Google Announcing updates to its Internet of Things Platform : Android Things and Weave

With each new generation of Android devices, most companies push incremental changes to their hardware line-up. One innovation that has captured the minds of generations of consumers since the days of The Jetsons is known as the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Internet of Things (IoT) will bring computing to a whole new range of devices. Two important updates for IoT developer platform announced by Google to make it faster and easier. Today Google announced it is releasing a Developer Preview of Android Things, a comprehensive way to build IoT products with the power of Android, one of the world's most supported operating systems. Now any Android developer can quickly build a smart device using Android APIs and Google services while staying highly secure with updates direct from Google.

Image Credit : Android Developers Blog

Furthermore, Google is incorporating several familiar Android development related tools to work with Android Things such as Android Studio, the Android SDK, Google Play Services, and Google Cloud Platform. In conjunction with these updated tools, Google is also updating the Weave communication layer to allow for easier access to cloud content and to even allow for interaction with services like Google Assistant. Eventually, Google will merge its Weave with Nest Weave to take advantage of the existing integrations available through the popular Nest home products and to ease the development transition of existing products.

Google mentions that several popular smart home devices such as the Philips Hue light bulbs and Samsung’s SmartThings already implement Weave, so developing for the platform should be a no-brainer. The Weave Device SDK already supports cloud communication layer code for devices such as the aforementioned light bulbs, switches, and thermostats but will be updated in the future with support for additional appliance types. In addition, the company will provide a mobile application API available for Android and iOS developers – so even smartphones and smartwatches will be able to interact with smart home devices.

Source : Android Developers Blog

Study shows iOS devices failing more often than Android - Here is the Reason!

A report claims that more iOS devices crashed this year when compared to Android. A report has revealed that the Apple iOS had a higher failure rate as compared to Android devices in Q3, 2016. It shows that iOS, which powers iPhone and iPad devices suffered 62% failure rate, while Android which powers more devices than iOS faced 47% failure.

According to the latest report from global data security firm Blannco Technology Group, there were more instances of apps crashing on iOS than Android. Apps crashed on 65% of iOS devices as compared to 25% of Android-running devices. It has been further revealed that it was the iPhone 6 which faced maximum lags at 13% followed by the iPhone 6s at 9%, iPhone 5s at 9%, and the iPad Air 2 at 2%.

Prime Reason with iOS Devices!

The prime reason why the iOS devices faced glitches is being blamed on the latest iOS 10 version. An instance of smartphones’ erratic behavior is due to the kind of processor it is equipped with. Often users unknowingly run or try to run graphic-heavy apps on a smartphone running lighter processor, which in turn leads to app crashes and overheating. 

Which App has Maximum Failure Rate?

The report notes that some apps crashed due to overheating. Pokémon GO initially crashed on 5% of iOS devices, twice as compared to Android in the third quarter. The AR game not only crashed, it further drained batteries and hogged system resources, slowing down devices completely. However, the top spot for performance-harming apps continued to be driven by social media. It has been revealed that the top four crashing apps on iOS were Instagram with 14% failure rate, Snapchat at 12%, Facebook at 9% and Messenger at 5%.

Among Android devices, China-based LeEco’s Le 2 had the maximum failure rate at 13% followed by close rival Xiaomi with its Redmi 3S and Redmi Note 3 at 9% each. Surprisingly, Redmi Note 3 is a tested performer and yet according to the Blannco Technology Group report is one of the Android devices faced with maximum performance-related issues. Other Android running devices include the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge at 5% and the Lenovo Vibe K5 Note at 4%.

Prime Reason with Android Devices!

Prime issues with Android devices were related to the battery at 7% and the screen at 6%. It has been further revealed that Samsung-branded smartphones and tablets running Android had the most failures among Android manufacturers at 11% followed by Xiaomi-built devices at 4%. On Android, IMS Service, which is an app used by merchant led the app failure list at 32% followed by the address book app at 12% and Google’s own Play Store app at 10% failure rate.

Android 7.1.1 Nougat Update Released

Last month the news leaked about the Release date of the Android 7.1.1 update for Google's pixel and Nexus devices. Now Google has published that Android 7.1.1 Nougat update released as of 5th Dec 2016 in Android developers blog.  Android 7.1.1 release is for Pixel and Pixel XL devices and the full lineup of supported Nexus devices. Device makers can get their hands on the latest version of android source code at Android Open Source Project (AOSP) 

Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Android 7.1.1 is an incremental release that builds on the features already available on Pixel and Pixel XL devices, adding a handful of new features for consumers as well as optimizations and bug fixes on top of the base Android 7.1 platform API level 25.

Android 7.1.1 factory images and over-the-air (OTA zip files) update are available for the Pixel and Pixel XL devices, as well as Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C and General Mobile 4G (Android One) devices. The user can also download and flash this update manually. The latest version of the support library 25.0.1 is also available for a user to add image keyboard support, bottom navigation and other features for devices running API Level 25 or earlier. With this update, developers can optimize their app by providing round icons and adding app shortcuts. 

What is Next?

Google Said " We'll soon be closing open bugs logged against Developer Preview builds, but please keep the feedback coming! If you still see an issue that you filed in the preview tracker, just file a new issue against Android 7.1 in the AOSP issue tracker. You can also continue to give us feedback or ask questions in the developer community.

As mentioned back in August, we've moved Android Nougat into a regular maintenance cycle and we're already started work on refinements and bug fixes for the next incremental update. If you have an eligible device that's currently enrolled in the Android Beta Program, your device will automatically receive preview updates of upcoming Android Nougat releases as soon as they are available".

Source : Android Developers Blog

Google Play service to drop support for Android Gingerbread, Honeycomb in early 2017

In an Android Developers blog - post-Google announced that Google play services and firebase for Android will support API level 14 at a minimum. Version 10.0.0 of the Google Play services client libraries, as well as the Firebase client libraries for Android, will be the last version of these libraries that support Android API level 9 (Android 2.3, Gingerbread). The next scheduled release of these libraries, version 10.2.0, will increase the minimum supported API level from 9 to 14 (Android 4.0.1, Ice Cream Sandwich) and will be released by early 2017. In other words, for the new version play services to work, smartphones will require a minimum of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and above. As a result, the lower version Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Android 3.0/3.1/3.2 Honeycomb will be dropped by next year.

The Gingerbread platform is almost 6 years old. Introduced first in 2012, Google Play services are Google’s background service and API package for Android. It’s the company’s way of delivering updates and improvements for its services and apps to Android users without actually upgrading the whole operating system. Google explains that one of the reasons for discontinuing support for Gingerbread is that many Android developers have already discontinued support for Gingerbread in their apps. This helps developers build better apps by making use of newer capabilities of the Android platform. And it works similarly for Google as well. By making this change, Google will be able to provide a more robust collection of tools for Android developers with greater speed.

As for the users who are still on the older version, you may use version 10.0.0 of Google Play services and Firebase as you are currently. Developers are being asked to use a minimum of API level 14, and those opting to follow these guidelines will no longer be able to deliver updates to older devices. However, users will still be able to download the most recently published version of the app that does target their device.

Looking how the Android distribution stands right now, a very little percentage of users are still working with these versions of Android OS. According to the Android distribution numbers for the first week of November, Gingerbread (2.3.3 and 2.3.7 combined) has reduced its presence from 1.5 percent to 1.3 percent. Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.3 and 4.0.4 combined) joins Gingerbread with 1.3 percent, a decrease from the previous 1.4 percent. This is in comparison to the new version, where Marshmallow runs on 24 percent devices, while Lollipop (5.0 and 5.1 combined) leads the charts with 34.1 percent market share, followed by KitKat with 25.2 percent. Jelly Bean (4.1.x and 4.2.x combined) comes third with 13.7 percent.

To be clear, developers can continue to use version 10.0.0 of Google Play services and Firebase with Gingerbread and Honeycomb devices. Once you upgrade to version 10.2.0 or above, however, you will have to either target API level 14 as the minimum supported version or build multiple APKs to support devices with an API level less than 14. Given that Gingerbread and Honeycomb will continue to be slowly but surely phased out, the former is your best option.

Android 'Gooligan' Malware Has Infected More Than 1 Million Devices

Android Gooligan hackers just scored the biggest ever theft of Google accounts. The battle against Android malware is ongoing, but it's a big world and Android is everywhere. It presents a tempting target for criminals, and the Gooligan malware is just the latest attempt to make a buck off the trusting nature of Smartphone users. This attack has compromised more than a million phones since August and as many as 13,000 new infections are occurring each day. It’s main aim, though, is not to pilfer all that juicy data in Gmail or Docs, but to force users into downloading apps as part of a huge advertising fraud scheme, making as much as $320,000 a month.

A Gooligan infection starts with downloading an infected app from a third-party app store. Once downloaded, Gooligan determines which Android Phone it is infected an take complete control over it. To do that, the attackers have used long-known vulnerabilities, such as VROOT and Towelroot, on devices running Android 4 through 5, including Jelly Bean, KitKat and Lollipop. Upon being installed by the user, it downloads a root exploit like Towelroot to gain full access to the device. The malware copies the user's account token and sends it to a remote server, giving the malware authors full access to the account data.

Devices Infected Region-Wise among 1 Million Users

Asia - 57% of users

Americas - 19% of users

Africa - 15% of users

Europe - 9% of users

Gooligan is spreading at an alarming rate: since the start of this month, it’s been racking up an average of 13,000 new infections every day, according to researchers from Check Point. The malicious software first gains a foothold on devices when users visit a website and download a third-party app.  It does not appear the cyber criminals have done anything with all that user data yet. Instead, they are using the malware to inject code into the Play Store and download apps. They earn money from the ads in garbage apps like "Fast Cleaner" and "WiFi Accelerate." As many as 30,000 apps are being downloaded by infected devices every day, according to Check Point. The attackers have forced victims to download and give positive reviews to apps on Google Play, which provides an illicit revenue stream as the hackers also run advertisements within the applications.

The rate at which Gooligan is spreading is extremely high, but Google and Check Point are working together to deal with the threat. A tool has been released for users to scan their phones for infection, and Google has reset the account tokens for compromised accounts. Apps associated with Gooligan activity have also been pulled from the store. If you've got an older device, it's probably a good idea to avoid installing any random APKs you find online.

No user data theft, says Google

It does not appear the hackers are actually using the account credentials to pilfer user data. Google’s Android security chief, Adrian Ludwig, posted a blog about Gooligan today, saying the company had not seen any evidence of other fraudulent activity on the stolen accounts, outside of the promotion of apps. “The motivation behind Ghost Push is to promote apps, not steal information, and that held true for this variant,” said Ludwig.

[Ghost Push - Gooligan is a variant of an old piece of malware known as Ghost Push that Google has been fighting in earnest for the last year.]

Yes, my device is infected. Now what?

Check Point reports lists out two things that you would have to do.

• Firstly, a clean installation of the operating system on your mobile device via a process called “flashing”. This is a complex process, and it is recommend that users power off their device and approach a certified technician/mobile service provider.
• Secondly. change your Google account passwords as soon as possible.

It is also recommended that you should not download Android apps from stores, apart from the official Google store

Source : Android Police 

Final update to Android 7.1 Developer Preview

Android 7.1.1 includes the developer features already available on Pixel and Pixel XL devices and adds optimizations and bug fixes on top of the base Android 7.1 platform. With Developer Preview 2, you can make sure your apps are ready for Android 7.1.1 and the consumers that will soon be running it on their devices said by android developers on 22nd November - update to the  Android 7.1 Developer Preview. This developer preview expanded to the range of devices such as Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, and Pixel C. 

What's in this update?

 

Developer Preview 2 is a release candidate for Android 7.1.1 that you can use to complete your app development and testing in preparation for the upcoming final release. In includes near-final system behaviors and UI, along with the latest bug fixes and optimizations across the system and Google apps.

It also includes the developer features and APIs (API level 25) already introduced in Developer Preview 1. With Developer Preview 2, Android is also updating the SDK build and platform tools in Android Studio, the Android 7.1.1 platform, and the API Level 25 emulator system images. The latest version of the support library (25.0.1) is also available for you to add image keyboard support, bottom navigation and other features for devices running API Level 25 or earlier.

Google suggested If you have a supported device that's enrolled in the Android Beta Program, you'll receive an update to Developer Preview 2 over the coming week. If you haven't enrolled your device yet, just visit the site to enroll your device and get the update. In early December, Android 7.1.1 is going to roll out to the full lineup of supported devices as well as Pixel and Pixel XL devices.

How to Get started ?

 

Now is the time to optimize your apps to look their best on Android 7.1.1. To get started, an update to Android Studio 2.2.2 and then download the API Level 25 platform, emulator system images, and tools through the SDK Manager in Android Studio.

After installing the API Level 25 SDK, you can update your project's compileSdkVersion to 25 to build and test against the new APIs. If you're doing compatibility testing, we recommend updating your app's targetSdkVersion to 25 to test your app with compatibility behaviors disabled.

If you're adding app shortcuts or circular launcher icons to your app, you can use Android Studio's built-in Image Asset Studio to quickly help you create icons of different sizes that meet the material design guidelines. You can test your round icons on the Google APIs emulator for API Level 25, which includes support for round icons and the new Google Pixel Launcher.

If you're adding image keyboard support, you can use the Messenger and Google Keyboard apps included in the preview system images for testing as they include support for this new API.

 

Android Studio and the Google APIs emulator let you quickly create and test your round icon assets.

Scale your tests

 

To help scale your testing, make sure to take advantage of Firebase Test Lab for Android and run your tests in the cloud at no charge during the preview period on all virtual devices including the Developer Preview 2 (API 25). You can use the automated crawler (Robo Test) to test your app without having to write any test scripts, or you can upload your own instrumentation (e.g. Espresso) tests. 

Publish your apps to alpha, beta or production channels in Google Play

 

After you've finished final testing, you can publish your updates compiled against, and optionally targeting, API 25 to Google Play. You can publish to your alpha, beta, or even production channels in the Google Play Developer Console. In this way, push your app updates to users whose devices are running Android 7.1, such as Pixel and Android Beta devices.

Get Developer Preview 2 on Your Eligible Device

If you have an eligible device that's already enrolled in the Android Beta Program, the device will get the Developer Preview 2 update over the coming week. No action is needed on your part. If you aren't yet enrolled in the program, the easiest way to get started is by visiting android.com/beta and opt-in your eligible Android phone or tablet -- you'll soon receive this preview update over-the-air. As mentioned above, this Developer Preview update is available for Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, and Pixel C devices.

Source : https://developer.android.com/

Android 7.0 Nougat Now Present on 0.3 Percent of All Active Android Devices, Says Google!

For a long time now Google's gotten us used to publish new Android distribution stats each month, but for some reason, the company decided to skip October. Almost two months after last updating its Android distribution chart, Google has now revealed the number of devices that are currently running the various versions of its mobile OS. Google did not reveal the reason it didn't publish its distribution chart in October, though it may be related to the launch  of the Google Pixel smartphones.

The data regarding the distribution of its Android versions is collected by the company on the basis of the devices that check into Google Play via the app, which supports Android 2.2 Froyo and higher devices. The most important milestone to talk about is the fact that Android 7.0 Nougat is now part of the chart for the first time ever. It's making its debut at 0.3% market share, which puts it ahead only of Froyo, also known as Android 2.2, which commands 0.1% of the pie and was released in May of 2010. 

Data collected during a 7-day period ending on November 7, 2016.
Any versions with less than 0.1% distribution are not shown.

Leading the pack are the two Lollipop versions, which when combined take 34.1% of the market, though that number is down from 35% in September. In fact, all past iterations of the OS have lost market share, aside from Marshmallow. Now, the number of active devices running Marshmallow has climbed up to 24%, a 5.3% jump from September, as per Google's latest distribution chart. KitKat is at 25.2% (down from 27.7%), and the three Jelly Bean versions collectively have 13.7% of the pie, down from 15.6%. Ice Cream Sandwich and Gingerbread are now tied at 1.3%, having lost 0.1% and 0.2% market share respectively.

It should be noted that Android 7.1 Nougat, which the Google Pixel phones launched with, is still not mentioned in the distribution chart - implying a share of less than 0.1%.

Source | Via

Google has finally ended official support for Eclipse ADT (Android Developer Tools) !

It's been a long time coming, but Google has finally ended official support for Eclipse ADT (Android Developer Tools) in favour of their dedicated Android Studio IDE. In a post on the Android development blog, Google has announced that development and official support for the Android Development Tools plugin for Eclipse will be shut down at the end of this year.

Google first announced it would end support for Eclipse ADT back in 2005 and warned developers to make the switch to Android Studio before the end of the year. Over a year later, Google kept up support for Eclipse ADT, but has decided now is time for putting it to rest. Google intends to focus all of its effort on improving Android Studio and advises developers move their active projects to Android Studio using the included migration tool.

With an increasing amount of features in Android Studio there's little reason to continue using Eclipse other than from habit. 

"All of your favourite ADT tools are now part of Android Studio, including DDMS, Trace Viewer, Network Monitor, and CPU Monitor. We've also improved Android Studio's accessibility, including keyboard navigation enhancements and screen reader support," wrote Jamal Eason,  Product Manager for Android, in a blog post.

Android Studio's latest update, 2.2, added over 20 major new features including the following highlights: 

• Instant Run Iteration Engine

• Layout Editor 

• Constraint Layout Engine 

• C++ Support 

• APK Analyzer 

• GPU Debugger (beta) 

• Espresso Test Recorder (beta)

Google notes that the ADT plugin and related tools are open source and will continue to be available through the and more project where developers are free to maintain and contribute code.

At just over two years old, Android Studio is now the single Google-supported development environment for Android. Many app developers have already made the switch, but this may come as a bit of a shock to NDK developers. Those stuck in their ways can still use the existing ADT tools but don't expect official support from Google in the future. Eclipse's open-source community, and more, will continue to provide upkeep on Android support in Eclipse but it's advisable to make the switch. 

For most developers, migration to Android Studio is as simple as importing your existing Eclipse ADT projects with the File > New > Import Project menu option. 

Google claims Android Studio is now the development environment used by 92% of the top 125 Google Play apps and games. Android Studio is an open source project, available to all at no cost. 

The open source Android Studio is available for free here.

Source : http://www.developer-tech.com/news/2016/nov/03/rip-eclipse-android-developer-tools/

Android Nougat 7 vs. Apple iOS 10 - smart phones OS go head to head

Google recently launched the most recent version of android, android nougat seven whereas Apple remains performing on the coming version of its OS, Apple iOS 10. Both the companies have worked different the operational systems that power their mobile devices for more than half a decade. Whereas iOS was launched in 2007, android was released in 2008 with both the operating systems undergoing a minimum of seven major versions in last eight years.

User Interface

The user interface for both the operating systems has taken a significant overhaul concerning however polished it looks after multiple changes. even though the basic core principles of the home screen in android and the lack of home screen in iOS are glaring, but the delicacy is clear from the initial versions.

Apple iOS 10 focuses on interaction using force touch in Apple devices, where Apple has specifically introduced sensors inside the display to detect the amount of pressure being applied accurately. In addition to force touch, Apple is bringing ‘Rise to wake’ feature which is the Android equivalent of ‘Always on’ display. The company has also changed its stance, introducing widgets on the lock screen and notifications drawer. Another important changes is the support for 3rd party apps to leverage widget framework and include dedicated widgets specific to different apps.

While Android 7 Nougat has changed the navigation bar buttons to include a new function of ‘Quick Switch’ which can be accessed by double tapping the recent button to jump to the last app that you were using. Even though Nougat does not have anything regarding newer ways to interact with the content but we can look forward to a unique experience with Daydream compatible devices.

Notifications

Apple iOS notification system is one of the most robust notification systems in the mobile operating space with a quick glance for everything happening on your iOS device. Apple is making the experience better with the ability to interact with your notifications, right from your lock screen. This newer notification system works with third party apps as well where developers can push live updates to the notifications.

Android Nougat has also improved the notification system, enabling the users to interact with the notifications without opening the app. Google redesigned the entire notification system in Nougat with a uniform width, smaller fonts, and notifications stacked according to apps. Users can even pull down the notification and reply to messages directly from the notification, without opening the messaging app.

Digital Assistants

Apple’s AI based digital assistant, Siri will gain a lot of capabilities with the latest update. Users will be able to book cabs, send messages to a particular contact in a specific third party app like WhatsApp among regular things like conducting an online search, ask for directions, schedules, set alarms, reminders, notifications and making calls all by telling Siri.

Even though Google’s AI-based digital assistant, Google Now does not have these many automation or magical ‘speak, and you shall get it done’ commands, but the offering is gradually improving with each interaction, and we can see it coming in a more comprehensive way with the upcoming Google Pixel lineup.

Messaging

Apple has revamped its messaging service, iMessage from the ground up, adding more social features with a lot of glitter and flash. This is a significant improvement regarding the way one can interact with mere messaging client, but we will wait for the real world change that it brings when it releases.

Things are contrasting if we talk about the Android Nougat side of messaging. Even though Google is working on its new messaging service ‘Google Allo,’ but there is no fixed date for the launch of the app and the efforts to improve messaging seem to be scattered with Messaging, Hangouts, and upcoming Google Allo.