Android 4.4 KitKat brought a major new feature that most users might not have come across yet. It came with a new runtime called ART or simply, Android Runtime. Since the early days Android has relied upon the default Dalvik runtime. Even though ART is currently in an experimental stage, the primary aim is to tweak it further to enhance app performance even more. A new image has surfaced online hinting at the possibility of Galaxy S5 ART support.
While ART is a permanent fixture in Android 4.4, many manufacturers such as Samsung chose not to include it in the KitKat update that they rolled out for existing devices. So even though the devices were updated to KitKat, they didn’t quite offer the performance bump that Android Runtime brings. Which is why it is much more plausible for the Galaxy S5 to come with ART support, since Samsung would have developed its firmware from the ground up.
In Dalvik runtime, whenever an app is launched, a part of its code required for its execution is immediately compiled into machine code. Whereas on ART, the required code is compiled and stored on the device itself during installation. This results in improved app launch times, and in some cases it might even improve battery life.
Most app developers have already started adding ART support to their apps and games. So if Galaxy S5 ART support really exists, its bound to make a lot of people happy. Users can currently choose between the Dalvik and ART runtimes on their device, though its expected that ART will become the default runtime in the next major Android update.
