Android - Application (apk) Maximum size

Question

I am going to install first application in my android phone, but having some doubts related to Android Memory (Maximum size of APK).

So please help me know and solve the problems:

1. What is maximum size of the apk that can be supported by the android ?
2. When we install any apk file in real phone, where does application installed (in SD-card or other memory) ??

I have referred this link: http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/7965885da4d1a03a and also searched lot.

I came Across the search on the web that many people are facing the same issue What is the maximum size of Application supported by Android. I think this question also help to the people who are connected with Android application programming and development.

Update:

This time i am having 58Mb application from that 52.5MB Images and it runs on the my HTC Hero mobile but On Emulator, it shows an error:

Failed to upload my_application.apk on device 'emulator-5554'
java.io.IOException: Unable to upload file: No space left on device
Launch canceled!

Now please suggest me the way to store images inside the Drawable folder? is there any way to zip the images or such method?

Answer 1

1. Its probably device specific as devices has a different amount of memory available for application. ref http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/18cbb2404778618e?pli=1

2. Its application dependant. The developer may state that the app should be preferrebly install on internal memory, the SD-card, or to let the user choose from SD-card and memory. This is only supported on Android 2.2. On older version of android, version <= 2.1, the app will be installed into the memory. Its defined inside the AndoridMainfest.xml via the android:installLocation element. It supports the values internalOnly, preferExternal or auto. But again, only supported on Android 2.2. ref https://developer.android.com/about/versions/android-2.2.html

I tested on my HTC Desire with more than 500 MB of memory. With almost none apps installed I can install an apk that is 43MB, but an apk that is 57MB is too large, even i got plenty of available memory... it fails with

Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE]

The "File Manager" application tells me that im using 60/147MB (40%). The limit seems be 147 MB, but in practice, as i have tested, this is not true...

Update:

I did some testing, and published the results here:

::Edit::
I never changes the any thing in this answer just update this. Update size by Developer blog please refer this link about the updated answer.

Answer 2

Today i came across one point where it is clearly defined that we can upload maximum 50MB sized APK onto the market. So indirectly, we can install an application from a market having maximum 50MB size.

Here is a link: http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/developer/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=113469 , here just check the below sentence.

APK file size: Maximum supported size is 50MB.

So its clear that we can upload maximum 50MB sized APK file, but if we are developing application locally and running/testing for the internal purpose then it is fine.

Update - 6 Mar 2012

Android Apps Break the 50MB Barrier and expanding the Android app size limit to 4GB., check this tutorial.

Update -28 Sep 2015

The Google Play team (ANDROID DEVELOPER BLOG) ::(GOOGLE) update the max size limit. They are increasing the APK file size limit to 100MB from 50MB. This means developers can publish APKs up to 100MB in size,Please refer this link for more information:Google Developer blog