Why is there so much obsession on app size reduction?
Article Summary
Why do engineering teams obsess over shaving megabytes off their apps? A Reddit thread reveals the hidden costs of bloat.
An Android developer questioned why teams spend months optimizing app size when most users have fast internet and plenty of storage. The community's responses revealed a much more nuanced reality about global markets, user behavior, and technical debt.
Key Takeaways
- Emerging markets often lack reliable internet, making 100MB downloads a real barrier
- Users delete large apps first when storage runs low, even with 128GB phones
- Smaller apps mean faster updates and higher adoption of new features
- App size signals quality: bloated apps suggest poor optimization and wasted resources
- OS platforms now offload apps more aggressively, forcing reinstalls with poor connectivity
Critical Insight
App size isn't about download time for privileged users, it's about accessibility, retention, and signaling technical excellence across diverse global conditions.
