Google Urges Android Developers to Consider Tablets

News
By Zak Islam
published

Apple's App Store features over quarter of a million apps designed specifically for the iPad.

Google is urging Android developers to create their apps for tablets instead of predominately focusing on a smartphone version.

Speaking to The Guardian, Google's mobile team product manager, Robert Hamilton, said: "We'd like developers to think more and more about great tablet experiences. There's a lot of really good Android tablets out there now."

Hamilton stressed that the firm's first tablet, the Nexus 7, was the first product to essentially grab developers' attention about releasing apps that are specifically designed for just tablets. With the impending launch of its 10-inch Nexus 10 tablet on November 13, Hamilton believes more developers will begin to grasp the importance of making apps compatible with tablets.

"We actually think that the Nexus 7 was the tipping point and [the Nexus 10] is pushing it further. We are seeing the smart Android developers move quickly towards great tablet experiences, which sometimes means rethinking their apps."

The Google Play store recently exceeded 700,000 apps, subsequently matching the amount of applications Apple's App Store features. The latter, however, offers over 250,000 iPad-specific apps.

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Zak Islam
16 Comments Comment from the forums
  • clubsaucekiller
    Good Android tablets currently available:
    Reply
  • Someone Somewhere
    clubsaucekillerGood Android tablets currently available:Galaxy Tab 2, Galaxy Note 10.1, Nexus 7, TF300, soon-to-be Nexus 10 etc.
    Reply
  • lemlo
    Though I don't even think chrome is all that optimized for what it could be on a tablet. Slightly hypocritical. At least the jellybean default browser is pretty darn nice.
    Reply
  • CrArC
    clubsaucekillerGood Android tablets currently available:As wrong as you are (oh, so, so wrong) your comment did still get a laugh out of me.

    Reply
  • the good thing about android is that the non optimized apps scale up much better than iphone apps on iPad, I have a full HD tablet (ASUS Transformer Infinity) and Ive found plenty of games that look great on the 1920x1200 screen

    there are plenty of other great tabs too
    ASUS Infinity
    ASUS TF300
    ASUS PadFone (Phone and tablet)
    Acer A700
    Nexus 7
    Nexus 10
    Some samsung ones

    and some others too
    Reply
  • CrArC
    lemloThough I don't even think chrome is all that optimized for what it could be on a tablet. Slightly hypocritical. At least the jellybean default browser is pretty darn nice.Absolutely. It's not bad, though. Certainly one of the prettiest browsers on Android right now (firefox looks ugly by comparison).

    However, simple things like being able to spoof useragents (permanently, not that stupid "request desktop site" button that works 50% of the time) are conspicuous in their absence. As is ad blocking, if I recall (and blocking ads significantly improves the tablet browsing experience). Firefox allows extensions which handle all of this very nicely, as do several other browsers.
    Reply
  • nebun
    lol....this is sad...no one wants to develop for goolge, lol....iPhone all the way :)
    Reply
  • wemakeourfuture
    There's no question iPad apps are much better than Android tablet apps. Having to stretch phone apps onto a tablet is horrible and I have seen on my father-in-laws and nieces Android tablets way too many apps doing this. Sadly, when people compare products here they just look at the specs and bypass the software and overall experience. iPad still has an advantage on the overall experience with software + hardware for the majority of its customers.

    Google should also be doing a better job on supporting quicker OS updates and have devices support updates for a longer time frame.

    Microsoft generally has a 4-5 year support cycle.
    Apple has a ~3 years support cycle.
    Average Android tablet is like 10-12 months.
    Reply
  • freggo
    nebunlol....this is sad...no one wants to develop for goolge, lol....iPhone all the way
    So you are an iPhone user?
    May I let you in on a little secret?
    A lot of websites make changes and updates first for PC users, then Android visitors and then, if there is time and money left, for iPhone/iPad users.
    Why ? Because it is notoriously difficult, especially on media rich websites, to be compatible with Fruit based products !

    So if you do not mind to be at the end of the line... then keep on smiling :-)
    Reply
  • Well since tablets are just a fad and ultimately provide the least functionality and daily use from any of our other devices, I personally dont want dev's to focus on tablets. Focus on the smartphone, thats what I keep on me 12+ hours a day, and near me 24 hours a day. Sure I know if you design a new product you dont want it to be ignored, but face reality, tablets are useless. I know, I own 3 of them (Galaxy Tab, Ipad 1, Nexus 7).
    Reply