title: What is the static shared libraries feature introduced in API level 26?
body: <p>Seems Google quietly introduced some kind of shared library functionality in Android API level 26:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://developer.android.com/sdk/api_diff/26/changes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://developer.android.com/sdk/api_diff/26/changes</a></p>
  
  <p>Notice the following new class among other things:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/pm/SharedLibraryInfo" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/pm/SharedLibraryInfo</a></p>
  
  <p>Apparently the Android manifest can include the tag <code>static-library</code>.</p>
  
  <p>Perhaps this is related to Android's rarely used <code>library</code> feature which allows system builders to link against these exposed built-in libraries available to developers via <code>uses-library</code> in the manifest.</p>