Google has released a new software development kit (SDK) for building apps that work on Android and non-Android devices. These apps can be used on both Android and non-Android devices. Cross-device software that works up to Android 8 is now available as a developer preview for Android phones and tablets. It will be available later for Android surfaces and other operating systems that don’t use Android.
Users can also share an app’s current state with the same app on another device and start the app on a second device without having to keep the app running in the background. The company said that the first release has rich APIs centered on the core functions of device discovery, secure connections, and multi-device sessions.
Google says that the app will allow users to do the following:
- Finding nearby devices and permitting them to talk to each other.
- Sharing the current state of an app with the same app on a different device.
- Start the app on a second device without having to keep the app running in the background.
Google claimed, “This SDK allows you to focus on what matters most — building delightful user experiences and connecting these experiences across various form factors and platforms.” The software also lets the user start a task on one device and efficiently finish it on another. This is called “task handoff.”
The company further commented, “In addition, apps will not have to declare or request runtime permissions for connectivity protocols, and the user can allow apps to connect to only the device they selected.”
It will be fascinating to observe how developers choose to utilize this new capacity and whether or not it will ultimately improve the usability of specific apps.
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