In a matter of very little time we have gone from simply talking about smartphones and tablets, in which only the screen size varies, to talking about Car and Android smart watches. This complicates things for programmers, doesn't it? Google has launched the first multi-device application compatible with mobile, car and watch.
A unique code
But what is that multi-device? Can't today's applications no longer be used on multiple devices? First you have to define what multi-device means. We are not talking about the possibility of running the application on several of the same devices at the same time, such as two or three smartphones, as could happen, for example, with Spotify. We are not talking about that, but rather about the fact of being able to use an application on three different types of devices, and in this case they would be the smartphone or tablet, the car, and the smart watch. The first would have the standard version of Android, the second with Android Auto, and the third with Android Wear.
What's so special about an application being multi-device? Well, this application has the same code on all three devices, it is the same, but it can be run on all three at the same time. Today there are some applications that have already launched their version for smart watches, but the truth is that these applications are different from the version for smartphones. That is over, because now Google invites programmers to make their applications the same for smartphones, cars and watches, a single application, with a single code, which can be run on all three types of devices. To do this, Google has launched what is known as a sampler, an example application that helps programmers to understand how they have done it, and that it is, in this case, a music player.
A new future
This novelty could be very relevant as far as the future of Android Wear and Android Auto is concerned. So far, programmers who wanted their applications on all three types of devices were going to have to work three times as long. Now they will have to work more to make that single application compatible with all three, but once they master the steps to follow it will be much simpler than having to launch three applications, and it will allow them to reach many more devices. In turn, that will bring us many more applications for our watches or for our vehicles. From the most used messaging applications to the most basic video games. Hopefully, compatible applications will begin to arrive soon for all three types of devices.
If you want to get this new music player, you will find all the necessary files on GitHub, as well as the steps to follow to get the .apk file.