to help consumer initiated use instances similar to downloading information from a distant server, importing information to a distant server or transferring knowledge between two units 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 thousands and thousands of consumer units.

What are the advantages if I undertake user-initiated knowledge switch?

The Android workforce’s intensive evaluation discovered gaps in foreground companies and WorkManager for lengthy period, consumer initiated knowledge transfers. Though WorkManager may help retries and constraints, it couldn’t help lengthy period work which are sometimes mandatory for knowledge switch operations. Builders additionally discovered it difficult to make use of foreground service, which didn’t present a great consumer expertise throughout interruption of community connectivity.

JobScheduler’s consumer initiated knowledge switch API helps clear up for these gaps by providing builders the next advantages:

• Lengthy period, fast background work execution that isn’t impacted by present job quotas primarily based on app standby buckets.
• Helps enhance consistency in API conduct throughout all units, and the conduct is enforced by means 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, similar to working solely on Wi-Fi or solely when the gadget is charging.
• Gracefully manages job timeouts and retries.
• Diminished reminiscence utilization and decreased notification litter when the app is ready for constraints to be met.

In the event you’re trying to do quick or interruptible background work, WorkManager continues to be the beneficial answer. Try knowledge 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 so that they have map knowledge even once they lose community connectivity.

What was Google Maps’ most important 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, similar to resumable downloads in order that if a consumer’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 consumer returns to the app or their connection is restored.” – Emma Li, Software program Engineer at Google

What’s the set off level to begin UIDT in Google Maps?

The UIDT is triggered when a consumer decides to obtain a map area to have that knowledge offline. When a consumer hits obtain, the UIDT is triggered instantly and processing of the area begins as quickly as doable.

What had been Google Maps’ adoption outcomes?

Google Maps rolled out the challenge utilizing experiment flags to grasp metrics affect 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 charge of offline downloads!” – Matthew Valgenti, Software program Engineer at Google

How do I get began implementing consumer initiated knowledge switch API?

With a view to undertake consumer initiated knowledge switch, you have to to combine with the JobScheduler platform API and gate the change to Android 14 or greater.

Try the next developer documentation to get began with consumer initiated knowledge switch:

This weblog publish 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 benefit from the newest options in Android 15. You possibly can learn extra within the overview of Highlight Week: Android 15, which can be up to date all through the week.