Google introduces per-app memory limits in Android 17

Google is introducing per-app memory limits in Android 17 to improve system stability and prevent individual applications from consuming excessive RAM and slowing down entire devices. This feature, which has already been utilized on Pixel smartphones, will expand to a wider range of devices over the coming year, covering hardware with 4GB to over 16GB of RAM.

When an application exceeds its allocated memory budget, the operating system will implement a two-stage intervention. First, the system will move the app's data into zRAM, a compressed memory area. While this allows the app to continue running, the process of compressing and decompressing data can lead to noticeable performance lags and increased CPU usage. If the application continues to exceed its limits, Android will automatically terminate the process to preserve overall system fluidity.

This shift is partly driven by rising hardware costs for physical memory, prompting manufacturers to potentially use less RAM in new models. Google is urging developers to audit their memory footprints and optimize their software to stay within these new constraints to avoid performance degradation or unexpected app closures.