With Android KitKat Google is experimenting on a completely new runtime environment for apps called ART, short for Android Runtime, which is apparently the bee's knees. After a patent spat with Oracle on the Java-based Dalvik runtime that ensnares Android at the moment, Google is obviously determined to create a complete replacement, but that's not the whole story.
ART actually comes as an option built right into Android 4.4 and speeds up the time that the operating system uses to read application code significantly. Preliminary tests show that app execution time, which is everything from launch and operation to occupying processor resources, is cut in half for most of them.
This enormous speed gain comes with caveats, such as larger apps hence longer installation times, but the ART experiment seems ripe to replace Dalvik in some of the next major Android versions. It replaces the just-in-time (JIT) real time compiling with ahead-of-time (AOT) one during the app installation, thus cutting down on app launch times a great deal, which is especially useful on devices with limited resources.
In fact, you can test drive ART right now, even if you aren't an Android developer - go to Settings>Developer options on your Nexus 5 and enable it, then reboot. It will take quite a lot of time until your apps get recompiled with the new runtime, and you probably won't notice any difference at this point, but peeping into the Android future might be worth it.
Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
Recommended Stories
Loading Comments...
COMMENT
All comments need to comply with our
Community Guidelines
Phonearena comments rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: