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I first wrote an Android app targeted to version 2.2. Later I got an Android 4.1.2 device.
I then upgraded target and minimum to 4.1.2. One advantage is the new runtime exception NetworkOnMainThreadException, which causes the app to crash instead of having a non-responsive GUI. This is an advantages when developing.
However, are there other advantages, besides those at developement time? For instance, can the 4.1.2 device run 4.1.2 app faster than a 2.2 app?
The main advantage is when you target the newer version of android you will be able to access all the new goodies such as new APIs and services that your app can make use of. Some functionality may be improved to improve performance or to fix bugs.
Regarding will the app run faster as 4.1.2 than 2.2 app, not necessarily, this is completely dependant on the android OS itself and not your app. For example, for 4.3 is now release and has many speed improvements to 4.2. If you target your app to be 4.2 but run it on 4.3, the app will likely run faster due to 4.3 having the speed improvements. If you then targeted your app for 4.3 there would be little difference in performance.
Hope this helps.
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Is there a drawback creating android applications using old sdk version? Other than the obvious one; you can't use the newer functions. Will this application slower if I set build target an old sdk compared to the latest api version when executed on a device?
Yes, not being able to use the new features is obvious. But it depends on what you are targeting and your user base is. In general, it depends on what you are trying to do. A game will usually want to use OPEN GL ES 2.0 so you need the android version that supports that. If you don't care about a specific feature it is best to follow this:
http://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html
for an idea on a potential market share of an application. Older phones will increase the potential market. Besides versions you also need to know if you want to target an tablet or phone. That includes different UI changes/looks.
You won't be able to use new features, of course, if you don't need any new features there is no problem. You will also be able to deploy an application that users with older phones will be able to usecas well.
Cheers
There is no drawback other than not being able to use new features.
No, your application will not be slower.
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I am seeing some errors on Android 4.3 which by numbers is the highest version, but then I see most of my installs are on 4.1, 4.0.3-4.0.4, 4.2 is the 3rd by installs.
So what is wrong with 4.3 (Jellybean)? I have some crashes that happen on it, but not other versions. Was Jellybean some buggy Android verison? Or what is wrong with it?
Unless you're a power user who installs your own ROMs, you are at the whim of the manufacturer to get OS updates. In many cases they have not been prompt to update (or even want to update at all).
This chart gives a good layout of what versions people are using in general on Android: http://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html
Without a nexus you dont get vanilla stock android over the air OS or updates.
Some manufactures take a long time to update their phones and some phones from same manufacturer dont get updated. So so phones cant actually get the latest OS without custom rom etc. Even some top phones released today are not 4.3, and probably never will.
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I want to buy a couple of the most commonly used Android phones to test my app on. This is surprisingly hard to figure out.
The Android Dashboard states that 2.3.3 is the most commonly used OS, but I can't seem to find any phones that run it... Wikipedia seems to say that only the HTC Flyer has it.
What Android phones could I get with Android 2.3.3?
All devices running Android 2.3.x use the same public application framework (Gingerbread, API level 10) so there is no difference between the different revisions from a developer's point of view (other than bug fixes and optimizations). Any cheap Gingerbread device should be fine as long as you keep it updated.
I have a little over a year old LG-P500 (Optimus) which runs 2.3.3. I don't suppose you'll be able to find one in the market and most of the new ones have moved on to >= 3.0. I suppose, you could try your luck in the seconds market.
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I'm trying to install an Android app on an older Motorola Droid but running into some problems. The device has 2.2.3 on it and it says that it is up to date. Can it be updated to the latest version of Android or is it too old?
Also, where can I find the .apk file? And where would I put it on the SD card to allow me to install it that way?
Any help would be great. Thanks!
Android OS updates are usually rolled out by the phone manufacturer. In this case it would Motorola. Unless Motorola specifically created an update for the Droid in question, you wouldn't be able to update it to the latest Android OS on your own. For instance, the latest version of Android is Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). I currently own the first gen. HTC Incredible. I'm not able to upgrade to ICS unless HTC offers an upgrade specifically tailored for my model phone.
The Android OS has had several version updates and in it's wake has created an issue known as "fragmentation", which is the problem you're having. Applications are developed with features available in later versions of the Android OS, which earlier versions can not take advantage of. So you run into older phones not being able to run newer applications. Hope this clears this up a bit.
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I am searching for the cheapest Android 1.5 device suitable for developing on it. As the emulator is too sluggish for my needs, I want a real device.
Can you recommend any source where to get such an old device? I looked at eBay, but do not know which device to search for. Maybe you can recommend a list of Android 1.5 devices still available?
The HTC Dream/G1 should be the cheapest option. I got mine for 88 bucks shipped from eBay... works perfectly.
Actually, the OS may be Android 1.6 (I can't remember as I eventually installed CyanogenMod) but it shouldn't matter since you can still write and test 1.5 applications on it.
Update: According to the phone's Wikipedia page, the official OS version is 1.6.
The most recent (and probably powerful) 1.5 device was probably the Dell Blaze, but it won't be easy to find. The G2 also came with 1.5.
The G1 and MyTouch are the original android devices, and they shouldn't be too expensive on craigslist or ebay.
Huawei devices are cheaper too, and suitable for development in most cases http://www.huaweidevice.com/worldwide/productFamily.do?method=index&directoryId=2037&treeId=37
pd: check android models :p