Android is a mobile OS meant to power smartphones and tablets. It is widely popular and is based on the acclaimed Linux desktop and laptop operating system.
What is Android?
The eco-system resulting from a Linux kernel-based OS, a web browser, a GUI, and downloadable end user apps is what we refer to when we mention the android platform. The initial demo of Android made use of a smartphone sporting a comparatively big VGA screen and a qwerty keyboard. But Android’s speciality is how it is meant for use with even quite affordable handsets and phones with traditional numeric keypads.
Due to its special Apache v2 variant of the open-source license, developers can create OS variants for all sorts of smart devices which sometimes people refer to as android things. Such smart devices may range from digital cameras to gaming consoles.
Great Features of Android App Development Tools:
- Coders are guided by live visual editing tools
- Lint tools for things like performance, version control and usability are readily available
- Integrates smoothly with Google Cloud
- The ability to create the platform’s APK files is remarkable
- Developers can view the editing purview on more than one screen
- The rendering of the app layout can be seen in real-time
- It is relatively easy to build variants of the core OS
When Should Developers use Android?
When They Want a Large and Thriving Community of Developers
The developer community surrounding the android platform is strong and well-established. Android works with over three hundred hardware and software partners besides carriers. This in turn makes android app development easy and nudges your business on the path of success.
The android developer community are great collaborators and are ready to share their experience, knowledge, and skills more than most developer communities. Further due to being a Google product, Android comes with solid and comprehensive documentation regarding all aspects of the technology and platform.
The Integration Tech and the Different Tools are Especially Developer-Friendly
Being open source opens the barrier gates to all programmers regardless how proficient they are technically. One can download the Android SDK anytime and develop apps using Eclipse. The latter is the official IDE/IDK that goes with the platform. With the right skills and proper effort developers can create basic apps within a matter of a few hours. To top it all, all essential tools for android app development is available for free.
Remarkable Future-Ready Advancements
Being ready for the future is a key part of being a successful and effective smartphone OS platform. Google was well-aware of this and has accordingly invested significantly in ensuring that the android platform is future ready. Not only Google, but its substantial number of partners too, have contributed to making android future ready through painstaking effort, spending money, and devoting the necessary resources for the same. Developers can use the Android OS on a wide variety of wearables and apps which industry insiders refer to as android things which is the way the industry is heading towards.
A Marketplace that Works for Both Developers and Users
Google Play Store, which is the official marketplace for Android, is responsive and efficient. The app approval procedure specially deserves mention. On the Play Store, developers can get approval for apps within as little as two days. The time for the same activity on App Store, Android’s Apple counterpart is long and cumbersome. Other remarkable features of the Play Store are:
- You only pay a fee once
- Apps can be automatically updated
- Android is maintained by Google which provides continuous support of its product
- Users can download and install apps even from outside the store
- Developers don’t need to modify monetization strategies
Attractive ROI
Android app development does not need strict and high hardware requirements unlike its Apple iOS counterpart. Further coding efforts on the latter can be quite an expensive proposition as it needs expensive tools like XCode and Mac computers. This adds to the cost effectiveness of the android platform.