Since couple of months ago, we started providing various APK files of Slideshow app for each version release. These files are in addition to the regular universal APK file and can be found on our Version history page.

This article aims to explain the difference between these APK files and helps you decide which one to use for installing Slideshow on your Android device. If you are installing Slideshow from any application store (such as Google Play), the store solves this question for you and you are already provided the best available version for your device.

CPUs and instruction sets

Android operating system can run on various hardware platforms and processors (CPUs) from various manufacturers. Each processor family supports a different instruction set and they need the application source code compiled by the developer directly for the supported instruction set. For example, you can’t run an application compiled for your smartphone with ARM CPU on your regular PC with Intel CPU (well, not without an emulator).

The compiled source code is saved in the APK file you are using for installing the application.

Slideshow APK files

Slideshow supports processors with any of the 4 instruction sets currently supported by Android operating system.

We are providing the APK files for installation in following variants:

  • Universal APK – APK file for all available CPUs (contains copies of the source code compiled for are supported instruction sets)
  • APK for ARM v7 – specialized APK file for 32-bit ARMv7-based CPUs, code name is armeabi-v7a. You can find these CPUs in many older (pre-2016) Android phones, tablets and boxes.
  • APK for ARM64 – specialized APK file for 64-bit ARMv8-based CPUs, code name is arm64-v8a. You can find these CPUs in many newer Android phones, tablets and boxes, it has replaced ARM v7 architecture.
  • APK for x86 – specialized APK file for 32-bit x86-based CPUs (Intel, AMD), code name is x86. You can find these CPUs in older (pre-2006) PCs.
  • APK for x86-64 – specialized APK file for 64-bit x86-based CPUs (Intel, AMD), code name is x86-64. You can find these CPUs in modern PCs, it has replaced the 32-bit x86 architecture.

Universal APK file for the newest release is always available for download on How to get it page. Both universal and specialized APK files for all releases are available on Version history page.

Conclusion

In the majority of cases, we suggest using the universal APK file. You can install it on almost any device, without needing to find out what kind of processor your device has.

If Android on your device has any problem with installation of universal APK file and displays a general message that it is unable to install Slideshow, we suggest trying the specialized APK file for your processor. Some older or specialized devices have problems recognizing the universal APK file and they require APK file with source code compiled only for their instruction set (without any other copy).

Another reason why you might sometimes consider using the specialized APK file is the file size. They are approximately 40% smaller than the universal APK file (currently 18 MB vs 30 MB), because they contain compiled source code only for one instruction set, not for four different ones.