developers

Google wants to use Project Treble to "help manufacturers update devices to new versions of Android more quickly." This might not come as much of a shock to those of you that've been watching the development of Google's Project Treble since inception. There's been a debate over the past decade on whether Google should try to emulate the model Apple has with the iPhone with iOS updates - regardless of the extreme differences between the two company's methods in hardware sales and software development. The latest update from Google, it would seem, suggests that Google is very clearly striving for Android OS updates for as many Android smartphones as possible.

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Today we're looking at how Android 10 utilizes collected info from phones connected with Google Play to optimize apps on current devices. After the initial shock of Android 10 gestures and the joy of discovering top-tier features like internal audio screen recording, we took a brief look at what lies beneath. Android 10 was released on September 3, 2019, starting with Google Pixel smartphones and moving out from there - right to Essential Phone and others.

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This week the folks at Google responsible for destroying bugs in software have expanded their bug bounty program. Adam Bacchus, Sebastian Porst, and Patrick Mutchler of Android Security and Privacy released a statement on the subject, suggesting that they are "increasing the scope of GPSRP to include all apps in Google Play with 100 million or more installs." GPSRP stands for Google Play Security Reward Program. Google also launched a new program along similar lines called the Developer Data Protection Reward Program (DDPRP).

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A user by the name of "Droogie" (Joseph Tartaro) decided he'd be clever and register a custom license plate with the word NULL. That means blank, empty, the end - it's not a word you hear people use all that often other than to say "null and void" - which, incidentally, was part of Tartaro's plan. He'd intended on getting 2 custom plates, one for himself, the other for his wife, one that said NULL, the other VOID.

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Anyone who has played a video game may have had one or both of two thoughts. Either they think they can do one better or they get inspired to create their own. Unfortunately, many of those ideas remain just that, ideas, because of the high entry to barrier in game development. Even game engines like Unity have a steep learning curve, especially for those starting completely from scratch. Google's skunkworks arm Area 120 is rising to the challenge with Game Builder, a prototype "multiplayer" game maker that requires no previous knowledge at all.

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ASUS just send their new ZenFone 6 smartphone to a number of 3rd-party developers on non-Google versions of Android. It's apparent that ASUS contacted the developer-centric XDA Developers Forum at some point this year, and this week they've announced a the collection of developers with which they've worked. As it were, the folks at XDA seem to have done the selecting - but the list shows a who's who for users who've not kept up with the whole rooting/modifying Android smartphone community over the last several years.

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With less than a week until WWDC, and following a Supreme Court ruling giving the green light to App Store antitrust lawsuits, Apple is bringing out the big guns in its defense of the download store and its approvals policies. A new post about how the App Store works - and why it's at its best the way it is now - has been added to Apple's site, contesting allegations that the walled garden is bad for consumers and developers alike.

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Google took the wraps off its anticipated video game streaming platform today, unveiling Stadia at the Game Developers Conference. The company has laid out the details for both future players and developers, stating that it will be working on building games exclusively for its new platform via its new Stadia Games and Entertainment division. The company has already started working with third-party developers, as well, and has sent out dozens of development kits.

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Apple will hold WWDC 2019 from June 3-7, the company has announced today, its annual developer event where we traditionally get our first big preview of upcoming iPhone and Mac software. The conference will be held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, with applications for tickets open now.

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In the year 2019, Google will once again push forward API requirements for apps of all sorts, rendering old apps obsolete. If you use an app that's updated fairly regularly, you've got nothing to worry about. However, if you're using an app that's not been updated since it was first downloaded, you might need to prepare for the inevitable.

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Last month, Google announced that its I/O 2019 event will take place in early May in Mountain View, California. In an update today, the company revealed that it has opened its ticket drawing to give applicants a chance at attending the developer conference. Qualified applicants have until February 27 to enter the ticket drawing; winners will be randomly selected.

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A new even earlier timing for updating Google apps became apparent this week as Google aims for better security and an overall more consistent mobile experience. Developers received messages notifying them of the testing of this new feature and that it'll be rolling out to users across the planet in the near future. This service will be opt-out, if for whatever reason a user would want to choose to keep their older versions of apps at sign-in.

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