The
competition between Android and iOS is set to enter another year.
While users have enjoyed the rivalry, given the trends it has
inspired in Android App Development and iOS Application Development, they also have
had the choice between two versatile Operating Systems. While users
are quick to switch to iOS from Android, the reverse process demands
serious temperament. Given the famous saying amongst users of iOS, ‘An iOS user isn’t able to use Android’ again. This is due to
the unique features offered by iOS, and while Android offers
countless customization options for its users, iOS doesn’t let do
users much and ends up doing it for them.
Recently,
with the latest Software update, for the first time, iOS allowed
users to have a say in the Pre-installed applications, allowing them
to uninstall it. While switching to iOS from Android offers a lot
more organization and involves a little expenditure, given the way
applications are priced at Apple’s App Store, switching to Android
from iOS involves missing out on a few features, but not without
helping the cause of your Credit Card.
To
begin with, the difference lies in the reader mode that is available
to the users of Safari. If you are looking for a page to read, but it
happens to be cluttered by other senseless info like ads and popups,
the reading mode in Safari can disable each of them, leaving you with
the article’s headline and content. This feature is especially
helpful for those who are looking for minimum distractions during
their reading and editing time. Alongside, there is the flexibility
of night-time mode which allows users to change the color of their
screen according to their comfort, a function Android hasn’t yet
adopted. Android does allow a manual reading mode in Chrome, but when
it comes to matching the effectiveness of Safari.
For
the users fond of average screen size, the launch of iPhone 6 and
variants posed a challenge, as, after consistent usage, they felt the
tiredness in their fingers. However, Apple had the solution to this
through their ‘Reach-ability’ feature through which one could get
the interface to squeeze in the middle of the screen, and all this
could be done by a double tap on the Home Button. Occasionally, users
complained of the irritation this feature caused, but for many, this
was a life savior. Therefore, once you switch to the giant screens of
Android, you’ll have to do without this feature, and for the ones
who grew accustomed to Reach-ability while using iOS, this is one
thing they’ll serious miss in Android.
Unlike
Android, iOS has already mastered the art of smooth scrolling, as
evident through the efficient functioning of Safari. Browsers in
Android do not offer a great scrolling experience, and often while
reading long articles on the web, one experiences a lag or delay in
the page. Even with high-speed internet and complete page loads,
there is a persisting lag in the scroll which doesn’t make for a
great reading experience. For the ones choosing to shift to Android
from iOS, be prepared for an excruciating scrolling experience.
Clearly,
Android has a lot to do in terms of catching up with the
effectiveness of iOS. What saves it from user skepticism and
criticism are the cost-effective hardware solutions that make it
possible for users to own an Android with ease, quite unlike an iOS
Device. Alongside, Android has been instrumental in inspiring trends
in Android and iOS Application Development, even though the revenues
from the Apple App Store exceed those of Android by over 75%.
However, it’s not always numbers, and if you are looking or have
made the switch to Android from iOS, be prepared for an experience
that is not disappointing, but different.
What goes up must come down, and the year of 2016 was a testimony to this fact. While Android App Development and iOS App Development saw new trendsetters in the game, witnessed the old thresholds being overpowered, and also attained a swell in user numbers, it also realized that nothing lasts forever, especially when your application developers are looking to go static. One of the leading applications was the famous ‘Pokemon Go’ that made going out cool again. However, the fun wasn’t to last for long, and eventually, the application, with all its user numbers and surging stock prices faced an inevitable slump. While there was nothing alarming about the application that led to its eventual downfall, experts were left wondering what really let the users off the hook?
2016 has some interesting trends to offer in the domain of Android and iOS Application Development, and Pokemon Go was critical to these trends as it offered a much-needed shift from the madness of on-demand services that had taken over. We term this as madness because every startup was looking to create an application based on the ‘Uber for X’ model, without understanding the market, the supply-demand graph, or in some cases, even their own product. There was a prevailing haste within the market that caused many startups to falter. Certainly, this faltering had a direct impact on the factors that dictated the trends of Android and iOS Application Development. However, one must note that despite the consistent failures, the domain of on-demand services has been quite strong for the year, and one can expect further growth in the same in the upcoming years. With businesses worth billions looking to shift or initiate their operations online, one can safely assume for a progressive growth in the area of on-demand services.
What Pokemon Go did was cause an unprecedented shift of attention from on-demand services to the conventional form of Android and iOS Application development that had captivated users before the coming of Uber. People were again hooked to games, educational applications, news and magazine broadcasts, and the earlier categories in Android and iOS Application Development saw a much-needed upheaval in numbers, given how they were losing ground to on-demand services. Even with the on-demand services serving completely different applications and utilities, they were occupying a considerable space on the device and more importantly, the mind of the user. Through the short-term success of Pokemon Go, one can hope for the conventional applications to stay meaningful.
Apart from On-Demand Services and conventional Android and iOS Application Development, users went for other utility applications that did not require the presence of any professionals. In this aspect, Google garnered unparalleled success as its applications helped users with better search results and operations like news, maps, and other location-based services.
The era of Android and iOS Application Development has just begun and there is going to be much more to it than what meets the eye. With the enhancing of the hardware with each passing year, one can expect more developments in Android and iOS Application Development, especially with the coming of beacons, the extensive use of native technology and hardware in application development, the engaging UX and UI Designs, and the presence of cost-effective solutions that has made it possible for everyone to own a Smartphone. For the ones engaged in the business of Android and iOS Application Development, the future offers nothing but a vast horizon gleaming with countless opportunities.
Are you looking for discounts on plane tickets? Well, there is an application for that. Are you eager to attend the next big party happening around the city? Turns out, there is an application to find that too. Also, if you happen to lose your TV Remote around the house, there is an application to summon a person from the nearby service provider who helps you find it. Clearly, if people are looking for professionals to help them find TV Remotes through applications, Android App Development and iPhone App Development has indeed come a long way. What are the factors that have contributed to the unprecedented growth of Application Development for Androids and iPhones? As we look back, there is no clear answer for that, and in the scheme of things, one thing to led to another. However, none of it would have been possible if people didn’t have an access to Smartphones, and Apple had a huge role to play in it.
When Apple came out with its first iPhone back in 2010, not many people could afford it. The people in the Developing Economies of India and China had no way to access the technology that was being sold at an expensive price. The conventional handsets were doing well until then, with Blackberry and Nokia flooding the market with new devices each season. Android was gaining ground as an Operating System, but was farthest from where it is today. The concept of owning a Smartphone wasn’t prevalent and what made any device exceptional was the camera and memory. The software aspect was more or less ignored. However, this is where Apple came in. With the launch of its first iPhone, Apple opened up an avenue that went beyond the hardware, and for the first time, people were interested to know what a mobile operating system could achieve. This is where the idea of excessive Application development was first born.
Back then, not everyone could afford an Apple. Turns out, the story remained the same for the next few years, and is more or less the same today. While Apple’s reluctance to launch a product that is cost-effective cannot be explained, it did offer other companies opportunities to do more now that they knew the technology that was in play. Before we knew, Chinese products entered the market. Samsung (from South Korea) came out with its own devices that ranged from cost-effective to mildly expensive. Someone had found a way to disrupt Apple’s solitary walk on the road to innovation. This surge of products from Samsung and its contemporaries led to the enhancement of Android, and slowly, iOS was looking at a rival in Android, and that to a formidable one.
News Magazines, TV Channels, Social Networks, and other conventional sources of desktop entertainment and education turned to mobile websites before launching their own mobile applications for Android, iOS, Windows, and Blackberry. Eventually, users had countless applications to choose from and Android and iOS App Development flourished. While Windows and Blackberry bowed out of the race, the remaining two kept on adding applications and soon, users discovered that they could do more with apps as it gave them instant access on-the-go. Social networks were gaining numbers and users wanted to do more with messengers that replaced the conventional SMS functions. The first phase of Mobile App Development was supplied by innovation in cost-effective hardware that allowed users across the globe to buy a Smartphone. As we look back now, years later, without cost-effective Smartphone devices, there would have been no revolution in Android and iPhone Development.
For any startup, young enterprise, or an established organization, to choose the ideal company for mobile application development can be a difficult choice. Given the importance of mobile applications and their engagement figures with the users, it would be naive to assume that your business does not require a mobile application development company. The firm or company can help you with an application that is integral to your clients and stands strong on your business aspirations. These days, the inculcation of a mobile application is seen as an expansion phase for the business, and given the competition in the market, it’s better for you to get the application designed at the earliest.
When it comes to choosing a mobile application development company, the first question you need to ask yourself is the platform that you are looking to target. Are you one of those who are looking to have an application only for your Android users or iOS users, or do you wish to target both. For enterprises that are on a constrained budget, it is recommended that you go for a single operating system first. However, if budget is not an issue, you should be looking for a company that can work on both Android and iOS with ease, given the fact that other mobile Operating Systems are either out of business or obsolete.
After deciding upon the platform, you should then focus on the technologies you are looking to use. Not all mobile application development companies employ the use of emerging technologies in the market. Therefore, before you start on the development and design phase, there is the need to extensively brainstorm the technologies that you are looking to use. At the end of the development phase, you don’t want to end up with an application that has nothing to satisfy your users in terms of technicality. This brainstorming is usually carried out when you sit with business end of the company you are looking to work with.
Does your mobile application development company have a marketing strategy in place? Are they looking to help you with the bugs at least a year down the line? If not, you should look for some other options, but if they are interested in doing so, you should discuss the marketing plan and check if it taps the user base you are looking to target.
Eventually, it all comes down to how well the mobile application development company understands your plan for the application. Along with an impeccable design, it is important for the developers to inculcate the vision you have for the application as that would form the backbone of your business. As the client, your choice must be based on the work the company has done in the past, the passion that drives its team, and the innovation with which they can curate your mobile application.
The extensive market of Android App development, along with iPhone app development has allowed for service providers to introduce numerous utilities. However, not all these utilities are free, with some requiring a payment at the time of installation while the others having in-app purchases. Also, the inception of services based on the ‘Uber for X’ business model require users to make a payment every time they avail and service. While this can be tedious and tiring if one has to pay through cash each time in the case of ‘Uber for X’ models, Credit and Debit cards also don’t help the cause as they can be time-consuming and would require some infrastructure as well. Therefore, to counter this problem, innovative Mobile Wallets, and Digital Payment platforms were introduced.
You order a cab, complete your ride, and step out, without having to pay through cash or worrying about the limit on your Credit or Debit card. A few years ago this scenario would have come across unimaginable to most users and service providers, but today, with Mobile Wallets and Digital Payment platforms like PayTm, users can easily avail multiple services without having to wrestle with their wallets for currency denominations. Today, as we move online for almost everything, these mobile wallets come in handy as they allow users to complete their purchases with ease, have their subscriptions renewed each week or month without swiping their cards again and again, and most importantly, can rely on a single platform to complete all their purchases. Mobile Wallets and Digital Payment platforms have not just changed physical transactions, they have eliminated them, and replaced it with a far easier process, thus helping everyone who is a part of the transaction.
When these Mobile Wallets and Digital Payment platforms were first launched, the challenge lay in getting consumers to use these. Therefore, companies started with numerous promotional offers, cashback, and prizes to lure users to install these platforms. The strategy did work in the long run, and its success is evident by the number of people who choose to make payments through Mobile Wallets and Digital Payment Platforms.
What is the future of these platforms? Well, to begin with, they are only going to expand in the next few years. From cab services to online music subscriptions, every company has tied up with multiple mobile wallets and digital payment platforms to assist users with their payment. This has not only ushered a revolution in terms of the transaction, but also helped saved infrastructure in the form of machines that was earlier wasted for cards. Given the way businesses are moving to mobile platforms, one can expect mobile wallets to become one of the key services under the startup industry.
Android and iPhone have been in the competition for long now. While the former strives to improve the interface, add more applications to appeal to the users, the latter is slowly moving away from the Smartphone market to a technology where the mobile devices become obsolete. However, given their cost effectiveness, many people still prefer an Android device over an iOS device. This can also be attributed to the limited app options available on the iOS platform. As the market for Android App expanded, iOS fell behind, unable to cater its user expectations in terms of app, and instead, having them do everything through a few applications. While this appealed to the ones who wanted to avoid a cluster of apps on their mobile devices, it wasn’t much of a good idea for the ones seeking multiple options.
Today, the Android Mobile App Development is expanding rapidly, introducing each day, a new set of applications to perform different functions. Not all of these applications are chart-busters, but most of them end up garnering a section of the customer base. For the ones who are looking to venture into the arena of Android Mobile App Development, the opportunities are countless. To begin with, there is the potential clientele that runs into millions. Android app developers aren’t supposed to restrict themselves to any single domain of app making or a fixed format. Given the hardware support available in Smartphone devices these days, the Android Apps can be developed to host multiple features through an engaging interface.
So, what are the per-conditions before you set out to build a career in the Android App Development? To begin with, you must have the fundamentals sorted. Any Android app requires a strong foundation upon which the other complexities can be based. Many Android developers fail to understand the importance of having their basics strong, and thus, end up creating an app that doesn’t last long in the market. Additionally, one must be equipped to adapt to the evolving technology. Android App Development is going to expand rapidly, and this will happen with the inculcation of multiple technologies. Therefore, as an Android developer, your focus should also be on learning new technologies as this can help you enhance the overall app design.
Marketing has become a key component of Android App Development. Companies today are also focusing on innovative methods of marketing to get their apps to the consumers. As an integral part of Android App development, marketing revolves around understanding the consumer needs, the way they use the app, the expectations they have from the services being offered through the app, and persistent bug fixes. Failing on any single frontiers could spell doom for the application, and therefore a complete marketing strategy helps adding value to your Android app.
Android App development market is the key to the future for now. While iOS may jump ahead with new technologies and breakthroughs, but it would take them a while before they can figure out how to introduce cost-effective solutions like Android. For all the Android App developers out there, the right time is now!
The era of PCs is slowly coming to an end. While portable laptops have made way for tablets, the market is now dominated by Smartphones. Given the cost-effective devices that have penetrated the market in the past few years, Smartphone accessibility has improved, thus resulting in rapid mobile app development. Today, we see elaborate marketing campaigns for app releases and launch. All this has been made possible due to the extensive market that has embraced the idea of iOS and Android apps. A single visit to the Google Play Store or Apple’s App store is enough to realize the countless options that are available within the market. However, the question that is now being pondered is that how long is it here to last?
Well, with the launch of Airpod and an iPhone without a 3.5mm jack, Apple dropped, a very small one thought, but a hint of eliminating the smartphone device in the next 10 years. As it has been proven time and again, historically, what Apple does becomes the trend. Therefore, we are looking at a future where Smartphones would become as obsolete as the desktop PCs today. Even with a significant decline in the market, the app industry could be hit. However, would the mobile app development come to an end? Not likely, here’s why.
From desktop PCs, we ventured into laptops, and from laptops into Smartphones and tablets. Technically, the objective of the technology remained the same but with a changed interface. In terms of the future, we are looking at a possibility of wireless headphones and Smartwatch technology that would inculcate the 3D Hologram mechanism, something only witnessed in movies till now.
Does this mean that our mobile app development sector is doomed? No, but it would be required to adapt to the new technology pretty fast. As an app developer, you don’t want your fate to be like that of Blackberry. When the app development phase began, Blackberry was at parallels with iOS and Android. However, today, it remains nowhere to be seen for its weak adaptation to customer needs and requirements.
For the mobile app development phase, the biggest challenge would be to adapt to the new technologies that are coming in. The saturation point is out of question, given how science is evolving, but the interface is not going to restrict itself to Smartphones. For the ones who are currently pursuing mobile app development, the future does hold exciting prospects for you, but it is imperative that you focus on the future and not merely on the present.
For now, the mobile app development segment seems to be doing quite well. In the next 5 years, we are looking at an estimate of close to $20 bn dollars worth of business online. Therefore, there as a mobile app developer, there is still quite a lot of time for you to get used to the market, but like everything, the mobile app development is also going to witness as upheaval at the right time for the right reasons.
Mobile Application Development is critical to the world of IT in the contemporary era. As businesses move online, with improved Smartphone accessibility through cost-effective solutions, and enhanced internet connectivity, businesses are now eager to cater to the mobile platforms they earlier thought they could ignore. With the onset of Mobile Application Development in various domains, consumers and service providers are now looking to offer the best interface, design, and operations in their apps.
For the ones who are just starting out with the process of Mobile App Development, there are quite a few questions that need to be answered. The basic principle is to understand your business well as the mobile app is going to directly represent your business credentials. Often, here is where most mobile app developer teams go wrong. They are not able to understand their business right, and hence, end up making a mess of the operations, rendering their app useless. Therefore, to avoid this mistake, it is imperative to understand your business well so that relevant operations can be inserted within the application.
There are many Mobile App Development Companies in India, but only few get to the core of their client’s business, thus creating an app that caters to the business and consumers simultaneously. Therefore, when you are looking for a Mobile App Developer, always look for a team that can understand your requirements well. This is integral to the development process as the lack of clarity about the app can damage the prospects of your business. Seeking a Mobile App developer should be about opting for the team with a rich experience in this domain, and the ones who are ready to work in a flexible framework, thus being open to integrate all your demands.
The third aspect in the process of Mobile App development is design. Taking a cue from Uber, many developers went for a design that worked on the ‘single tap’ formula. However, that is not always the case. Often, your app would require its users traversing through multiple options. In this case, it becomes important to have the app design and interface working well. You don’t want your users to experience a lag while they are traversing through the application, especially there are transactions being carried out through the mobile application.
What can a good interface do to your mobile app? Well, for a start it adds to user retention. No user wishes to use an app that is difficult to engage with. An experienced mobile app developer understands that user engagement can at the initial stage can only be achieved through an enhanced interface. Without an interface that appeals to the user, the app is destined to crash out of business. This is what happened with the ‘Taxi For Sure’ cab service, which, not being able to get its interface together, eventually bowed out of business, leaving Uber and other smaller variants to capture its market.
Operations is the final aspect where your mobile app developer must do well. As we discussed above, users do not wish to have an app that has delays or unforeseen lags, as it ruins their experience all together. As a provider, you can design your application in a manner that doesn’t elongate the operations, and gets the job done with minimum user hassle. Ease of operations is critical to Mobile App development as it ensures that your user doesn’t have to struggle with a lot while using the application.
Mobile App development, if done the right away, isn’t as tricky as some might term it to be. Yes, the results only come with proper planning and deliberation, and therefore, it is necessary not to randomize the process of app development. Hiring a skilled Mobile App developers with a few tricks up his sleeves can help the cause of your business. For the ones who are confused about how to start with the development of their mobile app, the answer lies in your business. Understand it, decipher it, and then develop it. As long as you get these aspects right, your app should live up to the expectations of your users.
Smart phones have been drifting upwards with regards to screen size for
quite a while. While it's evidently genuine that the present period
of cell phones began with the little unique iPhone, devices from all
makers now regularly send with screen sizes well more than 5 inches.
Actually, even Apple have moved crosswise over to devices with 4.7
inch and 5.5 inch screens.
On
March 21, be that as it may, Apple approached with an energizing –
yet not startling - declaration. In Cupertino, California, Apple VIce
President Greg Joswiak made that big appearance to present the new
child iPhone SE.
More
or less, it's an iPhone 5s body with iPhone 6s internals – a small
powerhouse that ought to appeal to the individuals who have for quite
some time been put off by greater devices. This could mean changes
for Mobile app development.
The
new iPhone
Calling
it "a major stride for little", Apple guarantees the iPhone
SE is the most intense 4 inch telephone ever. It's not astonishing,
given that almost every other maker has done without littler devices.
Organizations like Samsung and HTC now just deliver little devices
with low-end details to coordinate. Essentially, you won't discover a
gadget this little with such a capable camera or high determination
screen.
The
chip controlling the iPhone SE is the same A9 utilized as a part of
the iPhone 6s, and the camera appears to be well. There's a
12-megapixel shooter in here that is fit for catching 4K video.
While
prepared iPhone proprietors might have the capacity to rapidly
recognize the distinctions in this new model, others may battle. As
it uses the same body as the iPhone 5s, the outside contrasts are
insignificant. Investigate the photo beneath:
How
Apple's new 4-inch iPhone SE looks at to the 3-year-old iPhone 5s
So
with Apple now apparently needing to get little devices up front at
the end of the day, what does this mean for how apps are developed?
What
does this mean for app development?
Since
2014, iOS app developers have begun concentrating on making apps for iphones with bigger screens. While yes, it's actual that the
iPhone 5s and prior, littler models still have apps made for them,
the new devices are the need. With Apple now pushing another 4 inch
telephone, developers may need to begin contemplating fitting apps
for devices both little and expansive.
This
implies pondering how certain capacities will chip away at a littler
screen rather than a bigger option, and moving catch position to
better exploit the size contrasts. At times, it might even be
important to change text dimensions or discard works altogether if
the app endures accordingly.
It's
been a rough street previously: People who have utilized iPhones
since discharge will undoubtedly comprehend the issues with apps
intended for littler screens being utilized on bigger telephones. An
app intended for the iPhone 4s, for instance, will turn blown upward
on the iPhone 6s Plus.
Working
with a designer that comprehends the diverse necessities for new
devices will be the best game-plan.
Apps
that work
Whether
it's for big business, government or business purposes, portable apps
are rapidly getting to be imperative contemplations. Thus, it's a
smart thought to address an expert group when considering growing new
portable apps. Code Brew Labs, for instance, can work with associations to
create incorporated business arrangements around rich versatile iphone app development,
over every significant stage.
Contact
us today in case you're occupied with adapting more.
According to Wikipedia, “eCommerce, is the trading or facilitation of trading in products or services using computer networks, such as the Internet.”
So, it is basically the exchange of services or products, with the help of the Internet. E-commerce involves online shopping, B2B sales, B2C sales, C2C sales, B2B E-data interchange, marketing and provision or participation in various Online markets.
E-commerce has caught on because it is effective and quick. With the rise of technology, the way of doing things is changing. E-commerce helps reduce the effort and time required for a transaction. E-commerce has disrupted the traditional ways of doing things, providing new setups for exchange.
Although, e-commerce is to see a lot of change itself, it has opened up a whole new range of opportunities for startups and pre-established businesses, by giving them a platform to connect to the biggest user base; the online community. Security aspect is also taken into consideration for customer-ease,which makes E-commerce an ideal option.
I made a point in a previous article that, there is a big possibility that you’re reading this in your smart-phone. That is to say that smart phones have become ubiquitous today. Most people use smartphones to access the Internet, as compared to laptops or tablets. Smartphone apps help a common man in doing stuff like ordering up and booking cab, with minimal effort.This is pretty obvious to those who use e-commerce apps frequently, that transaction from mobile phones are more comfortable as compared to going on a website. It is faster, and the experience is great. Businesses come out with applications to showcase their services and products for their audience. People have so many choices, and businesses compete for their loyalty, by improving their services.
A mobile application lets users connect to an online marketplace or some other online service. If you have an online platform for your services, a mobile application will increase the possibility of it getting a hit as most of the online crowd is on their smartphones. But first you should make sure that you have something of real value to offer. Know your customer base. If you think that a mobile application can bring real value to their transaction, get an app for your business. An application is the link between you and the smartphone loving online crowd, for whom E-commerce makes perfect sense.
Also, B2C, B2B and C2C transactions are much comfortably done with an app. An application is also more secure and private than having a web page. An application makes perfect sense in E-commerce context. As technology evolves and invades our lives, there’s no going back.
The
metal design adds significantly to the premium look of a smartphone and
strengthens the signal receiving capabilities of the device. But the
drool worthy looks apparently come at a price that is sometimes too hot
to handle, according to an expert.
"The use of metal in
smartphone designs ensures that heat generated by the phone's internals
is dispersed quickly. Though metal dispels heat faster, it also means
that the user may experience the metal body to be hotter than a plastic
or polycarbonate body," said Satwik Rath, product expert at Chinese
smartphone maker LeEco.
He added that a little heat from an
all-metal smartphone is normal. "The perceived temperature of a metal is
higher than plastic at the same surface temperatures. Though the
device's body might feel warmer to the touch during heavy usage, it's
important to note that this is normal and the device is functioning as
it is designed to perform," Rath noted.
So, what steps you need to take to keep your device cool and ensure long life for the battery.
According to the LeEco expert, given the complex design of smartphones
with processors, memory, battery, etc, and the fact that people use them
for multi-tasking, each of these components is often utilized to the
near maximum capacity.
But unlike laptops or personal computers
which have dedicated fans or cooling systems, there is not much room
left for ventilation in smartphones and this might lead to some amount
of additional heat being generated in the process.
Excessive
gaming and apps usage may also lead to the heating problem. "While
constantly playing games with heavy graphics, we put too much stress on
the 'mother board' of the smartphone and it pushes electronic inputs at a
much faster rate. Playing a game requires a lot of resources from the
phone and it represents the most obvious cause for overheating," Rath
said.
Also apps that use the phones processor and battery quite
a lot can cause it to heat up fast - GPS for mapping, high screen
brightness, and fast browsing can increase the temperature very quickly.
Video streaming and internet browsing use lots of data
processing power, which equates to more work for a smartphone's
processor. While these functions are staples of smartphone usage,
abusing them can also lead to overheating.
Metal body is good
in a way that it aids in dispersing heat generated by the processor and
internals which it's plastic counterparts fail to do to some extent. But
for a metallic device it can prove to be both a boon and a bane, as the
device itself may get too hot to handle due to overheating processors.
"If you feel your phone is overheating, you can try taking the back
case off. Taking the case off will allow the phone cool down quicker,"
Rath said.
Do
you feel embarrassed at your foul-smelling body odour? Hold on as skin
care products company Nivea Men has developed a smartphone app called
"NOSE" that quickly senses and tells you about the body odour so you can
avoid meeting your girlfriend.
"Basically, men usually have no
idea when they smell awful. The other part of the problem is that our
nose is so used to our own body odour that we cannot smell our own
sweat," adweek.com tech website cited Nivea Men's explanation.
NOSE, developed with the support of creative connectivity agency
Happiness FCB, works in conjunction with special sensors on a custom
phone cover, to determine if you smell okay, bad, or have a body odour
emergency on your hands, the report said.
The beta-version of NOSE was just demonstrated in Belgium recently and it would be further tested throughout the year.
The app would then be launched during the next phase on Apple's iOS and Android platforms. A consumer version would be released later.
I have some
background in coding, but I've never touched Android development
before. I'd like to get started, but I'm not entirely sure what I need. I
don't need to "learn to code" per se, but I could use some guidance on
where to start with Android. Can you help?
As you're probably aware, writing apps for
Android is more than just learning code syntax. If you've never learned
to code, you can check out plenty of resources here.
However, there are still a whole host of tools and resources you might
not be familiar with that you may need to make Android apps.
Note: this is not meant to be a comprehensive guide on every detail
of these applications and resources. In fact, such a guide could more
accurately be described as a book. However, we will give you an overview
of the different tools you can use and where to find more information. These tools require varying levels of experience
and if you've never touched code before, you might want to check out
our guides linked above. first However if you're ready to move from
theory and syntax to actual development, here's what you'll need.
The Android Software Development Kit (or SDK)
The Android Software Development Kit (SDK) is actually a collection
of tools that will help you make Android apps. There's more outside the
SDK that we'll discuss, but here are some of the most helpful tools in
the SDK:
Eclipse/Android Studio
There are two primary integrated development environments (IDE) for
Android. An IDE is the main program where you'll write code and put your
app together. It can help you organize and edit the various files in
your app, manage the packages and supporting libraries you app will
need, and test it out on real devices or emulators.
The default IDE for Android is Eclipse. Eclipse allows you to modify
Java and XML files and organize the various pieces of your application,
among many other tasks. The version you get from Google also includes a
package manager that allows you to update to the latest version of
Android tools as soon as Google releases them.
The main alternative is Android Studio, which is currently being made
directly by Google. Like many Google projects, Android Studio is part
of a prolonged beta. The long-term intention is for Android Studio to
replace Eclipse as the primary IDE for Android development. That doesn't
necessarily mean it's for everyone. For example, if you need to make
use of the Native Development Kit for apps like games (hint: if you need
it, you probably already know you need it), Eclipse is mandatory.
However, Android Studio is a good option if you want to get a jump start
on the future, and you're willing to tolerate some possible bugs.
No matter which IDE you choose, using it is a bit like Photoshop: it
can do a ton of cool things, but you'll probably only learn the
individual tools as you need them. However, this is also a good place to
get started on some of the basics of Android development. Here are some
great tutorials and resources to get you started:
Udacity - Developing Android Apps:
This 8-week online class has a good amount of free elements, taught
directly by Google engineers. The course won't just copy-paste code, but
it will help you learn some of the core concepts and features you'll
need.
Android Developer Training: Part
of Google's documentation includes training tutorials on how to use its
tools. These documents will walk you through basic features of the IDE.
If you don't have much experience developing applications, this might
not turn you into a master dev, but it will help you learn the tools.
Vogella:
It's worth mentioning Vogella tutorials in just about every section
here. This massive set of tutorials covers just about everything you
could cover. If you have a basic question not covered above, check
Vogella.
ADB
We've talked about ADB before from a regular user perspective,
but the tool's primary purpose is actually to aid in mobile App development. As
such, it's included in the Android SDK. You can use this to load
software or make changes to your devices when it's plugged into your
computer. Here are some of the basic tools you can use with ADB, but if you want to learn more as a developer, check these out:
ADB Documentation: This is the primary resource from Google on what ADB is and how it works. You can find most of what ADB is capable of here.
Vogella - Using the Android Debug Bridge: Another
Vogella tutorial, this one covers the basics of how ADB works and some
of the common things you can do with it. If you don't want to dig
through Google's documentation for the one command you need, this might
be a good place to start.
Android Developer Guidelines
We've already linked to a couple of resources from the official Android Developer Guidelines
so far, which only proves how useful they are. Google maintains a vast,
extensive collection of documentation and resources for how to program
your apps that you can reference or search through.
If you're brand new to Android development, it can't hurt to browse
through some of the tutorials and guides here. They're laid out in such a
way that one lends into another (see the Android Developer Training
above). Here are some sections that are worth brushing up on if you're
getting started:
Google Services: We've talked about Google Play Services
before, but here's where you get to see what's going on under the hood.
Google offers a wide variety of features that you might otherwise have
to build out yourself like map and location features, cloud backups,
sign-in services and more. You can check them all out here.
API Guides:
Google services are set apart from the regular APIs, which you can also
read about here. These range from code to create basic animations, to
reading sensors and connecting to the internet. There's tons of info
here to add functionality to your app.
Sample Code: Sometimes
it helps to see how someone else did it before you. This section shows
you samples of code for various functions. This can help you see how
something works, or just use it in your app so you don't have to
reinvent the wheel.
Android Design Guidelines
The counterpart to the developer guidelines is the Design Guidelines.
Google is focusing increasingly on teaching its developers how to make
apps that not only work well but look good. As such, that means a lot of
the work has been done for you to cover the basics like buttons, simple
animations, and whatnot.
The place to go to get more info on this is the Android Design Guidelines,
which are a second major subsection of Google's official documentation.
Keep in mind that these are here for people who may not have a great
grasp on visual design as it relates to creating application interfaces.
In other words, if you already know what your app is going to look
like, you might not need this. If you already know what you're app looks
like but you're not good at making apps look good, check this out.
Here are a list of some the helpful areas to start:
Devices: Android
targets more than just phones. This section will help you learn how
phones, tablets, TVs, and watches all relate and how you can design an
interface that adapts to all of them.
Patterns: Android
is built on structured interfaces. This section teaches the building
blocks of how apps work so you can design the framework that you'll be
building your design on top of.
Material Design Documentation: This
is technically a separate section for now, but Google's newest version
of Android will introduce a new type of design language called Material
Design. Here you can peruse what that means and how to think about
designing apps that fit these guidelines. It's also helpful if you're
not experienced with thinking about how users interact with apps, even
if you don't follow the specific recommendations.
GitHub/BitBucket
While you're developing an app, there are a lot of files to manage
and you'll need a way to track changes. Git is one of the most commonly
used protocols to manage new versions or changes to existing software.
Necessarily, it's a little more complicated than a basic backup tool.
It's flexible enough to allow you to manage multiple different branches
of your app as well as pull from older versions if something goes wrong.
Two of the most common services for managing projects with Git are
Github and Bitbucket. Both use the same underlying protocol and can be
integrated directly into either Eclipse or Android Studio. BitBucket
allows you to have some private repositories (read: storage for
projects) without paying money, while GitHub's free offerings require
them to be publicly listed unless you pay a little extra. Here are some
resources that can help you get started with Git:
BitBucket Tutorials:
Atlassian, the maker of BitBucket, have a series of guides on how to
get started with BitBucket and import your projects here. In my personal
experience setting up both BitBucket and GitHub, this service and these
guides were much easier for the uninitiated to get started with.
GitHub Guides: GitHub
similarly has some tutorials on how to set up its service that you can
find here. Some of the guides refer to older versions of the software in
some cases, but generally you should be able to get up and running with
these.
Vogella Git Tutorial:
Vogella has yet another great tutorial here explaining what Git itself
is and how it can help you manage your entire project. While version
management is Git's primary function, there's a lot more here that
Vogella can walk you through.
Developing for Android is far more than just putting Java in a text
editor. If you have a little bit of experience with writing code but
haven't dived head first into actual app development yet, there's a lot
you may not be aware you need to know just yet. The good news is, you're
not the first person to go down this road. These are just some of the
tools you need and hopefully these guides will put you on the right
path.
