Question

I have a general doubt about how to design Android apps that use a lot of MP3 (or other audio) files. My problem is that I do not know what is the best way/location to store such files.
I know that these options are available:

1. Store them on a remote server and fetch via gprs/wifi on demand (like, on a button click)
2. Store them locally inside the app (taking care they do not exceed the max size)
3. Store them locally on the sdcard (a user could delete them)
4. Store them both remote and locally

Could you tell me what is the best way to do? Also, if you store these files locally, do you download them after a user installs an app or you use some other method?

For example, my last app had approx 400MB of MP3 files and I was in a deep doubt where to store them. I chose remote web server, but I am not sure that was the right choice.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

I’m interested in how you convince people to download 400MB of Music-files. You should compress them.

I would store them on the SDcard. If the user deletes them -> His problem (you could give him a message). But streaming them is a bad idea because if the user has no connection, he can’t hear anything.

Downloading the files after the user installed the App (like the “Need for Speed Shift”-App) would be an option, too. In this case, you would save them on the SDcard, too.