Why is the Gmail app 700 MB? (akr.am)

Article summary

The Gmail app is currently 760.7 MB in size, making it one of the largest apps on the App Store. The article compares the size of Gmail to other popular apps, including Outlook and Google's other apps, and notes that the average size of an app in the top 100 free apps is 280 MB. The large size of the Gmail app is attributed to various factors, including localization data and a large number of small files. The article questions why the app is so large and whether it is necessary for its functionality.

Main themes

• app size and optimization
• localization and translation
• iOS filesystem and storage
• app functionality and features
• development practices and efficiency
• storage and device capacity
• compression and data reduction
• cross-platform comparison and analysis

What commenters say

• The large size of the Gmail app is due to unnecessary localization data and a large number of small files.
• The app's size is not justified by its functionality, and it could be optimized to be smaller.
• Localization is a significant contributor to the app's size, but it is not the only factor.
• The app's size is not a major issue, as storage space is increasing and the app's functionality is valuable.
• The app's conferencing functionality, merged from Google Meet, may contribute to its large size.
• The app's size could be reduced by compressing localization data and eliminating duplicated translations.
• The iOS filesystem's 4 KB block size is a factor in the app's large size, as many small files are stored inefficiently.
• The app's size is a result of poor development practices and a lack of optimization.
• Comparing the Android and iOS versions of the app could provide insight into the reasons for the size difference.