Why we haven’t ported Osmos to Android
[edit: Osmos has finally been ported to Android! You can get it here.]
A lot of people have been asking us if and when we’ll bring Osmos to Android. After all, we’ve already ported it to iOS and Linux, so it should be a no-brainer, right? Well… unfortunately not. We’d like to, but after having spent some time and effort looking into it, we aren’t going to just yet.
There are a number of reasons, but there’s only one that’s truly blocking us: OpenAL support. Surprisingly – especially for an OS based on Linux – Android does not yet support the OpenAL sound library! Osmos is strongly tied to OpenAL and makes extensive use of its pitch-shifting functionality, which most sound libraries (such as SDL) do not support. And since we are not willing to sacrifice the quality and richness of sound in Osmos – not to mention the extra work involved in migrating to a different library – we’re blocked. There is a light at the end of the tunnel however: we’ve heard rumours that OpenAL support is on Google’s roadmap. We’re not sure when, but when it arrives, we’ll get started on the port.
While that could be the end of the story, I think it’s worth pointing out some of our other considerations. None of these are actually blocking, but they do reduce the appeal of porting to Android, and will also limit the audience we’ll be able to reach.
Multitouch: This may be a good time to point out that Android is an OS which extends beyond smart phones and tablets, and device standardization is a bit of a nightmare. Sure, Android may run on your toaster someday, and that’s great – but will your toaster sport a multitouch screen? Regardless, there are already a ton of Android phones on the market that do not support multitouch, and even the OS has been rather half-baked with respect to its multitouch support. It seems that only recently – with OS 2.1 and the latest wave of devices – has multitouch become a proper standard on Android phones. As such, when we do port Osmos, it will only be supported on recent phones and OS versions.
On the subject of devices, I’d like to add that the huge variety of Android phones on the market is a daunting QA and support task. And while it’s easy to say we’ll “just support a few, modern phones” (like the Samsung Galaxy, the HTC Evo 4G, etc.), the Android Marketplace has little infrastructure to support this. Listing all supported devices in the application’s description in not a great nor a foolproof solution; most users do or will not understand the lack of support for their device, leading to a lot of upset customers and reviews. Even the ever-popular Angry Birds – a game with simpler input and resource requirements – has had trouble in this area. Osmos will suffer even more from these issues. I must admit it feels somewhat like opening Pandora’s Box.
Finally, as indie developers who depend on games for their living, we have to ask if it’s worth it financially. Porting to any new platform is a significant amount of work simply from a support, maintenance and PR standpoint; and in Android’s case the actual development effort looks to be significant. And while many point to the growing device numbers and market share of Android phones, we’ve heard that application sales are lagging far behind. Apparently Android phone owners purchase way less software than their iPhone counterparts. Perhaps it’s due to piracy, but I suspect it’s mostly due to the difference in online store integration, and even “culture.” As for numbers, we’ve heard anecdotal evidence that Android app sales are anywhere from 2% to 33% of what they are on iOS. Now, if Osmos were to sell 33% on Android what it does on iOS, we’d be very satisfied. On the other hand, if it only sells 2%… ugh. In the end, if we could reasonably expect 10%, we’d consider that worth our while. The problem is, it may not even hit that modest amount. If any developers out there are willing to share their numbers – in absolute terms or in relative percentages – needless to say we’d love to hear them!! :)
All that said, we do plan to port Osmos to Android — someday. We have lots of love for open standards and communities, both as users (eg. all our libraries and tools!) and developers (eg. the Linux port of Osmos). So let’s go, Google — bring on the OpenAL support and we’ll be right behind you.
Hello…?
Google……?
97 Comments
Peter
December 16, 2010Regarding Android and revenues, you guys are clearly not Android phone owners. I say this not because piracy is something to worry about (I’m sure it is), I say this because there are NO great games for Android, excepting Angry Birds.
iOS developers are pumping out awesome-looking awesome-sounding games at a rate that you couldn’t really even try them all today unless it were your full time job.
In contrast, there is a huge, huge dearth of quality Android game content. If you can get there early, I think you’ll more than make your 10% number.
KaKaRoTo
December 16, 2010Hi,
You’re raising some good points, I initially thought your main concern was “we’d need to rewrite it in java”, but maybe I’m just misinformed on what android apps can be.
Have you thought however on porting it to Maemo (N900) ? I see there’s a ‘openal-soft’ package for maemo, so you could use OpenAL (I think but without HW acceleration). Also, porting to it would be much easier since Maemo is a real linux system. All I did to port my app (not a game) was ‘apt-get source ‘ on debian, copied it to scratchbox then ‘dpkg-buildpackage’ and it just worked. I’m not sure it would generate a lot of revenue on Maemo, but if the task of porting to it is minimal, maybe it’s worth a shot ?
However, I do not know how paid apps work on Maemo, I know that angry bird (and other paid apps) is available for it on the ovi store, you may want to look into that.
Thanks,
KaKaRoTo
Maverynthia
December 16, 2010Ah yes, roll out the piracy wagon and blame it on that. Honestly I haven’t even heard of all that much Android piracy.
The problem isn’t so much piracy as it is cloning. Someone will make an app, and someone else will make the same app, only free. Though a GOOD app has nothing to fear, which is why Angry Birds and Squiddle are doing so well. They offer robust gameplay and feel like solid games.
Lazor
December 16, 2010Seriously, Maverynthia? Piracy was clearly a minor part of the post, stop acting like it’s the only reason they aren’t porting it.
H
December 16, 2010http://pielot.org/2010/12/14/openal-on-android/ ?
I heard 2.3 have some support for OpenSL…
Conan Kudo (ニール・ゴンパ)
December 16, 2010OpenAL for Android. It Exists. It LIVES!!! http://pielot.org/2010/12/14/openal-on-android/
eddybox
December 16, 2010Woah, it’s not “native” yet, but that’s a great article (and only 2 days old!) on how to compile OpenAL for Android. Thanks for the link!
Regarding Angry Birds, does anyone know why Rovio decided to release it as a free, ad-supported game on Android as opposed to 99-cents like it is on iPhone?
Michael
December 16, 2010Apparently Rovio and many other developers have just been unhappy with the way the Android Market does payments. I haven’t seen any recent articles on the issue, but at the end of October many countries still did not have access to paid Android apps, the checkout system wasn’t great, and as you mentioned, paid apps just weren’t as popular as on iOS.
A few days ago there were articles on Gigaom (http://goo.gl/4Ahmf) and Engadget (http://engt.co/dWJVa0) and apparently Rovio is so fed up with the situation that they are creating their own payment system.
It seems like there is definitely a very large market on Android, and a lack of good games to compete with, but it might also be a hard market to be profitable in. In any case, if that OpenAL support works it seems like it would definitely be worth a try!
Frank Earl (aka "Svartalf")
December 17, 2010Well, I’m going to work at making OpenAL a bit better of an answer… I’ve got games that use it to port to Android and any other ARM Linux variant… :-D
mmiicc
December 17, 2010+1000 for Maemo port!
mrben
December 17, 2010Recent reports I’ve seen seem to indicate that Android owners are just as likely to splash out on games as iOS users. And Rovio are claiming that they’re making $1m/month revenue from Android through advertising alone.
I understand your reasons based on software and hardware support, but I suggest that you do a little bit more research into user uptake and potential revenues.
aeiowu
December 17, 2010@Peter
That’s an interesting comment and I heard it all the time from Android users before we ported Solipskier to Android. I heard chimes of “oh man, you guys are gonna clean up, there are no good games out there.”
But that’s not actually true.
There are probably plenty of good games out there. Steambirds, Galcon and dozens of others. Apple puts a great deal of effort into searching out the gems submitted to their app store and putting them on display for people to check out. It’s handpicked by humans and it shows. The impression is that iDevices simply have better games/apps, and perhaps they do now that the platform is so well established, but in the beginning I highly doubt that there was some magical difference. Apple spends resources on putting the best apps in front of consumers, Android doesn’t.
There are also the issues Eddy mentioned about device support. That’s a huge problem and because of this we’ve had a lot of troubles getting Solipskier to run as well as it does on even a 1st-gen iPod Touch. Say what you will about closed systems, but they are much easier to guarantee a high quality product from a development perspective.
I think it’s really smart of them to be patient with the port and try and do it right, and if they can’t, not do it at all.
Roadshow
December 17, 2010Worth bearing in mind that Osmos has been around for a while now, and that many of us will already have completed it on PC and be unlikely to buy it a 2nd time.
If the difference between iOS and Android is that the latter appeals more to the tech-savvy, then Android users may be more likely to have already played the game.
Maybe you guys should just wait until Google releases it’s tablet OS.
ponce
December 17, 2010Well you can pitch-shift with implementing your own SDL mixer (not using SDL_mixer).
You can use libogg to pull more sample from your music then the tricky part is interpolation/filtering of this data to feed your callback.
From what I header pitch-shifting in Osmos is resampling. Right ?*
But yes it could be too much work if you also need to implement positional sound.
danijel00
December 17, 2010One word BADA
http://www.bada.com/whatisbada/ecosystem/
Samsung Wave s8500 is one of the best phones on the market, even compared to the flagship android devices, especially the screen (super amoled) and BADA should have more than enough capabilites to port Osmos. real world performance is well above any android device with similiar hardware (1ghz cpu) thanks to the proprietary os…
Downside is that there is relatively small market, but it is craving new software and while there was a “hack” to run pirated games it has been thoroughly fixed… comparing to the ios or android market which are oversaturated , there is a lot of room for new quality apps, even those costing 5-6$
new and cheaper bada phones recently launched covering the low/mid price range and since it is not “geeky” enough, you can bet that a lot of new people would see your app for the first time on samsung apps store.. samsung will pump a lot of money for the next few years…
Harald Korneliussen
December 19, 2010It beats me why Rovio went ad-only. I for one would have paid for an ad-free version.
Don’t be afraid of using competing app stores. As was mentioned, Google does very little to help us find the good apps – strange, as you’d think they would be very good at it, but it’s true. The market is flooded with crap, and it appears to work for the app spammers.
I would also have bought Osmos. Glad to hear you’re not ideologically opposed to it. Feel free to send me a mail if and when it’s ready.
mrben
December 20, 2010AFAICT Rovio went ad-only for a couple of reasons.
1. On Android they were handling the release themselves and wanted to experiment.
2. They were working on the recently mentioned “Bad Piggy Bank” method of inline payment. (So you will be able to pay for an ad-free version pretty soon)
3. $1m/month in ad revenue. One. Million. Dollars. () Not to be sniffed at.
Matthew
December 22, 2010@Roadshow
Even though I already have osmos on linux I would buy it again if they port to android…
sol
December 29, 2010I already had Osmos on mac when i realized it was available also for iPhone. I think i had seen it in app store before, but it started to appeal to me only after I had played it on mac.
“yea, that one would definately work with touch screen.”
And it did. I don’t think you would have any problems in selling the Android version, even if the “tech-savvy” had played it before. It’s a great game to have in your pocket.
Syris3000
January 5, 2011Who cares about “rich” and “robust” sound on a crappy little speaker from my phone. Honestly how much do you really play games with the sound on anyway? I would buy Osmos for android without sound, and that is saying a lot since i think I have only paid for 1-2 apps on my phone.
Andrew
January 18, 2011You’ve got an instant purchase from me if you get the port to Android sorted. Here’s hoping.
dbacchus
January 20, 2011To begin, I dare to say that games like Osmos aren’t really for iphone users. Android base would really appreciate it though! If you looked at Android BEFORE (no multitouch, etc), LOOK AGAIN! Things have changed. Android is the future. If you don’t port it, somebody else will STEAL your idea and NO IP laws will help you (you know what I mean, the idea is there). It will be very sad if you allow this to happen…
Brad
January 22, 2011What about supporting Windows Phone 7? It has fixed hardware requirements and all phones support multi-touch.
jorge
January 28, 2011I agree with everything you say on your post and it seems completely sane from your point of view(although most android owners don’t agree). So I’m fearing what your response will be to my question, but what about porting to a Nokia platform? don’t know if symbian would comply with your optimal porting requirements, but I hear Meego is linux based… any hopes there?
SJ
February 10, 2011Any updates on this yet? I loved Osmos on the iPad but hated Apple’s closed eco system. Whilst I can definitely appreciate it makes developing easier, it felt too restrictive. This is the one piece of software that makes me miss iPad but since I now own (the amazing) Galaxy Tab I would really love to see Osmos and play it again!!!!! Please consider what options are available, a trial version would allow people to test their device’s compatibility. Pretty please?
Siebe
February 13, 2011OpenAL wil be fully supported in android 2.3 (which is already on the nexus S and will be on all future devices). for devices below this version you can easily compile the library (http://pielot.org/2010/12/14/openal-on-android/). I believe its time to start porting
Niels
February 19, 2011Good news Siebe, can’t wait for Hemisphere to confirm that I’ll be playing this on my upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 :)
big ben
March 3, 2011Open AL is supported on 2.3 gingerbread.
& new android market web
& in app purchases
New improvement android market & android OS.
& tablets with mutitouch (more than 2 fingers) new android 3.0 Honeycomb OS.
Dual core devices & quad core devices
Android market 260,000 apps available
Android got mutitouch.
Android Is Linux based
Android market will be no.1 by 2012
Android got lots of quality games & apps in 2011. More than It did 2010
Android is getting better.
Less fragmentation.
I got 2.3 on my android phone device.
So start porting osmos to android phones & tablets.
For 2.3 gingerbread + up only & android 3.0 & up + for tablets only.
big ben
March 3, 201160% of android phones are on android 2.3 gingerbread. Good positive.
big ben
March 3, 2011Less culture on android market.
Google secure & check apps before published to the android market.
74% of developers want to develop apps for android OS.
64% for android tablets.
nikos
March 4, 2011these are wonderful news!!android OS the best!
tony
March 19, 2011Guys, your excuses are total boohockey. There are available revenue streams on the android market, the fragmentation of the platform is a poor excuse as over 90% of android devices are now running 2.1 or above. The sound library is interesting but that’s a programming problem- a choice by you not the millions of customers you’re ignoring. Finally, I think there’s plenty of companies who will disagree with you about whether there’s no viable profit to be made. If the game’s good enough, and Osmos is, you’ll make a profit. If you don’t want to convert it that’s your decision, but don’t blame the platform. Alternatively, if you’re not interested in the game on the platform, relax your ip and let someone else do it.
big ben
April 17, 2011If you want to port Osmos to Android, use android 2.3 gingerbread & up & Honeycomb & up because its now support OpenAL, Honeycomb gives you renderscript API (ice cream android phones will have renderscript for phones too) for smooth graphics & garbage collector to stop the game form lagging (good for developing games on android 2.3 & Honeycomb 3.0).
Honeycomb got Hardware acceleration for smooth performance on android tablet devices & great performance on games & apps (ice cream android phones will have hardware accleration too).)
This game will be great for android Honeycomb tablets
Android Honeycomb came out Feb 24. Closed source platform. By May/ June most android tablets will be on Honeycomb OS. Honeycomb got strict hardware rules, No physical buttons, 10.1 + 8,9 not 7 or below tablet inches to run Honeycomb on tablet. Google TV (next game console) will have next new version of android ice cream with android market optimzed for Google tv.
Andy Ruin The boss of Android. Android OS will be strict & fair, all manufactures & carriers will sign the anti-fragmentation clause for next android version ice cream for phones & older apps.
Google bring out a new anti-fragmentation tool kit for Android developers. Android 1.6 + up older apps & Fragment API for Honeycomb.
Google is tightening the the hardware for Honeycomb, ARM chips only.
Andy Rubin close the Honeycomb source code, so nobody can change it or put it on their android smartphones.
Andy Rubin & Google had enough with fragmentation & says no willy nilly on the next android version. Ice cream. So there will be no fragmentation by mid or end of 2011, most mid & high end phones will be updated to the latest android version ice cream 3.x.(I predict that mid & high range phones will be 50% or 90% updated to the next android version ice cream).
Next android version will be announced in may & other great stuff coming to android platform on Google I/O 2011.
Google uses a kill switch so no user can get virus apps & kills copyright apps for the android market
Google new API. Market filters. That filter app on the android market on phones that doesn’t support or work on that particular phone or low end phones. So developers like you don’t have problems with android phones & easier for android developers.
Next html5 apps for android.
Watch the Google I/O 2011 next month, may 9/10. For developers like you. Hemisphere games.
Google brings out carrier billing for android market. So users don’t worry about using credit cards or debit cards, easy for users & easy for developers to get more money & more revenue & more profit for developers apps.
Google is going to create a game center that is similar to ios game center & windows phone 7 Xbox live to rival wp7 Xbox live & ios game center, so is great for developers & big game studios to create & bring quality games titles for android & create multiplayer games for android. So its fun for users & more appealing & easy for developers & big game studios. That improves android platform gaming & quality & improves android platform for users & costumers than before. Beta will come out summer for developers & final will come out late 2011/2012 for android users & developers.
Android game center offical by Google. It will have:
Similar to the Game Center:
Friends
Achievements/Trophies
Leaderboards
Different than Game Center:
Peer Messaging
In-game message boards
Point Total reflecting the number of achievements earned
Better functionality (according to the source)
And Androidify avatar users. similar to Xbox live windows phone 7 & Xbox 360 Avatar.
Android Market got (March/April) 2011 310,000 apps + close to apple app store with 350,000 apps
By late 2011 or mid 2012 android market will surpass app store & will take the no1 spot. That’s mean more app & game developers will develop quality apps & games for android platform.
Developers want to develop apps & games for android
2nd place, but iOS is 1st.
Other platforms 3rd 4th 5th.
This improves Google android platform & ecosystem.
So in the future hemisphere games, develop apps for android platform and port osmos game for android users who are a fan of osmos.
Android mess will stop & it will change into a healthy clean safe ecosystem platform & it will be an open/close platform Google says. In the future. Mid 2011 it will change.
Can’t wait. Please late Q2 or Q3,Q4 2011 or 2012 start porting OSMOS to Android platform.
Android Activations 350,000 phones activated.
Android Market downloads 3 Billion.
Great news
Android Now gives you money currency, so developers like you don’t get mix up with other regions money currency.
Android is not a perfect platform as iOS,WP7
But its a great awesome platform, that improves more than other old & new platforms today. Android improves every year.
so when android improves start developing.
Watch Google I/O 2011, shows android improvements.
:)
Thank you
Please Read Hemisphere games.
big ben
April 17, 2011Toni is wrong
There’s no 2.1 running + xxxxx wrong
It’s 2.2 froyo before most.
Now Most phones are getting updated latest android 2.3/2.3.3 gingerbread.
Android isn’t that fragmentated. It’s PC’s,Laptops,Notebook, different versions of os, different hardware than android platform. So This Toni is wrong.
If you want to port osmos for android, do it now for 2.3 & up . 2.3 supports OpenAL. Or wait for next version of android ice cream with more apps API’s & gaming.
So please listen & read this hemisphere games.
Thank you very much. :)
eddybox
April 21, 2011Thanks for all the advice and feedback everyone!
Yes, things have improved considerably in recent months to address our concerns in porting to Android. So, while we don’t have an official announcement (ie. release date) yet, we hope you’ll be pleased to hear that – yes! – we are working on an Android port!
More news soon… :)
Gluon
April 25, 2011Yea! I switched from iPhone to Android (Dell Streak) this summer, and I can honestly say that just about the only thing I have missed from my iPhone is Osmos.
Eric
April 27, 2011Great to hear! When it’s released it might just be time for me to buy an Android tablet to play Osmos on!
Matthew A
May 3, 2011I’ve played Osmos on Apple (iPad, Ect…), Linix, and PC… Owing my Own 3 platform copy, I Love it & would PAY to have it in my Pocket on my Droid 2 or even upgrade to carry it….
….BEST Game I have ever played in 30years….including Coin Op.
….Port it to Android & Make a few more Great Games !!!
Ant
May 3, 2011@Siebe, big ben:
Could you provide a link demonstrating actual baked-in OpenAL support on Android 2.3 and 3? I don’t know how it’s different (lack of pitch bending?) but as far as I can tell there’s only OpenSL support: http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-2.3-highlights.html
@Eddybox:
I first came across Osmos via the Humble Indie Bundle and have subsequently bought it for the iPhone. But I won’t ever be buying the iPad version because I won’t be getting an iPad. If I have to carry something as big as a tablet around then it will have to be able to be used as a computer as well – something the iPad can’t do.
I am getting a pair of Asus Eee Pad Transformers in the near future (Android 3/Honeycomb) and am looking forward to having Osmos running on those. Consider me one of those lined-up and willing to pay!
big ben
May 7, 2011@Ant I can’t find the official website, but I know there’s Wikipedia.
Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenAL
Android supports OpenAL not just OpenSL
It’s only for 2.3 and 2.3.3,2.3.4 phones + 3.0 Honeycomb tablets and next version of android (ice cream sandwich).
big ben
May 7, 2011OpenAL doesn’t support 2.2,2.1,2.0,1.5,1.1,1.0 android
Only gingerbread 2.3 + up and Honeycomb (tablets) 3.0 + up and next version of android ice cream.
big ben
May 7, 2011Wait & See Google I/O 2011 next week.
You can port OSMOS game.
To GoogleTV which going to have next version of android
Android phones 2.3 and up and Honeycomb tablets and up and support for ice cream sandwich, next version of android.
bigben
June 7, 2011@eddybox
I forgot two more things, Sorry eddy.
And more I forgot to tell you,
*Android Market Gift Cards
Google is working on Android content gift cards (like itunes gift cards) for next year 2012.
:)
*Buyer Currency Support – easier for developers to make better prices on different currencies.($£€¥) (selling your OSMOS game worldwide, you will need this)
is
Buyer Currency Support will Release on June 11th (New Android Market launch.)
:) (Announced at Android Honeycomb 3.0 Event back on February and Announced at Google I/O two weeks ago)
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox
Exciting news coming to Android 4.0(x) ice cream. You will love android gaming more. This will all come in Q4 2011 when android ice cream 4.x release.
NFC Gaming
Google is developing there own android Game Center official client for multiplayer games on NFC and Non-NFC phones and tablets.
When you put an phone side to side. The phone is playing fruit ninja example and when you put another phone or tablet it will automatically open fruit ninja or goes to the android market to download it. It’s awesome!!! It’s different to other gaming portable platform.
NFC gaming Magic
YouTube Video Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49L7z3rxz4Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Demo of NFC 2.3 for android 4.x ice cream.
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox
App compatibility function is now on android market. It’s stops low end or budget phones from downloading high end games from market. It’s kills fragmentation and app issues from users.
:)
bigben
June 11, 2011New Android Market webstore released on February 2011
It’s much better than using an USB. It’s very easy. Just download any app, select your android device and its automatically downloads to your phone over the air, with no hassle. Cool & Simple. It helps developers too.
In May 2011 Android Market Webstore changed
New categories for users to buy and find free quality apps easy
New features are
Top Charts**
*Top Free
1-10 1# higest #10 lowest *top 10 free apps charts.
*Top Paid. New feature
*Top Grossing
new feature
*Top New Paid
new feature
*Top New Free
new feature
*Featured since Feb 2011
*Editors Choice
new feature
*Trending Apps
new feature
If your the best developer
Google promotes and supports you
May 2011
Their New feature is:
*Top Developer
*Editors Choice
Best Selling Games since Feb 2011
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox
Google release chart of Android version back in 2008. When android 1.0 released.
Chart shows which android version is the most runned on android devices
Fragmentation is still there until Late 2011, When Android improves on software and hardware and kills the deadly fragmentation problems on android system. You will love developing games for the android platform next to iOS and you can port OSMOS. But right now, latest 2.3.3 is rising but the fragmentation is still there on android OS.
Google Official Android Chart Results Published: June 1 2011
Android 1.5 Cupcake 1.9%
Android 1.6 Donut 2.5%
Android 2.0,2.1 Ecliar 21.2%
Android 2.2 Froyo 64.6%* (*higest than the latest 2.3) last year update (outdated) fragmentation. Ouch.
Android 2.3,2.3.2 *Gingerbread *(minor updates on 2.3) 1.1%
Android 2.3.3,2.3.4* Gingerbread 8.1%
Android 3.0,3.1 Honeycomb 0.3%
This is bad and messy and fragmented and embrassing for Google.
I hope that changes when Android 4.0 comes out.
Android Goals to kill 2.2 and fragmentation.
No More fragmentation by the end of 2011* android goals
Beat Froyo percentage android ice cream *android goals
Finger cross by Q4 2011. Eddy.
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox
Don’t worry. Android is the best open platform but not perfect.
Google says when you have an skin android phone, you won’t get ice cream right away, but Google will find a solution to update skin android phones faster.
When Android 4, Google will break fragmentation.
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox my phone 2.2 and I’m waiting for 2.3 and I got an skin android HTC sense desire phone. So long.
bigben
June 11, 2011Android News @eddybox
Kinect Style. On your phone or tablet on android. Motion gaming!!!! Cool.
Google I/O shown off.
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox
Android News Alert
Google is choosing two hardwares (TI OMAP5 OR NVIDIA Tegra 3) to run android ice cream phones
And the next nexus 3 phone to release on Q4 2011.
No more hardware fragmentation. There are putting strict hardware, but current phones will run it too. No just the new strict hardware phones.
Android ice cream bottonless phones.
Android ice cream strict processor hardware, dual core or quad. ICS update can run on single core phones too.
Google two phones for 2011,2012
Nexus 3 and other ice cream phones
New version of G1. Sidekick G1 like android ice cream phone, Danger inc and Google Andy Rubin working on the phone. Cool android phones to verse the iPhone 5 this fall.
Android News Alert
Andy Rubin spill out (leaked) the future release on android beyond android 4.0 ice cream and Jello. K release for Q4 2012 or 2013. Spilled out on Google I/O. Ooh!!!!
bigben
June 11, 2011But next android 4.x Ice cream software will be open source. Not closed. Notice that.
bigben
June 11, 2011@eddybox
Android 4.x will be opened source.
bigben
June 11, 2011Google says: “Android 4.x Ice Cream will be Google most ambitious android update up to date”
I think (predict) the biggest 3 THREE and best android updates, 3 years.(MY BIG 3Three Android Updates) 3 is a Magic Number!!!!!!
Will be:
Prediction Number version Update (Not official by Google)
*Android 4.x ICE CREAM SANDWICH 2011 (biggest update 2011) (biggest android update up to date)
*Android 5.x Jello (J) release 2012 (biggest update 2012)
*Android 6.x K release 2013 (biggest update 2013)
Beyond those 3, android is the king.
Android ftw. :)
By 2012-2014 I will change my phone to Windows phone 7.1 mango or 8. Nokia Windows phone.
By 2014 I will change back to android, get an stock quad core nexus 6 phone with an Lemon dessert version 7.x and next Marshmallow update LOL. Hahahaha. Can’t wait for android future.
EVERY 2 YEARS CONTRACT IN THE UK. I AM A BRITISH MAN.
Then by 2016 I will go to Windows phone 9 or 10 GET AN QUAD CORE OR HEX CORE PHONE.
Then by 2018 I will go back to android nexus 10 phone hex core and celebrate 10 years of android launch in 2008. Strawberry or Sundae or twinkle update LOL.
bigben
July 3, 2011@eddybox
Android Hardware
Android past used to be half baked and too much different hardwares and screen sizes sometimes differ apps. So this time Google is putting big rules for android 4.0 ICS.
So by the end of the year
Google with work with Carriers and Manufacturers and Google decide what Android devices to have the next android version 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich and Google is working closely with hardware, the same thing they done with tegra NVIDIA for supporting optimized for Honeycomb.
So Secondary hardware Devices (Snapdraggons,Exnyos,Hummingbird,Tegra 2,3) will still get ice cream 4.0 update and the source for manufactures to be pre loaded on phones with non OMAP PROCESSORS.
And Primary devices made for android ice cream 4.0 is OMAP TI.
So those devices with OMAP and part with Google partnership phones, those new phones comes out on Q4 will have pre loaded ice cream 4.0 and existing OMAP Android phones will get the update faster than the non OMAP processors. But other phones with different hardware will update to android ice cream quicker than ever before and tegra Honeycomb devices will be updated to ice cream sandwich quicker than before and Summer Quad core tegra devices and phones December/Jan will have the android ice cream update faster than ever and some tegra 3 phones will be pre loaded with ice cream sandwich and some will be rolling the new android 4.0 update to old 2.3.4 or 2.4 tegra 3 phones.
So Jello next android update after ice cream sandwich. Google will chose Snapdraggon Quad core processors and K release Andy Rubin, Google will choose between Intel or Tegra 4,5????? Future.
So android ice cream and beyond, Jello and K and beyond will have a little tight control and still open platform so no more fragmentation garbage.
So Google Two Rules for Android future policy
Google wants to be Open & Strict for cleaner ecosystem
And it will gain more developers like you, to develop android apps and games.
New 18 month phones update latest if powerful hardware needed.
Every new android software release will have one primary hardware that will work on different devices in series and most android devices will have one hardware in the future except one or two manufactures like Samsung and HTC have Exnyos and Snapdraggons hardware contract for secondary hardware devices will run the latest android software (ice cream 4.0 and beyond) update via open source.
Like this example
Honeycomb optimized for Tegra 2 primary hardware, 3.2 update comes for secondary non tegra tablet devices
Ice Cream Sandwich optimized for OMAP primary hardware and non so it will be one OS runs everywhere.
Jello optimized for Snapdraggons primary hardware and secondary hardware phones can run future next Jello update beyond ice cream sandwich.
K will have example different made by Google own primary hardware ARM Chip will also run secondary devices too.
So nexus 3 won’t be the only ice cream sandwich phone, other manufacture without partnership hardware will make android ice cream phones with Google.
And some with secondary partnership hardware will make their ice creak sandwich phones.
It wont be one device like in 2009 android 2.0 was for Droid only and Nexus one 2010 2.1.
It will be other manufactures who are working with Google will have Google exclusive powerful phones instead of one in the past 2 years.
Like future concept phone examples
(Not Real) These are the Next exclusive ice cream phones
*Droid 4
*Droid Incredible 3
*Google/LG G3
*Nexus 3
*Nexus optimus prime
*Google/T-Mobile Sidekick 2/3
*Nexus Tablet
*HTC Dream 2
*Motorola Spark example
*LG Prime
*Secondary hardware phpnes
HTC Thunderbolt 2 example
Examples of multiple phones for ice cream sandwich.
Google will be controling in the future, android phone releases instead of just letting manufactures releasing junky android devices and hardware and software updates and bloatware and Market apps.
Now is messy fragmentation software & hardware Droid but in the future is balanced Droid.
So Google Android will be still open soured but will have strict & fair rules for manufactures and global Carriers, those rules will be by Google.
It makes more big and inde developers want to develop games and apps without hardware problems, not just software updates problems need to be solved, hardware need be solved, and I think Google is going to make android stable and balanced in the future instead of open messy junky hardware phones and slow updates. Android in the future will be less like a PC. More like an balanced open smartphone platform and it will crush android fragmentation forever.
What do you think?
bigben
July 3, 2011Android is the future of technology and I believe android fragmentation will be less and will die in the future.
bigben
July 3, 2011Google will be working on Android or Google gift cards for both Chome OS and Android so developers can get more money and make some cheap android users buy quality paid games & apps and other content (books,movies,music like itunes) in the future (2012 or beyond) so you don’t have to use a credit card, android has been dreaming for a long time since android market established in September/October 2008.
bigben
July 3, 2011I hope the gift card feature will be revealed in the Google android ice cream conference or Google I/O 2012 or 13 or beyond. Please Google Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bigben
July 3, 2011@eddybox
Games@Google
Google is working on games, joining the gaming industry.
For Social Online Multiplayer gaming like Apple iOS game center
It will be a big hit for big and indie developers like you and it will have great online features.
I hope it will be for Android devices
Like through Google TV,Android Tablets,Android phones
So it might it maybe for the next release of android ice cream sandwich 4.0 beyond (for Jello or K or beyond, releases).
NFC + WiFi connectivity phpnes without NFC + ultimate Online Social Multiplayer gaming= FTW + Awesome. It will be even better than iOS Gamecenter. I can’t wait for that in the future!!!
Imagine I’m playing OSMOS with my friends online!!!!!
Android Gaming future dream!!!! Ahhh!!!!
bigben
July 3, 2011@eddybox
Android developer app code alert
Watch out for this Eddy!!!!
Android 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich
Release: Q4 2011
*Biggest Biggest feature for developers iOS & Android developers
android ice cream 4.x will have
*Advanced App Framework
*All Open Sourced
*Eclipse smoother Emulator.
If you want to develop OSMOS android version game for android ice cream sandwich only, these are the iOS like simple tools to develop for Android ice cream sandwich!!!!!
:) Eddy Try Android experience in Late 2011 and 2012 and beyond
Android is the future.
bigben
July 3, 201127% people brought an android phone in March
Android is remains the most popular OS in US and Global
In US android is the most popular
Global android is even more popular.
1# Android 38%
2# iPhone 28%
3# Blackberry 21%
bigben
July 3, 2011@eddybox
Android Market Share
Android surpass 40% by this year
By 2012 android will have 50% of the smartphone market and late 2012 it will surpass 50%.
Android, between 2015,2016,2017 and 2018 will be dominating the smartphone market share and industry.
bigben
July 3, 2011ANDROID MARKET SHARE
Android Q1/Q2 market share
Android 36%
Other smartphone OS behind
Q3
Risen 2%
Android 38% now
Q4
Android 40% AND BEYOND (PREDICTION)
Q1 2012
ANDROID 45% OR 48% (PREDICTION)
Q2/Q3 MID 2012 (PREDICTION)
50%
Q4 2012
SURPASS 50% OR 55% OR 58% (PREDICTION)
2013
SURPASS 60% (PREDICTION)
bigben
July 3, 2011In One Year Android Market Revenue Grows a Remarkable 862%
GOOGLE EARNED $102 million
Feb 2011 still low compared to $1.862 billion Apple earned app store revenue.
Next year 2012 , it will grow 1 billion revenue for Google.
And will keep growing beyond 2012/2013 higher than in 2008,2009,2010 and 2011.
bigben
July 3, 2011Android is growing!!!!
Android is the most fastest growing open OS in the world (in the planet) compared to other OS. It’s always light years ahead of every phone OS even Nokia,Apple and basic Java phones.
bigben
July 3, 2011@eddybox
Develop apps & games for Android in the future!!!!
:)
bigben
July 3, 2011Make OSMOS android version for:
For both 800Mhz- 1Ghz single-core,dual-core-quad core,
Mid-range and high range android 2.3 smartphones and superphones and high end android smartphones and android ice cream sandwich 4.0 superphones and smartphones and 3.0,3.1,3.2 Honeycomb tablets and android ice cream 4.0 tablets. It’s going to make lots of users to buy your game.
bigben
July 3, 20113.2 android Honeycomb for release SUMMER Q3 2011
July/August release.
Some non tegra Honeycomb tablets coming in
July, August, September and October and Early November and be ugradeable to Android ice cream sandwich in Q4 2011 with big new features and UI improvements.
Fix bugs
Improves hardware acceleration performance
Support non Tegra 2 and 3 android tablet devices.
Tweak to services like Movies,Music,Market and Books and YouTube and browser for performance and improvements.
UI stays the same but smoother animations and transitions.
bigben
July 3, 2011SADLY I HAVE TO WAIT FOR MY UK HTC DESIRE. THIS AUGUST FOR GINGERBREAD 2.3.3 OR 2.3.4 UPDATE.
bigben
July 6, 2011@eddybox
Google is making the new android market better than before
Thank you Google for listning to us.:)
At the Google I/O 2011. At May 10-11.
Google is pleased to announced the new android market features!!! :
New Android Market Developers features:
Multiple APK support
*For platform versions
*for different versions like HD tablets, high end phones, Standard app for mid range and low end devices phones and tablets.
*Screen Sizes
*Texture compression format
Multiple APK Available as one product for all different devices without change change name app like ex: (Star Wars for phones into Star wars hd for tablet) version). :)
File Limit
Android Market file limit up to 4GB
File Package as 50MB app and installs secondary installations up to 2GB download in the market instead of downloading it in the app itself and you don’t have to create secondary install API tools. (without opening huge file app and downloading it in the app).
Android Market Hosts Large file apps.
:)
New Android Market Redesign
For phones and tablets and Google TV(US)
New categories easier for users to download quality apps and games from the market, new app and game categories easier for users to find their specific genre app or game.:) :)
Buyer countries
15 Developers to create and develop paid apps and game. :)
151 countries can now download paid and free apps and games from the Android Market.:) :)
AtomicDryad
July 8, 2011OpenAL is ported to android: http://pielot.org/2010/12/14/openal-on-android/
I’d pay $15 for this game.
And I’m willing to assist the devs in statically linking openal to the game.
Leland
August 8, 2011Would be very fine, if you port the game to Android….
AmbientRobot
August 11, 2011I’m a huge fan of Osmos and loved playing it on my PC (played through Steam). Now that I have a Droid X2 I find that all my “casual” gaming occurs on this device rather than my PC. Once Osmos appears on the Android Market, I will buy it in an instant.
Why?
As a case in point, please consider some of Pop Cap’s games. I loved Plants vs. Zombies and played it on my PC until I beat all the levels and got all of the achievements. Once it was released for Android on the Amazon app store (note: not Android Market…) I bought it for my phone again and played through it to get all the achievements again. I still play PvZ on my phone far more than I do on my PC. I’ve also purchased a few more of Pop Cap’s games for Android simply because I wanted to support them and enjoy casual gaming on my phone.
So, in me you’ve got one guaranteed Android customer for this and any other games you make. I’ll keep checking back here very few months to see how this is going.
Thanks for the note that you’re working on the Android port! Best of luck and I look forward to eventually buying it.
Peter
August 18, 2011Nice to know you’re making the port. I find it hard to believe that the cost/benefit ratio in terms of support issues etc would be worse than for desktop linux…
Peter
August 18, 2011Actually, I partially redact the above comment :)
I know that for some indie game devs linux is said to be a significant source of income.
bigben
August 28, 2011Android Gingerbread Growing rapidly fast update to phones
*24% of Phones Running Gingerbread.
*0.7% tablets running honeycomb.
So Android is getting there.
bigben
August 28, 2011Google buys Motorola
For 12.5 $ dollars and soon to be owned by Google by the end of 2011 or early 2012.
That’s mean.
Google gets own hardware (apple like)
Motorola Google phones:
One processor, one software and faster updates
For primary official top android phones,tablets, and DVR Google tv.
bigben
August 28, 2011Tech news critics and iOS developers keep saying you can’t make money on the android platform. Not true at all. That’s totally bullcrap!!!
YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AT MAKING MONEY AT ANDROID MARKET PLATFORM
:)
According to Pocketgamer:
*Top dog, according to PapayaMobile’s sweep of Android Market figures, is the Mobage version of Pocket Frogs, which sits somewhere between 10,000 to 50,000 installs to date.
* Gameview’s initial claim that games on Android are now monetising close to the rates of their iOS brethren was a surprise, the firm’s revised view that – in some cases – they’re actually the top performers will make headlines.
*The release of the refreshed stats from the DeNA-owned studio comes as a result of our own look at their numbers, released as part of the firm’s press blitz celebrating Tap Fish’s success on Google’s platform.
*After reading the story, we’re told, the developer took a closer look at their figures, concluding that many of their games on Android are generating 30 percent more average revenue per user (ARPU) than those on iPhone
*Godzilab recently reported that, while each iOS user generates three times more revenue on Stardunk than those playing on Android, the larger userbase the game has amassed on Google’s platform means both editions are holding their own.
*Considering the spectacular growth of Google’s platform, we expect to be hearing about a lot more games that are doing better on Android than in iOS in future.
*And according to US outfit Spacetime Studios, that’s exactly what’s happening with its free MMORPG Pocket Legends, which came to Android in November 2010, following a successful iPhone and iPad launch in April.
Do the maths
*According to Computer World, Spacetime reckons it’s now getting around 9,000 daily downloads on Android, compared to around 4,000 on iOS.
*Much more significant however is that Android users are three times as active as Apple-owning players, something that feeds into their keenness to buy in-app purchases; in this case the Platinum currency
*The firm, which operates a social network on Android, recently passed 25 million users, reporting the average paying user spends around $22.60 per month on games on the platform.
*Gameview’s statement is arguably more significant, however, given it suggests individual users on Android are willing to spend more money on Google’s OS, arguably for the first time.
bigben
August 28, 2011OSMOS WILL BE POPULAR ON THE ANDROID MARKET, BECAUSE OF ANDROID GROWTH AND POPULARITY AND USER BASE.
SO ANDROID PLATFORM IS ON YOUR LIST!!!! HEMISPHERE GAMES
bigben
August 28, 2011ANDROID GOOGLE I/O 2011
Promo Codes coming soon to purhchase android apps
& games from the android market (Google says they are working on it)
&
Audio Latency will be enchanced and improved and better than 2.3 sound APIs and even better and enchanced OpenAL sound for next Android version dubbed “Ice Cream Sandwich” Android 4.0 (4.x) (version number not announced yet?.
bigben
August 28, 2011New next Nexus Prime arrival IPhone 5
best developer and featured android phone coming this fall.
With the new android version ice cream sandwich 4.0
You should get it and test your OSMOS on it
And Quad core android tablets coming soon too
Powerful, android is going to be big!!!!!!!
bigben
August 28, 2011Motorola KORE
Best Developer tablet coming this late 2011
With ICS 4.0 next android version
Test your OSMOS on it. IPad killer
Nexus prime iPhone 5 killer.
bigben
August 28, 2011Android rumors: ICS will come out
Some news sources says October at the same timeline as the rumored iPhone 5 release
Some news sources says November (shopping month)
Some news sources says December
bigben
August 28, 2011With the nexus prime October,Nov,Dec rumor releases
bigben
August 28, 2011Rumor fake ICS leak, leaked online. It’s so fake LOL. I laughed my head off. The UI is so fake!!!!
bigben
August 28, 2011Some news source says ICS 4.0(4.x) next version of Android (ice cream sandwich) says that it will run the newest latest Linux 3.0 (.x)
bigben
August 28, 2011Some news source says
ICS 4.0 will be 1.8x faster than Honeycomb
And will have faster hardware accelration that no previous android version had except the tablet version honeycomb 3.0.
bigben
August 28, 2011I can’t wait for OSMOS for android. I hope you will enjoy android platform in the future!!!!! :)
bigben
August 28, 2011Google TV SDK Honeycomb 3.1+ up is now avaliable to use
If you want to put OSMOS for Google TV 2.0 (Honeycomb 3.1)
Go ahead (you can do it now)
If your not intrested in 3.1 Google TV wait for next Android version of Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 that combines Phones,tablets and TV into One OS for all (All in One System like Apple iOS.
But if your still intrested
Turn Google TV into a Games console by porting OSMOS to Google TV.
It will be awesome.
But if you want to publish your app for Google tv, go to this website link below:
Android website via Google code for Google TV:
http://code.google.com/tv/android/docs/gtv_addon.html
eddybox
September 2, 2011http://www.hemispheregames.com/2011/09/02/osmos-robotified/
:)
bigben
November 20, 2011Google TV 3.1 is out Honeycomb
October 3.1 Sony internet Google tv
And Logitech Google tv soon.
And Android Google tv SDK 3.1 here
Link:
http://code.google.com/p/googletv-android-samples/source/browse/#git%2FLeftNavBarLibrary
Soon Google tv ice cream sandwich 4.0
Wait annoucement in Google I/O 2012 April 2012
Momijisu
November 30, 2011Of course sales are between 2%-33%, they’re looking at sales of paid apps most likely, do they count the many many free apps, of which many are free and offer a better version than a paid one…
You have to change your model to suit I guess, put out a free demo with limitted features and google advertising to recoup some production money.
Put out a full version for money. And watch as people upgrade if they like it, or just sit there re-playing the demo over and over, getting you money as it goes!
Gerard
December 5, 2011I own an Android phone and an iPad. I live in europe where credit cards aren’t THAT common as in the US. I haven’t needed one so far, and was only thinking of buying one so I could get Android and/or iPad apps.
When I figured out however how easy it is to set up a Click&Buy account for iTunes however, I decided not to. The ease of use of buying apps on iPad is simply much better than on Android. If it would have been so easy to do so on Android, I would have, but its not. I think this is one of the big reasons why revenues on App Stores are much greater than on Android Market. I am simply stupified that Android hasn’t taken any steps to make this a lot easier. I know there are tons of people in Europe who do have a credit card, but even then, using a click&buy like system is much easier.
John
December 8, 2011Ok it has been a year. This game is really desired on Android. :)
Goxy
December 27, 2011All this talk about piracy, etc… it is becoming yesterday’s news… please check out the marketing/promotion of Louis CK’s latest comedy special to see how well you can do if you just TRUST the process…
The “type” of android user is slowly changing – there are a lot of us who don’t mind spending, and this number is growing… piracy is of very little concern in my opinion.
The problem is that the quality of the ports is usually substandard and in all honesty half of the apps deserve to be pirated for the shoddy effort they put forward – charging the same money for an inferior product – on better hardware…
If you do your work – make a good game/app – offer it for a decent price… trust me the profits will come.
Greetings from SK
ESET
eddybox
January 22, 2012Well, it took us a while (longer than expected!) but it’s finally here: http://www.hemispheregames.com/2012/01/17/osmos-now-available-on-android/
Thanks for your feedback and patience everyone! :)
Ian
May 9, 2012Ah, is that why what I still think of as the Android Market thinks that Osmos won’t run on my HTC Desire? It either wasn’t in the list or it thinks that Desires are all on 2.1…
For anyone wondering, it does run on Desires with CynogenMod 7 (it would probably run on Desires with Android 2.2) and it’s wonderful.