Why Is It Still Exciting?
Why Not?
Android’s Here to Stay
In Topic 1, we spoke about how Google acquired the Android platform in 2005 to ensure that a mobile operating system (OS) could be created and maintained on an open platform.
Google continues to pump time and resources into the Android project to make it better every day.
In the recent few years, Android has made such a huge impact that it had never been easier than now for Android developers to make money by developing apps.
Android users trust Google, and because your app resides in Google Play Store, many users will be willing to trust your app, too.
So, why not develop for Android?
Android’s Market Share
There are several reasons for you to not only be excited but really look forward to creating and publishing your first app.
As a developer, why won’t you love the opportunity to develop apps for a booming market?
The number of Android devices in use is greater than the number of devices on all other mobile operating systems combined.
Using Google Play Store to publish your apps is a good idea because _________________.
Select one or more answers
A. it is free
B. it is trusted by people
C. it gives your apps the branding of Google
D. Android is a Google product
Amazing Time to Market
Android is packed with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that make it easy for you to develop full-featured applications in a relatively short time frame.
All you need to do is to:
Unlike other mobile marketplaces, Google Play Store has no app approval process. All you have to do is write apps and publish them.
However, while anyone can publish almost any type of app, maintaining compliance with Google’s terms of service and keeping the diverse user groups in mind are necessary.
It’s Open!
The Android operating system is an open platform. But, what does this mean?
It means that any hardware manufacturer or provider can make or sell Android devices.
This openness of Android has allowed it to gain market share quickly.
It All Fits Together
As a blessing for developers, Android can run on devices of different screen sizes and resolutions, including watches, phones, tablets, televisions, and more.
It is compatible with the vast majority of products in the market and also the ones being added every hour.
Android comes supplied with tools to help you develop applications that support multiple types of devices.
If your app requires a front facing camera, for example, then only devices with front-facing cameras can “see” your app on Google Play Store. This arrangement is known as Feature Detection.
We’re Mixing It!
A mashup combines two or more services to create an application.
You can create a mashup by using the camera and the Android location services, for example, to take a photo with the exact location displayed on the image.
Or you can use the Map API with the Contacts list to show all contacts on a map.
Or you can create location-based games, which are becoming increasingly popular.
Match the given features of Android to their correct descriptions.
Match the appropriate answers
- Anybody can make or sell Android devices
- Android runs on watches, phones, and televisions
- An app can use more than one service
- Compatibility
- Mashup
- Open Source