Android Platform
Adesh Bora Guide
T.E.I.T Prof. Pawar Mam
Roll No.-10
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Main topics
1. Introduction
2. Platform
3. Software development
4. Overall evaluation
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Smart phone OS
Symbian
Windows Mobile
RIM Blackberry OS
Apple iOS
Google Android
Palm WebOS
Windows Phone 7
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Android
Software platform developed by Google for
mobile phone
Free of charge
Open source (Apache License except for kernel)
Packaging OS to upper layer applications such as
browser
It is said that handset using Android will be
released in 21st oct 2008
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Android OS
Fastest growing mobile OS
First phone launched HTC G1 in 2008
Currently an OS of choice for Motorola,
HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, among
others
Software updates every few months
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What is Android?
A complete software stack for mobile devices..
Introducing Android
A first joined project off the Open Handset Alliance (OHA)..
First open, complete and free platform
Software stack open-sourced under Apache 2..0 license
Source code will be available and everyone will have the capability to
built an image
The Android platform
It includes an operating system,, a middleware and some applications..
Lightweight and full featured
Developers can extend and replace existing components
A generous development environment
A SDK is available to build, compile, test and debug user applications..
Applications are developed using Java programming language
No difference between the built-in applications and the user ones
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The Android platform
Linux Kernel
Native Libraries
Android Runtime
Applicatiion Framework…
Anatomy of an Android application
Creating and deploying an application
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Why Android ?
Full phone software stack including
applications
Designed as a platform for software
development
Android is open
Android is free
Community support
Tool support
100% Java Phone
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Android – what is it?
software stack for mobile devices
incl. OS, middleware and key applications
Open source – source code is open and
contributions are welcome
application framework enabling
reuse/replacement of apps
integrated browser based on webkit
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Android – what is it?
Optimized graphics – 2D graphics library, 3D
based on OPEN GL ES
Media support (MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC,
JPG, PNG,…)
Support for radio interfaces, Bluetooth, WiFi,
Camera, GPS, accelerometer
Software Development Kit (SDK)
Preinstalled applications from Google (GMS)
Gmail, Maps, Search, Voice Search, Youtube
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Software Stack
Linux kernel
Libraries
Android run time
core libraries
Dalvik virtual machine
application layer
application protocol
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Android GUI
Java 1.5 support
GUI is fully written in Java
but it is not AWT / Swing
and neither J2ME LCDUI
Widget toolkit
XML based GUI
(Touch) screen
Might have a keyboard
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Android applications are
compiled to Dalvik bytecode
Write app in Java
Compiled in Java
Transformed to Dalvik bytecode
Loaded into Dalvik VM
Linux OS
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University of Aberdeen, 2010
The Dalvik runtime is optimised
for mobile applications
Run multiple VMs
efficiently
Each app has its own VM
Minimal memory footprint
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University of Aberdeen, 2010
Android Architecture
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Linux Kernel
• Works as a HAL
• Device drivers
• Memory management
• Process management
• Networking
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Libraries
• C/C++ libraries
• Interface through Java
• Surface manager – Handling UI Windows
• 2D and 3D graphics
• Media codecs, SQLite, Browser engine
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Android Runtime
• Dalvik VM
– Dex files
– Compact and efficient than class files
– Limited memory and battery power
• Core Libraries
– Java 5 Std edition
– Collections, I/O etc…
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Application Framework
• API interface
• Activity manager – manages application
life cycle.
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Applications
• Built in and user apps
• Can replace built in apps
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Application Framework
Rich, extensible set of Views
apps can inclused lists, grids, text boxes, buttons,
web browser
Content Providers
allows data access from other applications or share
own data
Resource Manager
access to localized strings, graphics, layout files
Notification Manager
enables custom alerts to be displayed in status bar
Activity Manager
Manages lifecycle of applications and provides
navigation backstack
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There is a common file structure
for applications
code
Autogenerated
files resource list
images
UI layouts
constants
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University of Aberdeen, 2010
Standard components form
building blocks for Android apps
Notifications
Has life-cycle
Activity
screen
Views
App to handle content
Intents
Background app
Service Like music player
manifest
ContentProviders Other applications
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University of Aberdeen, 2010
Android applications have
common
Views such as structure
lists, grids, text An Activity Manager that
boxes, buttons, manages the life cycle of
and even an applications and provides
embeddable web a common navigation
browser backstack
Content A Notification Manager
Providers that that enables all apps to
enable display custom alerts in the
applications to status bar
access data from
other applications
A Resource Manager,
(such as
providing access to non-
Contacts), or to
code resources such as
share their own
localized strings,
data
graphics, and layout files
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Bruce Scharlau, FaaDoOEngineers.com
University of Aberdeen, 2010
Android applications have
common structure
Broadcast
Activity is the presentation
receivers can
layer of your app: there will
trigger intents that
be one per screen, and the
start an application
Views provide the UI to the
activity
Data storage
provide data for
Intents specify what
your apps, and
specific action should be
can be shared
performed
between apps –
database, file,
and shared Services run in the
preferences background and have
(hash map) used no UI for the user –
by group of they will update data,
applications and trigger events
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University of Aberdeen, 2010
Application Fundamentals
Activities
application presentation layer
Services
invisible components, update data sources, visible activities, trigger notifications
perform regular processing even when app is not active or invisible
Content Providers
shareable data store
Intents
message passing framework
broadcase messages system wide, for an action to be performed
Broadcast receivers
consume intent broadcasts
lets app listen for intents matching a specific criteria like location
Notifications
Toast notification
Status Bar Notification
Dialog notification
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Applications
All apps (native and 3rd party) are written using
the same APIs and run on the same run time
executable
All apps have APIs for hardware access,
location-based services, support for
background services, map-based activities, 2D
and 3D graphics.
App Widgets are miniature app views that can
be embedded in other apps like Home Screen
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App Priority and Processes
Android apps do not have control over their
own life cycles
Aggressively manages resources to ensure
device responsiveness and kills process/apps
when needed
Active Process – critical priority
Visible Process – high priority
Started Service Process
Background Process – low priority
Empty process
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Client apps
Developed using the Android SDK and
installed on user devices
Compiled Java code, with data and resource –
bundled by Android Asset Packaging tool
(AAPT) into Android package or .apk
All applications have Android Manifest file in its
root directory
provides essential information about app
Could be installed directly on phone, but
necessary to be distributed thru Market
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Web Apps
An alternative to standalone apps
Developed using web standards and
accessed through browser – nothing to
install on devices
Mixing client and web apps is also
possible – Client apps can embed web
pages using “Webview” in Android app
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SDK
Android APIs, Full Documentation and Sample code
Development tools
Dalvik Debug Monitor Service (DDMS)
Android Debug Bridge (ADB)
Android Emulator
Online support and blog
Native Development Kit also available
allows developers to implement parts of apps in native-
code languages like C/C++
Plug in available to use Eclipse integrated development
environment
Developer forums and developer phones from Google,
MOTO Dev studio from Motorola
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Android Market
Google Market - Part of GMS apps
3rd party apps submitted to Google, approved and distributed
through Market
Both Free and Paid apps
Apps now limited to 50 MB; updates possible through Market
Monetization through ads available
Available in many countries, not all countries have support for paid
apps
Other Market place applications available – Amazon has announced
its own Android Market place
App searches filtered based on Manifest file (eg. if a device does not
have trackball, apps using trackball will be filtered out)
Every app publishes a list of components the app will access and
permissions need to be granted before installation
Apps installed on device and SD card (SD Card from Froyo)
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Search
Core feature in android
User should be able to search any data on
device or internet
Usually one of the android buttons
Search suggestions based on recent queries
Provide custom search suggestions that match
actual results in application data
system side Quick Search Box
Voice Search available and enhanced in recent
releases
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Locations & Maps
Compelling and most popular apps for
mobile devices
Google Maps provides free navigation
applications allowed access to location
services supported by device
Google provides Maps external library
allows built-in downloading, rendering and
caching of Maps tiles, and other display
options and controls
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Device Administration
Froyo introduces support for enterprise
applications with Device Administraion
API
allows to create security-aware
applications to control employee devices
Apps might include
Email clients
remote wipe
device management services and apps
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Android Software Updates
Android 1.0 – G1
1.5 – Cupcake
1.6 – Donuts (CDMA support)
2.0 – Éclair (Droid introduced with Éclair)
2.2 – Froyo
2.3 Gingerbread (SDK released 2 weeks ago and source
will follow soon)
API Levels used by apps to identify software version on
the device
Android apps are generally forward compatible with
newer version, but not necessarily backwards
compatible
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Compatibility
Why?
Allow customizable devices
Create Common eco system
Android compatibility is free and easy
Obtain Android source code
Comply with Android Compatibility Definition (ACD) doc
List requirements that need to be met for devices to be compatible with a
particular version on Android
Pass the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS)
Automated test harness running on desktop, manages test exectuion
Test cases written, packaged as .apk to run on actual device or emulator
Porting guide available for bringing up Android on custom
HW
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Other possibilities
Google TV - a new platform based on
Android
Tablets – Samsung Galaxy tab
introduced in Oct 2010
eBook reader – Latest Barnes and Noble
Nook is an Android tablet
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A real word example I
A translater for Android
You cannot read anything
If you are in a country where no one
understands your language
No aditional device needed
You have your mobile phone always
with you
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A real word example II
Uses the google translator
Can be extended with new languages
Adaptive GUI
Uses XMPP for data transmission
GUI fully defined in XML
Uses camera input and OCR
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Resources
http://www.android.com
http://http://androiddevelopers.blogspot.c
om
http://developer.motorola.com/
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Thanks
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