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I've an Android application with below configurations.

minSdkVersion 17
targetSdkVersion 26
compileSdkVersion 26
buildToolsVersion '26.0.3'

Now as part of Android P upgrade, I'm updating the targetSdkVersion to API 28. I would also like to update the minSdkVersion to API 21.

What will be the impact of this transition from minSdkVersion 17 to minSdkVersion 21? I know my existing users will be impacted but apart from this what will be technical challenges in this?

Any help will be appreciated.

Amrut
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    *what will be technical challenges in this* - none. Your life as developer will become easier at the cost of ditching users that have phones that run a version below 21 – Tim Oct 12 '18 at 10:29

2 Answers2

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When you update the minSdkVersion you are leaving users out of future updates. That means that the next release that contains this change won't be received by those users with lower versions of Android.

Ideally, you may want to let the users know that your app is not going to support some versions of Android anymore in the near future before making such an update.

How can you let them know? You have different ways / tools: push notifications or showing some screen / dialog to those specific users (before you make the change in the minSdk version).

Leandro Ocampo
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Some of your code may be outdated or redundant, and also like you said your users that user older devices will be effected and wont be able to use new versions of your application.

Joshua Best
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