Android's ART Runtime: More Details

The last time we talked about Android's suspected move from Dalvik to ART, it was just a rumor. Now, well, it's still just a rumor, but this article from Marko Vitas at The Capsized Eight goes into much more detail on what the switch to ART (which seems fairly likely) may mean for Android. For instance, Vitas's article goes into the downsides of ART and why it may not have been implemented earlier, and a number of concrete numbers and benchmarks.

According to Google, ART is still a work in progress - it's available optionally in Android 4.4 KitKat for those looking to test, experiment, and contribute - but again, given its unfinished status, use at your own risk. Vitas's take is that there is a distinct improvement in performance with ART, which is only likely to improve over time. Either way, it's good to learn more about what may come to be a big change for Android.

Has anybody else tried it out? What are your thoughts?