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certain apps for certain phone?

SirSpace

SirSpace

Well-Known Member
Why is it that certain apps only work for a certain set of phones or android os. Why can't they make like an all in one so that the games/app works for all phones. For instance they make a game or app for nexus 10 why can't that game or app install on your device adapt to your hardware and software and still run? Like lets say for Samsung galaxy.
 
Writing an app for Android is much more complicated than for iOS because of the fragmentation between different OS versions, screen resolution and cpu/gpu combinations. To make a universal app would require the dev to write to the lowest common denominator, which would pretty much obviate the nice new hardware that you just paid for.
 
Ahh I understand cause I build computers but what I'm trying to get at is.
OK they have an app for nexus 10.
I want it for my galaxy. Yes the app was meant for nexus 10 and also compatible devices.and yes the app is meant to run on the hardware but can they also make it downgrade automatically to run on a lower end device. Therefore making available to all and not just those certain devices.
 
I suspect that if they tried to write an app to suit any device that you might want to put it on by downgrading the software for the hardware, the app size would be so large people wouldn't want to waste the phone space to install it. So if you had a game that was 2MB on the Galaxy after incorporating all the other possibilities that same app might be 15MB. Those numbers were just pulled out of my ... eh ... hat and I don't know how realistic they might or might not be. It wouldn't take long to fill up the available space on a phone if all the apps were written that way. Also, don't forget, its not just the OS version and the hardware; the Carrier also weighs in on the phone also. So Phone X on Sprint is more than likely fundamentally different than Phone X on Verizon.

BigRedGonzo
 
It also could be the developer simply hasnt tested it on other devices so they just make it available for the devices they have tested it on and that they know it works on. There are alot of options for developers when they upload a new app and one of them is selecting the devices that it is compatible with. I know reviews are a huge thing for developers so if they bring out an app and say it works on all 2.3 and above devices and it doesnt they will take a huge hit in their reviews and reputation. So some times it is better safe then sorry for developers. But that doesnt stop you from backing it up from a approved device and then sideloading the apk on whatever device you want.
 
Fragmentation is the problem. Too many models and different skins, no guarantee that an app will work on your particular phone. I paid for a dictation app which worked on my 2.1 phone, but is not incompatible after I upgraded the phone OS to 2.3. It is also incompatible on my 3.2 tablet. Luckily, I backed up the apk while I was under 2.1. I was able to sideload that old version of the app on both my 2.3 phone and 3.2 tablet. However, I do not have the apk for the updated version of the app so I cannot use that version. I have emailed the developer and he says it is a problem with google. All I can do is wait. Typical situation with Android.
 
Fragmentation is a symptom of a problem, which is carrier and OEM indifference. What a given dev wants to create may be constrained by hardware (eg- a tegra chip set), software (needing a particular API), or as mentioned before, lack of various hardware. When OEMs aren't willing to invest in their customers or get charged by carriers when they do (knowing you'll get timely software updates can be a reason to stick with an OEM come upgrade time), leaves users on legacy software. This is a large part as to why the fattest slice on the Android version pie chart is consistently one or two versions behind Google.
 
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