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Google unveils developer preview of Android 12L
Due in early-2022, Android 12L optimizes the Android system UI for large screens in preparation for the next wave of tablets, foldables, and Chromebooks.
Microsoft weighs in on Surface Duo apps
Microsoft unveils guidance and tools for adapting applications for dual-screen, foldable, and large-screen devices, especially the Surface Duo 2.
Google Flutter 2.5 UI kit is now stable
The updated version hones in on performance and improved capabilities for Android and iOS.
Jetpack Compose for Android turns GA
Google’s ‘modern’ declarative toolkit for building native Android user interfaces is now available in a 1.0 production release.
Microsoft sunsets Xamarin toolkit
With .NET MAUI due to arrive in November 2021, Microsoft announced it would end updates to the Xamarin mobile app development platform in November 2022.
Gradle 7.0 improves incremental builds, backs Java 16
New release of the build automation tool also improves support for Apple Silicon systems.
NativeScript 8.0 shines on Apple M1, Webpack
Latest release of the JavaScript framework for mobile app development also adds new CSS capabilities and plug-ins for ESLint, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Google Android team embraces Rust for Android OS development
The Android Open Source Project has adopted the Rust programming language for use in new Android OS development, citing its memory safety advantages over C/C++.
Google wins Java dispute, Oracle remains defiant
Supreme Court has ruled in a 6-2 decision that Google’s use of Java in Android represents fair use and does not infringe on Oracle patents and copyrights.
PinePhone: A Linux smartphone a developer could love
Not only do you get root, but you can use this ‘phone’ as a desktop too. Just don’t expect much from the camera.
Google Jetpack Compose Android UI toolkit now in beta
Declarative UI toolkit is intended to ease the development of native applications across Android platforms.
Android 12 developer preview bolsters privacy, user experience
Developers can play with new capabilities in security, privacy, media transcoding, rich content insertion, audio, and more.
Google introduces API for faster Kotlin builds
Currently in alpha, Kotlin Symbol Processing is an API for building lightweight compiler plug-ins in Kotlin.
Android Studio improves machine learning support
Android Studio 4.1 highlights include a database inspector and easier import of TensorFlow Lite models into Android apps
Kotlin mobile SDK shares code across Android, iOS
The Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plug-in allows developers to write, run, and debug shared code in Android Studio
Google’s UI toolkit for Android moves to alpha release
A production version of the framework for building Android UIs, called Jetpack Compose, is due next year
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