What is a .OBB file?
An .OBB file is a special kind of file that some Android apps use. These apps are the ones you can get from the Google Play store. The ".OBB" stands for Android Opaque Binary Blob File. Think of it as a big box where app creators can put extra stuff their app needs, like pictures, videos, and other big pieces that don't fit into the main app file, which is called an .APK file. Usually, these .OBB files are kept in a special place on your phone or tablet that all apps can share.
Back in the day, when app makers wanted to put their app on Google Play, they had a problem if their app was bigger than 100MB. Google said, "Your app can't be bigger than this!" So, the creators thought, "What if we put some of our app's stuff in another file?" And that's how .OBB files came to be. They could use any kind of file they wanted, like .ZIP or .MP4, or even use a special tool called JOBB to pack everything up nicely in an .OBB file, which could be as big as 2GB.
When they were ready, they would upload their main app file (.APK) and the extra .OBB files to the Google Play Developer Console. Then, when you downloaded the app, you got everything—the app and its extra goodies.
But, there's something important to know: Since August 2021, Google said, "Let's try something new." They introduced a new format called Android App Bundle (.AAB). This new way doesn't use .OBB files anymore. It's a bit like moving from packing your lunch in separate boxes to putting everything together in one big lunchbox.
If you ever need to open an .OBB file, you might use some specific tools. For people who make apps, they can use the Google Play Developer Console. If you're just curious or need to open one for another reason, you might use an app like ZDevs ZArchiver, which can open lots of different types of files on Android devices.
Remember, .OBB files were a clever solution for a specific problem—fitting all the parts of an app into the size limit set by Google Play. But with the move to the new .AAB format, the way apps are put together for Google Play has changed.
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