Android has introduced the option to increase the page size of memory units from the previous 4KB limit to 16KB. This enhancement translates to improved overall machine efficiency as there is no need to allocate memory units frequently for applications.
Though this feature is originally a CPU Arm feature, enabling it requires substantial system modifications. This includes recompiling the kernel with a PAGE_SIZE value of 16KB, adjusting the filesystem for equal block sizes to maximize performance, and recompiling binary applications with locked page sizes. However, if the code is modified to be independent of the page size, it can be used immediately.
Currently, Android 15 QPR 1 is rolling out this feature to Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro for developers to experiment with. While running Android SDK on X86 machines will still use a 4KB kernel, simulating application levels to 16KB.
TLDR: Android has upgraded memory page size to 16KB, offering better device performance efficiency and developer experimentation opportunities.
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