Google has just released the software development kit (SDK) for Android and it’s already apparent that the SDK’s very heavily influenced by Apple.
Developers can now use the open-source SDK to start creating programs in time for the first Android phones next year. Google claims the SDK will tap into most features we’ll see on handsets like 3G access, music/video and controls (i.e. touchscreen and keypad).
So where does the Apple link come in? The platform for Android’s web browser is the same as for Apple’s Safari (as seen on computers and the iPhone).
And that’s not all: other areas of the OS also resemble existing Apple operating systems – including the need to tap and finger-drag to scroll round pages. There’s also a Mac OSX-style dock and a Cover Flow-style interface for pop-up notices (as seen on the iPhone).
Before you start screaming that Android devices will just be iPhones in another guise, bear in mind that none of the manufacturers who signed up to the Open Handset Alliance are obliged to use any/all of the Android features listed above.
One thing’s for sure – Apple’s iPhone is already proving itself to be one of the most influential developments in mobile for a long time.
[Via Apple Insider]
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