Google’s Late Release of Android 2.0 Hurting Developers
by Antonio Wells
Nov 10, 2009 5:00 AM –
Now that Verizon’s DROID has launched, I’ve been getting many reports that some Android Apps don’t work; force close errors, portions of the app freezes, or the graphics look crappy due to the higher screen size of Motorola’s DROID (all other devices were 320 x 480, whereas DROID’s illustrious screen is 480 x 854).
If you’ve been following Android’s growth since launch, this pattern with Google is not new… and actually attributed to another factor: the ability to test on the actual device. For a brief time developers experienced app crashes on the T-Mobile G1 until they got their hands on one or the Android Dev Phone 1. Verizon’s network of isolated phones can make it difficult for some developers to get their hands on practical applicable devices. Hint… hint… Motorola, please release a GSM compatible or non network choked Droid, or Google do us another favor and give some away or sell a Developers version.
Also when Google released Android version 1.5 (Cupcake) to Devs in mid April 2009, OTA updates were rolling out in mid May 2009, they had to quickly update their Android Apps or sink. In some cases; Google, Motorola nor Verizon are not at fault… Developers need to get busy cranking out Android 2.0 compatible apps! Some Android apps even become abandonware as they may never see an update.
This release timing was worse… at the time of this article, DROID is the only retailed and released phone with Android OS version 2.0 (may possibly get 2.1 update 12/11/09), all others phones and carriers support Android version 1.6 and lower. Google didn’t release version 2.0 until 10/27/09, DROID debuted 11/6/09 and developers have to scramble to learn what’s changed and update their apps. The sad part about this is most devs don’t know their app is not compatible until they start getting negative reviews in the Market.
I would encourage emailing the developers (which you can find their email address on the app listing in the Market) to let them know your problem. A majority of them will take the time to work with you to prepare a fix.
Tags:
Android 2.0,
Android App,
Android Developers,
Google,
Late Release,
Motorola,
Motorola DROID,
Verizon,
Verizon DROID
Categorised in: Apps Blog
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