The latest update of the Android Market “back end” has just launched a fantastic new feature for developers, with Google now allowing app makers to upload more than one version of their app. So, instead of only having the one app distributed worldwide, developers can now create a separate build for individual phones or tablets.
Here’s Google explaining the above far more eloquently:
Until now, each product listing on Android Market has included a single APK file, a universal payload that is deliverable to all eligible devices — across all platform versions, screen sizes, and chipsets. Broad distribution of a single APK works very well for almost all applications and has the advantage of simplified product maintenance.
With multiple APK support, you can now upload multiple versions of an APK for a single product listing, with each one addressing a different subset of your customers. These APKs are complete, independent APKs that share the same package name, but contain code and resources to target different Android platform versions, screen sizes, or GL texture-compression formats. When users download or purchase your app, Android Market chooses the right APK to deliver based on the characteristics of the device.
Read the entire very serious and grown-up version of all the above over on Google’s Android Developer’s site.
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
dextroz
/ July 21, 2011…and in typical laziness of google developers and program managers, they chose to aggregate reviews for ALL APKs at the app level which will only obfuscate the true ratings for each APK and falsely skew the app ratings because numnuts using a $50 Android phone think the app is too slow or lacks a feature.
Gosh
/ July 22, 2011and so the fragmentation begins. Why can’t a single apk carry different versions for different devices? This is a bad move. Agree with dextroz.