Initially offered for free, Google is now accepting paid applications from US and UK developers. These android apps will be available to the US public by the middle of this week.
Launched in 2007 as the first complete, open and free mobile platform, Google
is adjusting its course by allowing developers to sell their applications through the Android Market for mobile applications.
Google defines their androids as a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. Developers write managed code in Java language that controls the mobile device through Google's core Java libraries. Multiple aps can run at the same time and enable Smartphone users to do everything from check emails, install another browser, customize maps, call a cab, find a restaurant, view photos and movies, and play games.
Detailed information is provided for Android app developers--complete with design philosophy, development guidelines, emulator, standard set of widgets, sample code and examples of launched applications. It appears that Google may move full force into an arena that has been lucrative for Apple's smarphone. Priced Android applications for the T-Mobile G1 Smartphone, launch first in the US and UK, followed by Google's plans to invite developers in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France and Spain to submit priced Android apps later this quarter.
The new apps are able to integrate, replace and extend components present in Google's existing Android stack. For example, a new address book ap with additional features may replace the existing Google address book. The underlying mobile system will then redirect user requests to the new application. Security issues are currently addressed by assigning IDs and permissions, as well as sandboxing each application.
Google is encouraging developers by offering two Android Development Challenges. Challenge I has received over 1800 submissions and is now closed to entries. Challenge II begins sometime after devices go to market. The purse for each Challenge is a five-million-dollar award.
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