Google IO developer conference is on tomorrow and this year the annual event has plenty of expectations. From Android on the phone, to Chromecast in the living room, even Auto in the car and Wear on your wrist, Google is everywhere in our lives and at I/O in 2015, Google will again pitch developers on why they’re the best platform to write for.
Android began a story of universal apps last year, but in the last 12 months, we really haven’t moved forward in that arena, so hopefully Google has more to say on that issue. By far the biggest issues Google has to solve is no longer design, it’s versions. As of May 2015, Android 4.4 KitKat (released Oct 31st, 2013) is the most widely used version. Android Lollipop accounts for only 10% of the devices in market.
It’s weird to say, but Google should follow the Windows 10 model of forcing users to always be updated and on the latest version. Only then can developers start to target the latest features and ease support issues across so many versions, when they’re already dealing with hardware differences.
Google I/O will almost certainly talk about the next release of Android (Android M) so developers can prepare their apps for the upcoming changes in APIs and any UI/UX changes. For the most part Lollipop’s introduction of material design solved the design of Android and doesn’t need much tweaking, at least on phones. Android on tablets is basically forgotten at this point and it’s unclear if Google even cares.
Gizmodo UK actually has a great list of things to expect from I/O 2015, if you can’t wait till 2:30AM AEST tomorrow, then check it out, just be sure to come back and watch the live stream with social updates below.
