Google Unveils Software Development Kit for Cross-Platform Apps

Google has unveiled a software development kit (SDK) that contains the tools needed to bring the functionality of Android apps to smartphones and tablets, TVs, and cars and other non-Android devices.

The new SDK will allow developers to perform three key tasks with their apps: discovering nearby devices, establishing a secure connection between them, and hosting apps on multiple devices. The SDK uses Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or ultra-wide band to create multi-device connectivity.

Google describes different scenarios for using the new SDK. For example, it will allow multiple users on different devices to order food simultaneously in the respective app, thereby forming a common order without having to take turns handing their smartphone to each other. Users will also be able to continue reading an article from where they left off when switching between smartphones and tablets, and it will also allow passengers in a car to share a specific location on a map with the car's navigation system.

Eventually, developers will be able to make mobile apps capable of running on Android devices as well as other operating systems, including Windows and iOS. However, at this stage a preliminary version of the new SDK is available to developers, which only works with Android smartphones and tablets. There are plans to extend SDK support to other software platforms in the future.