It seems hard to find the App minimum requirements now?

Google Play Store doesn't openly display Apps minimum requirements now? My Android 9 OS seems too old for a lot of newer Apps. I cannot find the minimum requirement for Apps in Google Play.

Google has changed the layout for finding requirements.

My experience (since 2011, Android 2.3) has been that the Play Store including Google's own preinstalled apps generally supports apps for about five or six years since the release of the Android version.  That said, I repurposed my initial little LG Gingerbread phone as a workout buddy for MP3s, timers and even offline mapping using old version APKs from dependable safe sources APKMirror or UptoDown, but of course it's not functional for online services.

There is a serious problem for photography apps, in particular and regardless of the Android version, that require Android's fully enabled Camera2 API, which is often intentionally sabotaged by manufacturers of mid-range and budget phones. You have to install something like Camera2Probe and test the phone to find out what app functionality it will and won't support.

I2K4 wrote:

My experience (since 2011, Android 2.3) has been that the Play Store including Google's own preinstalled apps generally supports apps for about five or six years since the release of the Android version. That said, I repurposed my initial little LG Gingerbread phone as a workout buddy for MP3s, timers and even offline mapping using old version APKs from dependable safe sources APKMirror or UptoDown, but of course it's not functional for online services.

There is a serious problem for photography apps, in particular and regardless of the Android version, that require Android's fully enabled Camera2 API, which is often intentionally sabotaged by manufacturers of mid-range and budget phones. You have to install something like Camera2Probe and test the phone to find out what app functionality it will and won't support.

Thanks for the reminder. My own Sony Xperia X Compact and XZ1 Compact models never did support Camera2 API. I never got the Camera RAW to work with my Sony models. I haven't looked at newer models.

wklee wrote:

I2K4 wrote:

My experience (since 2011, Android 2.3) has been that the Play Store including Google's own preinstalled apps generally supports apps for about five or six years since the release of the Android version. That said, I repurposed my initial little LG Gingerbread phone as a workout buddy for MP3s, timers and even offline mapping using old version APKs from dependable safe sources APKMirror or UptoDown, but of course it's not functional for online services.

There is a serious problem for photography apps, in particular and regardless of the Android version, that require Android's fully enabled Camera2 API, which is often intentionally sabotaged by manufacturers of mid-range and budget phones. You have to install something like Camera2Probe and test the phone to find out what app functionality it will and won't support.

Thanks for the reminder. My own Sony Xperia X Compact and XZ1 Compact models never did support Camera2 API. I never got the Camera RAW to work with my Sony models. I haven't looked at newer models.

There are a few apps that generate non-native DNGs on cameras without Camera2 support. On my old ZTE the best DNG output (though not the best overall camera interface) was from Bacon Camera (FGNM), the output from Snap Camera HDR (Marginz) was good DNG but color balance bluish, required PP but that's what RAW is about anyway. Snap has very configurable HDR settings, including zero shutter lag (unfortunately the Play Store free version still seems to be old 8.78 and payment required to get the much enhanced current 8.10.4 upgrade.)

FreeDCam apparently also does DNG, but the app never worked on my phone. As with everything in Android World, device compatibility (and user preference) varies - best to just try them.