If you’re building Android apps with Delphi, there’s exciting news! RAD Studio 12.3 is rolled out support for Android Target API Level 35, aligning with Google’s upcoming requirement for store apps by August 2025. This update ensures your apps stay compliant and ready for the latest Android ecosystem. Let’s dive into what’s new and why it matters.
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What’s New in RAD Studio 12.3 for Android?
RAD Studio 12.3 makes it easier to target API Level 35 with a streamlined update to the Android toolchain. Here’s a quick look at the key changes:
- Updated Android SDK and NDK: The release upgrades the default Android SDK to use Command-line Tools version 16.0 and NDK 27.1.12297006. The Android SDK configuration dialog now automatically sets the right options for you, as shown in the Feature Manager screen.
- Compiler Enhancements: The DCCAARM and DCCAARM64 compilers now pass target emulation to the external linker, ensuring smoother builds. Plus, a new –allow-rosegment option supports backtrace routines (which you can disable if needed).
- Target SDK Version: The targetSdkVersion manifest attribute defaults to 35, keeping your apps in line with Google’s requirements.
- Provisioning Flexibility: You can now set custom provisioning options for the “Development” build type, just like the “Application Store” type. If you don’t specify options, the defaults will kick in.
- Jetpack Core Library Upgrade: The FireMonkey framework now runs on an updated Jetpack Core library, boosting performance and compatibility.
Support for Android 15’s 16 KB Page Sizes
Android 15 introduces support for 16 KB page sizes, and RAD Studio 12.3 has you covered. The update includes a new –max-page-size:<pageSize> option for the DCCAARM and DCCAARM64 compilers:
- DCCAARM: Defaults to a maximum page size of 4096.
- DCCAARM64: Defaults to 16384 to align with Android 15’s needs.
You can also use the {$MAXPAGESIZE <intconst>} directive in your project (.dpr) or package (.dpk) files to configure this. Note that non-Android compilers will ignore this directive, and it won’t work in unit source files. The compiler passes the value to the external linker as an unsigned 64-bit value, but it’s up to the linker to flag any invalid settings.
Why This Matters
With Android’s constant evolution, staying up-to-date with the latest API levels is critical for app store compliance and delivering the best user experience. RAD Studio 12.3 simplifies this process by upgrading the toolchain and adding flexible options for developers. Whether you’re building for development or production, these updates make it easier to create modern, high-performance Android apps with Delphi.
Get Started
Ready to explore RAD Studio 12.3? Check out the updated tools and start building for Android API Level 35 today. For more details, visit Embarcadero’s official site or dive into the documentation.
Happy coding!