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iOS Google considers making SWIFT first class language for Android
- Thread starter AdonisSMU
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Google considering Swift for Android. See: http://thenextweb.com/dd/2016/04/07/google-facebook-uber-swift/
Well, well, well, that is pretty close to a game changer right there. I guess that will make the decision to make Android apps a whole lot easier 
I wonder if Google decides not to do this, if someone else will because Swift is open source.
[doublepost=1460071219][/doublepost]I also wonder if Google is doing this because they want the Apple Devs over on their platform too. This would be a killer move on Google's part.
Not to mention, they get a native machine code compiler, which the really need (IMO).
I guess I'm going to have to fast forward my Swift learning.
I wonder if Google decides not to do this, if someone else will because Swift is open source.
[doublepost=1460071219][/doublepost]I also wonder if Google is doing this because they want the Apple Devs over on their platform too. This would be a killer move on Google's part.
Not to mention, they get a native machine code compiler, which the really need (IMO).
I guess I'm going to have to fast forward my Swift learning.
You are not going to use HTML5 and Javascript to do the same types of things you would with Java and SWIFT.
I use Javascript and HTML5 everyday but.... HTML5 and Javascript is for webapps and web programming sure it's one of the things you could use within a java or swift app but for many of the hardware level features Javascript and HTML5 simply aren't secure or stable enough for that kind of access.
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My guess is that Google would consider part of the advantage of making Swift a 1st class language, is getting iOS apps on Android just as fast as Apple does.
Apple used to be the "go to first" platform, IDK if that's still the case, but Google would benefit most from making the transition from iOS to Android as seamless as they can.
It shouldn't be that hard for them to make many of the key routines the same or for a programmer to write wrapper functions to make the work about the same.
With this move, they kill a few birds with one stone. They gain a native code language that's already in use and designed for mobile. They remove a wall between their product line and Apple's. They have open source support. Apple can't use "better apps" as a reason to buy Apple.
Many Apple fans talk about the "eco system" that Apple offers. Android has been known for CrApps for a long time and this is a huge step towards removing those things.
I can't think of any downside to Google for doing this.
Apple used to be the "go to first" platform, IDK if that's still the case, but Google would benefit most from making the transition from iOS to Android as seamless as they can.
It shouldn't be that hard for them to make many of the key routines the same or for a programmer to write wrapper functions to make the work about the same.
With this move, they kill a few birds with one stone. They gain a native code language that's already in use and designed for mobile. They remove a wall between their product line and Apple's. They have open source support. Apple can't use "better apps" as a reason to buy Apple.
Many Apple fans talk about the "eco system" that Apple offers. Android has been known for CrApps for a long time and this is a huge step towards removing those things.
I can't think of any downside to Google for doing this.
You're missing the point I'm trying to make. There are already languages which will run on both platforms, why isn't everyone using them for everything already. Well, because there are problems....
You will be able to write some of your business logic and have that transferable between both platforms. But very soon you will need Frameworks. Google will have to implement UIViewControllers, UIButtons, CLLocationManagers, etc, etc.. And they will also need to behave the same way, implement the same features, properties, bugs even!
As a full time developer it's not particularly difficult to write in a different language. What's difficult is to remember what's available in the frameworks on the platform you are writing for. What quirks you will have to work around.
This is not going to help get iOS apps onto Android phones, not until there's a shared framework which will run on both devices.
You will be able to write some of your business logic and have that transferable between both platforms. But very soon you will need Frameworks. Google will have to implement UIViewControllers, UIButtons, CLLocationManagers, etc, etc.. And they will also need to behave the same way, implement the same features, properties, bugs even!
As a full time developer it's not particularly difficult to write in a different language. What's difficult is to remember what's available in the frameworks on the platform you are writing for. What quirks you will have to work around.
This is not going to help get iOS apps onto Android phones, not until there's a shared framework which will run on both devices.
There are apps that have minimal need of UI frameworks. Examples are Open GL games, emulators of various sorts, music effects and synthesizers, etc. A platform specific UI wrapper from a template can go around all the custom business logic. Similar to PhoneGap, except wrapping pure Swift (or C currently using the NDK and Obj C) instead of HTML/JS.