Google is announcing its brand new development environment for Android today at Google I/O: Android Studio. Google isn’t revealing all the changes today, but some of the big additions include a focus on multiple layout tools for a variety of devices and tablets. Changes to Android code for apps display in real-time within the development console and Google says it’s planning to integrate a number of services into the environment. “This is just scratching the surface of all the new features in Android Studio,” says Hugo Barra, VP of Android product management.
Google is also improving its developer console today. Five new features are being added to the console, allowing developers to generate more revenue from Android apps. There’s a section with optimization and development tips, with obvious hints like “design your app for tablets.” An app translation service allows developers to get professional translations directly from the developer console. Developers will be able to upload what they need and pick from various translation services. Developers get beta testing for their apps.
Referral tracking has also been added, letting developers see which ads are the most effective for promoting their apps. This feature also integrates with Google’s own Analytics service, allowing developers to see where installs come from directly within the console. The fourth addition is the new revenue graphs that simple display app revenue, and the final feature is beta testing and staged rollouts. This particular feature has long been requested by third-party developers and will let them roll out test versions of applications ahead of a public release.
