- App settings could soon start appearing in the Android Settings app.
- A new Android 16 API named SettingsPreferenceService was recently added.
- It allows developers to add app settings in the Android settings app, just like on iOS.
Unlike iOS where app settings are a bit segregated with some built into the app itself while others in the Settings app, Android’s is much cleaner. That’s because Android doesn’t have a dedicated app settings page in the Settings app. All the Android apps have their settings accessible within the apps, which is much more convenient. However, it looks like Android could soon mimic iOS’ behavior.
Spotted first by Android expert Mishaal Rahman, Google has added a new API to Android 16, which could allow app developers to integrate app settings into Android’s settings app. The API is called SettingsPreferenceService.
It has parameters like NO_SENSITIVITY, EXPECT_POST_CONFIRMATION, DEEPLINK_ONLY, and NO_DIRECT_ACCESS, which correspond to various permissions and configurations that users can change or access.
iOS has had the feature for quite some time now and given how app developers couldn’t care less about its existence, we fail to understand how a similar feature could contribute to the betterment of Android.
The current integrated App settings on Android are just plain better, but it’s also possible that we’re not seeing the bigger picture. Meaning, the new API could be meant for something else we don’t know about.
Considering the documentation for the API is live, we should still see a handful of app developers (if at all) use the API to bring some app settings to Android’s Settings app. However, it’s unlikely that it will be widely adopted.
What are your thoughts on Google bringing iOS-like app settings to Android settings? Let us know in the comments.
