Google has announced that it will discontinue support for Android’s Instant Apps by December 2025, bringing an end to a product once aimed at transforming how users interact with mobile applications.
Launched in 2017, Instant Apps allowed users to access lightweight versions of Android apps via web links—without needing to download them from the Play Store. The feature was promoted as a way to drive discovery and engagement by offering quick, frictionless previews. But nearly a decade later, it has failed to gain widespread adoption.
The decision to phase out the feature was first discovered in a developer notice inside Android Studio, where a message stated that “Instant Apps support will be removed by Google Play in December 2025. Publishing and all Google Play Instant APIs will no longer work.”
Google later confirmed the move through spokesperson Nia Carter in a statement to The Verge, citing low usage and shifting developer priorities.
“Usage and engagement of Instant Apps have been low, and developers are leveraging other tools for app discovery such as AI-powered app highlights and simultaneous app installs,” Carter explained. “This change allows us to invest more in tools that are working well for developers and help direct users to full app downloads to foster deeper engagement.”
For developers, this means the need to pivot toward more modern discovery mechanisms supported by Google, particularly AI-driven tools now embedded into Play Store and Android services. Google has been shifting its focus to these emerging solutions as part of its broader product strategy.
Instant Apps originally required developers to break their apps into modular sections, implement deep linking, and maintain small app sizes to meet platform limits. Initially compatible with Android 4.3 and later versions, the feature evolved with Android 8.0 (Oreo), allowing users to launch Instant Apps directly from their app drawer or even pin them to their home screens.
Despite these advancements, the feature struggled to find a strong user base.
The end of Instant Apps coincides with Google’s growing emphasis on AI integration across its platforms. As of the first quarter of 2025, the company reported over 1.5 billion monthly users of its AI-powered Search feature, known as AI Overview. Additionally, Google now counts over 270 million paying users, largely through services like YouTube Premium and Google One, with YouTube Music and Premium boasting more than 125 million subscribers globally.
For mobile developers and startups across Africa and beyond, this signals a shift in how user acquisition and app discovery will be shaped—moving away from one-tap trials to more comprehensive AI-driven engagement tools within the Android ecosystem.
