The Google Play Store is about to receive a clever crowdsourced upgrade

9to5Google found Google's official support page for something called "app install optimization," noting that while the feature is not yet publicly available, the latest release of the software includes a reference to it

According to the documentation, App Install Optimization allows the software to monitor user usage when the software is first installed and learn which parts of any given app are most useful to the average Android owner

"This information is combined with data from other people using the app to find trends and identify which parts of the app are most important to everyone," the supporting documentation explains

Taking something like YouTube as an example, the system might assess that most people use the app to consume video content and rarely use it to upload videos or live streaming In such cases, the Google Play Store might prioritize downloading video playback elements and provide additional elements only when actively needed

According to Google, this has three advantages First, it reduces app installation time Second, it reduces the time it takes to open and run an app This should "reduce the load on the device's CPU, battery, and storage

Google emphasizes that the app installation optimization does not collect any personal information and does not look beyond the app being analyzed Likewise, it is possible to opt out of monitoring from the Play Store's settings menu, the support document states

Interestingly, opting out does not prevent the broader community from enjoying the benefits of app monitoring The support document explains, "Even if you turn off app installation optimization, your app can still benefit from data collected from others" But if everyone takes that approach, it is clear that crowdsourced data will cease to exist and the benefits will disappear along with it

Again, this feature is not operational at this time, so it is unclear how much of an impact it will have on app performance Those with new top-of-the-line Android phones may not notice a difference, but for those who are frustrated with the poor performance of budget devices, this could be a game changer