Why app installed in internal memory uses double memory

[Android Question]

Hi,

I have an android 2.3 phone with 228 mb internal memory. in default state it needs 50mb space to run its operating system (On Factory Reset)

1. - If I Installs any software from google play it uses double internal memory compared to download size it shows on google play. Lets say If I download an application any.do 8mb from google play, then it occupies 16mb space in internal storage
2. - Even if application is stored and installed on sd card, it still uses same size of internal memory. Then why application is stored in sd card?

My phone is only 45 days old but due to this issue I have gone to factory reset atleast 3 times so I can selectively install application but it is not helping. Any clue?

Ravinder

 

[SiempreTuna]

My guess is that the app is packaged up and compressed to minimize the download size and then gets expanded out for the installation.

Alternatively, if the files are very small, it could be the internal memory block size is too big .. not sure there's much you could do about that.

 

[Hadron]

Yes, the size listed in the Play Store is just the download size (the apk file to be precise). This is an installer package, and the installed app is indeed larger.

Even apps on SD use internal space. Only part of the app is moved to SD - other components, and all of the app's data, remain in internal storage. Moving the app should free up some space though - generally the parts which remain in internal storage are smaller than the bit that is moved. So something is a little strange there.