Some year ago Google made Android GO, a light version of Android made for devices with weak hardware. The aim of it was to make devices with weaker hardware feel optimized when using the Android Go OS instead of the regular Android OS.
The Android GO OS was tailored for devices with small processors and RAM sizes of 512MB, 1GB and 2GB. However, for some unknown reasons, some stubborn phone manufactures have refused to adopt the Android GO OS on low-power phones. Instead, they prefer to install the main Android OS on such devices which in turn lags and give first time Android users a bad impression of the OS.
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However, a leaked Google document of the Device Configuration Guide shows all that will be changed starting with Android 11.
According to the document made available on XDA Developers, any device with less than 2GB of RAM wishing to ship with Google software must use the low-power Android GO. The document went on to say that phones with 512 MB RAM no longer qualify to preload the GMS (Google Mobile Service).
To avoid confusion, the document said that devices launched earlier (with 2 GB RAM or less) won't have to convert to the Go Edition, and will keep running on the regular Android.
These changes are expected to come in to place from Q4 2020, starting with Android 11. However, this document dates back to April 27, 2020, and so some details might have been changed in the meantime.
Here's what the document says:
- Beginning with Android 11, devices with 512MB RAM (including upgrades) are not qualified for preloading GMS.
- All new PRODUCTS launching with Android 11, if they have 2GB RAM or less, MUST return true for ActivityManager.isLowRamDevice() API, and launch as an Android GO device.
- Previously launched 2GB RAM devices in standard GMS configuration SHOULD NOT convert to Android GO configurations via or letter upgrades. They will remain standard Android.