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Android App Size Optimization

Because this SDK relies on LiveKit (WebRTC) for real-time audio/video, it includes native C++ binaries. You may notice your Universal (Debug) APK size increase by approximately 70MB. This is normal. By default, Android bundles binaries for every architecture (older phones, modern phones, and PC emulators) into a single file. Your production users should not download this “dead weight.” To ensure your users only download the ~20MB required for their specific device, add the following configuration to your android/app/build.gradle file: 
android {
    // ... existing config

    splits {
        abi {
            enable true
            reset()
            // Includes only real device architectures (removes emulators like x86)
            include "armeabi-v7a", "arm64-v8a"

            // Prevents generating a giant "Universal" APK containing all binaries
            universalApk false
        }
    }
}

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Why is this necessary?

This configuration enables ABI (Application Binary Interface) splitting. Here is exactly what it does:
  • reset(): Clears Android’s default build list, allowing us to define a custom list of supported devices.
  • include "armeabi-v7a", "arm64-v8a": Tells the build system to only generate binaries for physical Android devices (32-bit and 64-bit). It strips out x86 and x86_64 binaries (used only for emulators), which saves ~30-40MB immediately.
  • universalApk false: Ensures the build system does not create a “fat APK” that contains every architecture.

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The Result

Instead of one giant ~75MB file, the system generates separate, smaller slices (~25MB) for each device type.

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Note for Play Store Deployment

If you build using Android App Bundles (.aab), Google Play handles this splitting automatically. The configuration above is critical if you are distributing APKs manually or want to control the split logic explicitly.