Do updating Apps reduce Phone Memory?

[AC Question]

My doubt is Updating new App delete the previous version or it just add up in the memory. Basically I'm concered with phone memory. Because my mob. Has not the property of shifting apps from internal to external memory.

 

[Rukbat]

If the update has more code than before, it uses more space. If it's a bug fix (similar to a typo in text), it might even use a few bytes less space.

The update doesn't just tack itself onto the end of the app's file, it either replaces part of the app or replaces the whole app. Which way memory usage goes depends on whether the new version is larger or smaller than the old version. (Most apps get larger with time, so an update will use more space, but uninstalling the old version and installing the new version will use the same space as updating the old version. And, if the app has any data associated with it - scores, settings, etc., you'd lose them if you uninstall the app.)

 

[YYCphoneguy]

Rukbat: Understood, thanks for the info. Like the originating poster, I'm also trying to manage my phone's tiny storage limits. I recently found this app, "AppsBrain", which I use mostly for managing app updates. Apps Brain will let me skip whatever updates I want, potentially saving memory in the short term. But can skipping one or more updates over time cause a problem? Let me make up an example to explain my question:

Let's say I install new application X from the Play Store today, and let's say it's a 10MB app. Then let's say that 3 updates come out for it over the next few weeks, the first at 1MB, the second at 2, the third at 3MB. So by this time there's a total of 6MB of new updates out there. Now let's say I take only the 2nd update, adding 2 MB of "update info" that may or may not increase my total app size depending on if it's not new code or bug fix etc.

Now, let's say, update 4 comes our a little while later, a 4 MB update, and I decide to install it. The question is, have I missed anything by not installing all of the previous updates? In other words, are updates cumulative? Apps like Dropbox, Spotify, Facebook are constantly updating and I'm paranoid I may miss something important by skipping over an update that is lost when a subsequent update comes out.

BTW, I'm sure there was a much quicker way to ask the question but I wanted to provide some detail to make sure my question was clear. Thanks!

 

[Rukbat]

It all depends on the app, but I have all updates disabled, have had for years, and only update what I want (or have to). I haven't had any problems. (You can disable updates for each app in the play app, under My Apps, you don't need an app to do that.)

 

[YYCphoneguy]

Sounds reasonable to me, thank you. Being fairly new to android, I guess I don't understand why so many apps get updates pushed out so often. You don't really see that in the PC world for example. Maybe it seems more for me because I have way too many apps installed... Anyway, that's just idle curiosity and thanks for answering the original question.

 

[Rukbat]

It's because the developer finds something to fix, change or add. And you're right - if you have 5 apps, you probably won't see many updates, but if you have 500 installed, you probably will. (And most Windows programs are a LOT more work to add or change things in, so companies normally don't - time costs money. They just come out with a new version - that you have to buy.)

 

[B. Diddy]

Remember also that the Android system and Google Play Services get updated more often than system components on Windows, so developers often have to tweak their apps to make sure they continue to run smoothly.

 

[YYCphoneguy]

Thank you both. Cheers!

 

[420lyfe]

Idk about you guys but my windows 10 laptop seems to update almost everyday

 

[kenp1980m]

I know this is super old but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. Apps that come with your phone, for example, gmail or chrome, take up extra memory when updated because they don't touch or overwrite the ones that came with the phone. I prefer to remove apps that I can install from playstore (after gaining root access) so that way I am not having 2 of the same app sitting on my phone.

 

[B. Diddy]

Good point, @kenp1980m!

 

[84_z]

Do updating Apps reduce phone memory?

 

[hallux]

Do updating Apps reduce phone memory?

Did you read the thread to which you replied? There are some excellent explanations in the previous replies.

 

[Rukbat]

And at least one of them is wrong. The update replaces the older version - but it's usually a bit larger. (So yes, it takes a bit more storage.)

 

[B. Diddy]

Do updating Apps reduce phone memory?

Welcome to Android Central! Any reason why you simply copy and pasted the title of this thread?