android mobile development nic shulver, fcet, staffordshire university introduction what is android?...

Android Mobile Development

Nic Shulver, FCET, Staffordshire University

Introduction What is Android? Pros and Cons Why is it important? Why develop for Android? Programming model Tools Documentation Critical appraisal

Geekandpoke 2009



Game Changers

Geekandpoke 2009



What is Android?

• “Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications.”

• “The Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language.”

• From Google's Android Developer Docs, 2010

• http://developer.android.com/guide/basics/what-is-android.html

http://developer.android.com/guide/basics/what-is-android.html

Devices



Pros and Cons

• Many different Android devices, more being developed all the time

• Backed by Google, one of the world's biggest and most powerful IT companies

• Google is deliberately “disruptive”

• Free development environment for low cost of entry

• Free OS for hardware developers

But are the points above “pro” or “con”?



Pros and Cons

• Although Android can be used on non-smartphone devices, they are not supported by Google

• Devices must support quite a rich mix of capabilities in order to be certified as Android compatible

• Only compatible devices can access the growing Android Market for apps



Why is it important?

• In a November 2007 article entitled “Analysis: Long odds for Google's ambitious Android” Tom Yager makes some interesting points:

• “Google, whose future depends on a pervasive cross-platform mobile applications model ... has an obvious need to create a cross-platform mobile SDK for its own use.”

• “It's no great leap of logic that if Google requires a standard platform to support its mobile applications, manufacturers and carriers have a strong financial incentive to get in line.”



Why is it important?

• Market share (of smartphones): In the US, up from 27% in November 2009 to 42% in February 2010

• In the US, Apple's iPhone lead fell from 55% to 44% in Nov 2009 to Feb 2010.

• Worldwide, iPhone holds 50% of smartphone market share [Feb 2010]

• Android has about 24%, up from 16% in the previous year.



Why develop for Android?

• The Android Market is open to all applications– No screening except for illegal content

– No controls on applications which compete with Google

– Android explicitly allows new components to replace old ones, even at the OS level

• The downside is that some apps are very poor quality, check user feedback scores

• Explicit content is allowed – see recent (Mar 2010) comments by Apple CEO



Programming model

• Android is built on:– Linux kernel

– The Dalvik Runtime (Java SE compatible)

– The Android APIs

– A minimum-spec hardware platform

• Android software is:– Multi-threaded

– Interruptible

– Written in standard Java



Tools

• The Android SDK comes with:– A plug-in for Eclipse

– A configurable emulator

– Extensive documentation

– A large array of example applications and services

• You don't need a phone to write for Android, you can just use the emulator – it's very good



Tools



Critical appraisal

• Android is tightly regulated by Google at the hardware level

• But Android is an open system for developers

• The success of Android has surprised many

• Much of the success may be down to:– Apple's iPhone, opening a new market sector

– Apple and its over-controlling nature

– Microsoft's inactivity and ball-dropping

– Google's aggressive development



Reading, references, links

• Analysis: “Long odds for Google's ambitious Android” By Tom Yager, InfoWorld, Nov 2007http://www.infoworld.com/t/business/analysis-long-odds-googles-ambitious-android-723

• Wired Gadget Lab: “Android Devices Crave Google’s Attention” By Priya Ganapati, Mar 2010http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/03/android-devices-crave-googles-attention/

• Android “Porn Store” Claims: EuroDroid 2010 http://www.eurodroid.com/2010/04/steve-jobs-theres-a-porn-store-for-android/

• Android Developer's Guidehttp://developer.android.com/guide/index.html

• Geek & Poke Cartoons:http://geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/

android mobile development nic shulver, fcet, staffordshire university introduction what is android?...

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