CHAPTER 16: The Future of Android: The 64-Bit Android 5.0 OS 599Android 5 Support: New CPU Hardware and Search
There are some other super cool features that I mention in this section before I cover the new Google
Play 5.0 Store and server-side features. One really cool feature that would be expected from Google,
the king of search, is the ability to search apps—and even content inside of your apps—and have
that content appear on the results of a public Google search engine search query. This feature is
no joke, and it is a massive opportunity for Android developers who understand Search Engine
Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Marketing (SMM).
Not only is Google expanding the external hardware that will either be running the Android 5.0 OS or
connect to it in some way, it is expanding support for the major hardware brands that will be found
inside of the Android 5.0 OS devices. New CPU support will become available for ARM CPUs, nVidia
GPUs, and x86 support for AMD, Cortex, and Intel CPUs, with most CPU manufacturers eager to
support this uber-popular OS.
Another cool feature is the Smart LockScreen. It can use your smartwatch to unlock your smartphone
or tablet, or it can use location-based (GPS) information that the user programs into it to tell it where it
needs to be locked (out in public) and where it does not need to be locked (such as at home).
Another new feature is the Recents screen, which organizes applications by task rather than by
software. This screen contains a list of documents that users can peruse for a specific task, allowing
them to auto-launch applications directly into the activity screen that handles accomplishing that task.
Android 5.0 has the unique ability to seek out specialized types of network connections wherever
the Android device might travel. Android 5.0 can scan all available networks and then automatically
connect only with the type of network in which your application is interested, such as a transaction
(electronic billing) network, a health information system network, or a digital signage network, for
instance. This versatile capability allows for specialized dedicated networks to be created by banks,
stores, bars, restaurants, gyms, and similar businesses.
Before I get into the new Material Design Themes information regarding Android 5.0 user interface
design, I want to cover the new Google Play 5.0 service. Even though it is not “inside” of the
Android 5.0 OS, it is an extension of the user experience (UX) for the Android 5.0 OS, so it’s
appropriate to cover in this chapter.
Google Play 5.0: New Server-Side 5.0 Services
In sync with the Android 5.0 operating system rollout, Google will be rolling out Google Play Services 5.0
to bring the new Google Play (store) server-side capabilities to the Android 5.0 user experience. These
include the new Google Cast, which allows you to use media tracks to enable closed-captioning support
for Google’s new Chromecast platform, as well as Google Wallet to facilitate in-app transactions. The
Google Wallet allows you to use in-store notifications to prompt a user to show or scan digital cards, and
you can create a Save to Wallet UI element for purchase offers within your applications. You can even
allow payments to be split between a Google Wallet account and a credit (or debit) card using the split
tender transaction. The Google Drive API provides cloud storage, and it now supports MIME types,
query sorting, and offline folder creation.