Although the increasing popularity of certain Nexus devices has helped to some extent, the problem remains a pertinent one for mobile game developers operating on the platform.
It's an issue that Apkudo is looking to solve, both for developers and OEMs.
The US start up is offering device testing services for developers, feeding back to game creators on whether their APKs install, crash or hang on a range of hundreds of different Android devices.
This data is then used to help OEMs, too, with the end goal being to make devices that are more friendly to the developer community. To find out more, we caught up with Apkudo CEO Josh Matthews.
Pocket Gamer: What is Apkudo, and what can it offer game developers specifically?
Josh Matthews: Apkudo is a company with the goal to make fragmentation a non-issue for the whole Android ecosystem.
With Apkudo for Developers, we're delivering a service for Android devs to test their apps on the greatest number of Android devices possible for free, and with Apkudo Approved we're giving device manufacturers, mobile operators, and all those involved in Android device distribution the good, the bad and the ugly with regards to their device's performance.
What's great about Apkudo Approved for game developers is that we take the aggregate data from APKs we receive with Apkudo for Developers to help OEMs make more developer friendly devices.
We help device manufacturers figure out the best way to accommodate for and anticipate the upcoming trends in app development, and it's no secret that game developers are at the bleeding edge of app development.
They're using OpenGL APIs in ways that are really throwing a curve ball at device manufacturers, which is a good thing! We help them get ahead of the curve so games and apps work on their devices and make users happy.
Will Apkudo for developers completely obviate the need for Android devs to test on dozens of devices?
There will always be a need for testing. It's like flossing. No one likes to do it, but everyone wants to keep their teeth.
We want to make it as easy, as simple, and as fast as possible.
And we offer this service for free because it's a necessary part of app development to test on so many devices, but who has the resources to get all those devices? Certainly not someone just starting out in Android app development.
We are committed to expanding what we offer for developers because Android is awesome. We don't want developers to be turned off or overwhelmed by fragmentation, we want to be the people that help them embrace it by offering a free, easy way to overcome it.
And while we do that, those developers become a huge part of the solution they help us help the manufacturers make better Android devices.
How are you pricing the service?
It's free! There shouldn't be a barrier to entry to develop for Android. We want developers to make awesome apps and we want Apkudo for Developers to be part of their workflow.
Our business model is manufacturer-facing OEMs pay us to help them make better Android devices - and many carriers require them to do it!. And we make no secret of the fact that developers help us do that.
By submitting your app that's under development, and allowing us to test it across all Android devices, we gain invaluable data for OEMs in understanding how their upcoming device works with bleeding edge apps. It's quid-pro-quo, and it allows us to offer Apkudo for Developers for free.
What's important to understand is that the OEM or carrier doesn't receive any app-specific information. Everything is stored securely and kept confidential, and only aggregate results across upcoming apps are provided to the OEM.
How does Apkudo for developers tie into your Apkudo Approved program, and how will developer data be used?
Apkudo for Developers is an integral part of Apkudo Approved.
We take the aggregate trend data from APKs submitted through Apkudo for Developers and use it to help device manufacturers and carriers make better, more developer friendly devices.
OEMs and carriers love it, because they get an incredibly deep understanding of how their upcoming device works with bleeding edge apps, and developers love it because they get access to our portfolio of Android devices for free.
It's a win win in partnership with the entire ecosystem, Apkudo is helping tame the beast of fragmentation.
Thanks to Josh for his time.
To find out more about Apkudo, and the services it offers, take a look at the company's website.
