Why my Apk Expansion File is not Getting Downloaded

Users must download compressed APKs from Google Play that is no larger than 100MB. Additionally, this is sufficient capacity for the majority of apps' code and assets. Learn how your expansion is not downloading freely.

For huge assets like media files or high-quality graphics, certain apps require additional storage. Before, if the compressed download size of your app was greater than 100MB. Also, you had to host and download the extra resources when the user opened the app.

The user experience is frequently subpar, and hosting and distributing the additional data can be expensive.

Google Play enables you to connect two sizable expansion files that complement your APK, making the process simpler for you and more user-friendly.

APK Expansion Files

APK expansion files are used to store large assets that are not included in the initial APK download. This is necessary because the size limit for an APK file on the Google Play Store is 100MB.

If an app needs to include large assets such as high-resolution images or video files, it can do so by using APK expansion files.

These files are downloaded separately from the initial APK download, which means that the initial download size remains small.

There are two types of APK expansion files: main expansion files and patch expansion files. Main expansion files contain the initial set of large assets, while patch expansion files contain updates to those assets.

To use APK expansion files, you need to include them in your app project and specify them in the app's manifest file.

Then, you need to upload the expansion files to the Google Play Store along with your APK. When a user downloads your app, the expansion files will be downloaded automatically, if necessary.

Download Process of Expansion Files

The process for downloading APK expansion files depends on the version of Android that the device is running.

On Android 2.3 and Higher:

1. When the user starts the app, the app checks to see if the expansion files have been downloaded.
2. If the expansion files are not present, the app sends a request to Google Play to download them.
3. Google Play downloads the expansion files and stores them in a specific location on the device's internal storage.
4. The app is notified when the download is complete and can then access the expansion files from the specified location.

On Android 3.0 and Higher:

1. When the user starts the app, the app checks to see if the expansion files have been downloaded.
2. If the expansion files are not present, the app sends a request to Google Play to download them.
3. Google Play downloads the expansion files and stores them in a specific location on the device's external storage (such as an SD card).
4. The app is notified when the download is complete and can then access the expansion files from the specified location.

Note: On Android 4.4 (KitKat) and higher, apps are not allowed to write to external storage by default. In this case, the expansion files will be stored in a specific location on the device's internal storage.

Expansion File Types

An expansion file is a file that supplements a main application file that is downloaded from the Google Play Store.

However, it is used to provide additional resources or assets for an Android app that are too large to include in the main APK file. There are two types of expansion files that can be used:

1. Main Expansion File: This file contains the majority of the app's assets and resources. Also, it is required to be at least 2GB in size, but there is no maximum size limit.
2. Patch Expansion File: This file is used to provide updates or fixes for the main expansion file. Therefore, it is required to be at least 150MB in size, but there is no maximum size limit.

Both types of expansion files are stored on Google Play and are downloaded to the device when the app is installed. They are then accessed by the app at runtime.

Storage Location

On Android devices, expansion files are stored in the following location:

/Android/obb/<package_name>/

where <package_name> is the package name of the app.

However, the main expansion file is stored in the main folder, and the patch expansion file is stored in the patch folder.

For example, if the package name of the app is com.example.app, the main expansion file would be stored in the following location:

/Android/obb/com.example.app/main.<version_code>.<package_name>.obb

and the patch expansion file would be stored in the following location:

/Android/obb/com.example.app/patch.<version_code>.<package_name>.obb

Where <version_code> is the version code of the app, and <package_name> is the package name of the app.

Note that the expansion files are stored on the device's shared storage, which may be a separate partition from the device's internal storage.

Using a ContentProvider

A ContentProvider is a subclass of Android's ContentProvider class that allows you to share data between different applications.

Also, it provides an abstract layer between the data and the ContentResolver, which allows you to access the data in a consistent manner, regardless of whether it is stored in a database, file, or any other type of storage.

To use a ContentProvider, you will need to create a subclass of ContentProvider and override some of its methods to provide the necessary functionality. Here are the main steps to using a ContentProvider:

1. Create a new subclass of ContentProvider.
2. Override the onCreate() method to initialize your ContentProvider.
3. Implement the query(), insert(), update(), and delete() methods to provide access to the data stored by your ContentProvider.
4. Add the ContentProvider to your AndroidManifest.xml file.
5. Use a ContentResolver to access the data stored by your ContentProvider

Here is an Example of a Simple ContentProvider that Stores a List of Strings in a SQLite Database:

public class MyContentProvider extends ContentProvider { private static final String TAG = "MyContentProvider"; private static final String AUTHORITY = "com.example.mycontentprovider"; private static final String BASE_PATH = "items"; public static final Uri CONTENT_URI = Uri.parse("content://" + AUTHORITY + "/" + BASE_PATH ); private static final int ITEMS = 1; private static final int ITEM_ID = 2; private static final UriMatcher URI_MATCHER = new UriMatcher(UriMatcher.NO_MATCH); static { URI_MATCHER.addURI(AUTHORITY, BASE_PATH, ITEMS); URI_MATCHER.addURI(AUTHORITY, BASE_PATH + "/#", ITEM_ID); }

private SQLiteDatabase database; @Override public boolean onCreate() { DBOpenHelper helper = new DBOpenHelper(getContext()); database = helper.getWritableDatabase(); return true; } @Override public Cursor query(Uri uri, String[] projection, String selection, String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder) { Cursor cursor; switch (URI_MATCHER.match(uri)) { case ITEMS: cursor = database.query(DBOpenHelper.TABLE_ITEMS, DBOpenHelper.ALL_COLUMNS, selection, null, null, null, DBOpenHelper.ITEM_CREATED + " DESC"); break; default:

throw new IllegalArgumentException("This is an Unknown URI " + uri); } cursor.setNotificationUri(getContext().getContentResolver(), uri); return cursor; } @Override public String getType(Uri uri) { switch (URI_MATCHER.match(uri)) { case ITEMS: return "vnd.android.cursor.dir/items"; case ITEM_ID: return "vnd.android.cursor.item/items";

An Android emulator is a program that turns your computer into a virtual Android device complete with software and hardware. Read more about Andriod emulator on Apkonline.

Why are APK Files not Downloading?

There could be several reasons why an APK file is not downloading. Here are a few things you can try:

1. Check your internet connection: Make sure that your device is connected to the internet and that the connection is stable.
2. Check for restrictions: Some networks and devices may block the download of APK files. Check with your network administrator or device manufacturer to see if there are any restrictions in place.
3. Check for compatibility: Make sure that the APK file is compatible with your device. If it is not, the download may fail.
4. Check for available storage space: If your device does not have enough storage space, the download may fail.
5. Check for malware: If you downloaded the APK file from a sketchy website, it is possible that it could contain malware. Scan the file with a reliable antivirus program before attempting to download it.

Try downloading the APK file again: Sometimes, the download may fail due to temporary issues with the server or network. Try downloading the file again at a later time.