Datasheet

Native Android Applications
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provides you, as a developer, with the opportunity to create mobile phone interfaces and applications
designed to look, feel, and function exactly as you imagine them.
NATIVE ANDROID APPLICATIONS
Android phones will normally come with a suite of generic preinstalled applications that are part of the
Android Open Source Project (AOSP), including, but not necessarily limited to:
➤ An e-mail client
➤ An SMS management application
➤ A full PIM (personal information management) suite including a calendar and contacts list
➤ A WebKit-based web browser
➤ A music player and picture gallery
➤ A camera and video recording application
➤ Acalculator
➤ The home screen
➤ An alarm clock
In many cases Android devices will also ship with the following proprietary Google mobile
applications:
➤ The Android Market client for downloading third-party Android applications
➤ A fully-featured mobile Google Maps application including StreetView, driving directions
and turn-by-turn navigation, satellite view, and traffic conditions
➤ The Gmail mail client
➤ The Google Talk instant-messaging client
➤ The YouTube video player
The data stored and used by many of these native applications — like contact details — are also avail-
able to third-party applications. Similarly, your applications can handle events such as incoming calls
or new SMS messages.
The exact makeup of the applications available on new Android phones is likely to vary based on the
hardware manufacturer and/or the phone carrier or distributor.
The open-source nature of Android means that carriers and OEMs can customize the user interface and
the applications bundled with each Android device. Several OEMs have done this, including HTC with
the Sense UI, Motorola with MotoBlur, and Sony Ericsson’s custom UI.
It’s important to note that for compatible devices, the underlying platform and SDK remain consis-
tent across OEM and carrier variations. The look and feel of the user interface may vary, but your
applications will function in the same way across all compatible Android devices.