For Android devs, September was marked by one very big development: the release of Android 11! The new operating system is now officially here, so time is up for developers to ensure their apps and projects are ready.
In other big news, we learned that Nvidia would be buying the processor architecture company Arm. Find out more about that and other news, along with a bunch of new tutorials and features for devs below.
News and features from Android Authority
Android 11 review: The devil is in the details – Our full coverage of the new Android launch.
Nvidia to buy Arm for $40 billion from SoftBank – Nvidia confirmed this month that it would be acquiring Arm — the processor architecture company that makes the chips in most modern smartphones (not to mention IoT devices and much more). This deal, estimated to be worth $40 billion, represents a big shakeup in the mobile tech industry.
How to use classes in Java – This post explains how to create and use classes in Java. This fundamental skill is a requirement for any Java-based Android development.
Understanding variables in Java – Even more fundamental than classes, but there’s more to variables in Java than you might assume!
How to create an array in Java – An array is a variable that can store multiple values. Learn about the different types and what you can do with them.
NullPointerException in Java – Explaining the billion-dollar mistake – Learn more about this infamous exception, so that you can avoid it in your own code.
What is Azure certification – While not specifically Android-dev related, Azure certification can help you land a job as a developer or IT professional, and better understand how to integrate cloud services into your apps and projects.
What is AWS certification – AWS is the largest cloud platform right now with a huge 33% market share.
AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud – But which cloud platform to learn? This article will explain the differences.
How to use loops in Java – The key to making iterative changes, game loops, sorting files, and more.
Try catch Java: Exception handling explained – This post teaches you how to catch problems and what to do with them!
How to use if statements in Java – The key to understanding how to code – Once you understand variables and if statements, the sky is the limit!
How to use a web API from your Android app – More ways to outsource powerful features for your apps!
The latest from Android Developers Blog
Turning it up to 11: Android 11 for developers – Got to love the pun! Yes, the big news in September was, of course, the release of Android 11. We’ve discussed the features developers need to be aware of at length already, including enhanced 5G support, conversation notifications, one-time permissions, and more. This is no longer a drill!
See also: How to make sure your app is ready for Android 11
Lockscreen and authentication improvements in Android 11 – This post explains the concept of the tiered authentication model used in Android 11, the different classes of biometrics, and the new BiometricPrompt APIs and features.
Introducing Android 11 on Android TV – Android 11 has also been officially launched for Android TV! The update brings privacy and performance updates, as well as several new features such as a “low latency mode” and extended gamepad support.
Improve Your Game with Texture Compression Format Targeting – Developers can now use Google Play Asset Delivery to include textures, using multiple texture compression formats.
Android GPU Inspector Open Beta – With Android 11 available on Pixel, the Android GPU Inspector (AGI) is now in open Beta. This will allow developers to find the causes of slow-down in their apps and games more easily.
Prefer Storing Data with Jetpack DataStore – Jetpack DataStore is a new storage solution that replaces SharedPreferences, now available in alpha.
Other news and features from around the web
On the Unity side of things, September also gave us the launch of Unity 2020.2 beta, along with the option to offload project builds with Unity Build Server. Gary Sims explained the Nvidia/Arm deal as only he can. We also got the Microsoft Surface Duo launch. Devs interested in creating experiences for the new hardware can find instructions here.
And that about wraps it up for September. Let us know if we missed something below and how you’re enjoying development for Android 11!
