Just have a question regarding which platform to use or which is the most commonly used sdk platform for development?
I am preparing an application which has a location finder using google maps, and the primary target of client is to make it run on most of the android phones. I was thinking to go with google api 2.2 platform 8, would it be good?
EDIT - 1
Thanks for the information guys, but when looking at android platform distribution page here:
http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html
I get a feel that why not i should go for 2.3.3? any suggestions on this?
You can find the current Android Platform Version distribution here.
It's a living updated document/page, so keep an eye on it over a period of time.
Yes you can use the platform as google api 2.2. As the app deployed will be compatible with all higher versions.
Also the market share is as follows:Android OS market Share
Its better to use 2.2, because from 2.2 only the android was picking up... And it supplies your requirements also...
Related
Sorry if this is a too easy question. I'm a long time web developer and now trying to carry my experience to mobile platforms through cordova. I've installed android sdk manager but don't know which api versions to include. My question is, does latest api version have also support for older versions? Do I need to include all other versions for my app to be able work on those older versions? And where do android sdk apis fit in cordova? How should I compile for the release?
Thanks.
I could see too many sub questions in a single question. To answer your question in short, you can install the latest version of android sdk which in turn supports older versions too.
The best place for you to start in understanding these concepts relative to Cordova is the official documentation link This links should answer almost all your questions. Hope it helps. Cheers
The PhoneGap installation requires that I install Eclipse, and then use the Android SDK Manager to install the versions of the Android SDK/API. Each of these is a large download, and there is access to versions API 3 through API 21. However, I do not want to install them all and I would like advice on which is a good mix to use when I am not targeting a particular Android version but would like to cover as many devices as possible.
I checked the previous questions and I could not find this specific question from a search. I have noted an important question concerning the Android SDK Build Tools versions, but not the APIs to select.
Do I need to download more than one? Or is the latest (API 21) sufficient for my development work?
If you are aware of previous discussions on this that I have missed in my search I would greatly appreciate being pointed to these.
Phonegap is currently supporting Cordova 3.6.3 which requires API version 19. That is really the only version you need.
I just installed the android apk and adt plugin for eclipse. Further in the sdk manager , I've installed all the tools , Android 4.4.2(API 19) , Android 2.1(API 7) as well as the android support library and google USB driver. Now what i want to know about is , are these packages enough to start development or am i still missing everything ?
Further what i want to know is, if i want my app to be compatible with all android versions , do i need to install all versions of Android API ??
This should be enough.
No, you just need the newest SDK, set the build target to that API version and all lower versions will be supported. For keeping backwards-compatibility, you'll also have to make sure to use APIs that are supported on the lowest SDK version you want to support
Short answer: You only have to install the ones you want to develop for.
My advice in to install at least the 5 most common ones to be able to test your app against these version.
You probably want your app to be also available for users which didn't yet update to Android 4.4.2.
I would like to test and distribute my phonegap app. It already runs for iPhone.
At first I installed the newest SDK (4.0.3) but this one does not run on my phone. So... i guess I have to install more.
What do I need to install in the Android SDK Manager?
All SDKs? Do I need the Sample/Arm/GoogleAPI/Sources too?
Generally I install all the SDK versions as it is good to be able to test on the various emulators to make sure you app works in all versions of Android. You should always build your application with the latest SDK but in your AndroidManifest.xml file you should have a android:minSdkVersion set to the lowest Android level you want your app to run on. For now I recommend 7 (Android 2.1) as 97% of the phones are running 2.1 or above.
As you can see in the platform versions chart here it is recommended to use Android 2.1 or 2.2 SDK to cover almost all the Android devices on the market.
I think you don't need Sample/ARM/Sources, though if you need to use Google proprietary API (for example Google Maps API) you need to use Google API versions of 2.1 or 2.2.
You only need the SDK that matches the API level you intend to build for.
This page: http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html
has a breakdown of what devices are most active in currrent use (accessed market within 2 weeks)
Judging by that, if you target 2.1 you'd be able to install your app on 98.3% of all such devices.
It is generally best to pick the oldest platform that supports all of the features you need. Just stay at or above 1.6, that is when support for multiple screen sizes was introduced.
As I think, the best solution is SDK 2.2. Many devices work with this android version.
On your Android phone go to settings->About Phone and view the Android version. This should be the sdk you will need. Afterwords, you can just change the target android sdk version in your app and it should run on your phone. As for the folders you speak of - they contain some examples, the source code of the sdk and some additional apis to use google services. It is up to you whether you will need them. You will definitely need the platform-tools from the Android SDK manager - they provide you with the adb tool that enables you to upload applications to your device.
If I have a Android Dev Phone 2 phone that comes with 1.6, can I upgrade it to Android 2.1 ?
Thanks
No. The latest supported version is 1.6. If they will release an update I think you will find it here:
http://developer.htc.com/google-io-device.html
It is true that 1.6 is the latest stable official version from HTC. But you can try installing an unofficial rom from androidspin.com
I found these instructions useful for getting OpenEclair installed on my Google Ion device. These instructions are a little dated. There is a new version of Open Eclair available. WARNING: I am not responsible if you brick your phone. That said, it went pretty smooth for me. You just have to read carefully (Google for stuff you don't understand, and for the latest versions of stuff) and cross your fingers. Good luck. And don't expect everything to work in an unofficial rom. Things like GPS or Bluetooth could be non-functional depending on the rom you install.
http://denraf.be/content/howto-android-21-g1adp1dream