Android Compatibility

Android Compatibility: Android's purpose is to establish an open platform for developers to build innovative apps. The Android Compatibility program defines the technical details of the Android platform and provides tools used by OEMs to ensure that developers' apps run on a variety of devices. The Android SDK provides built-in tools that developers use to clearly state the device features their apps require.

Users want a customizable device.

A mobile phone is a highly personal, always-on, always-present gateway to the Internet. We haven't met a user yet who didn't want to customize it by extending its functionality. That's why Android was designed as a robust platform for running aftermarket applications. No device manufacturer can hope to write all the software that a person could conceivably need. We need third-party developers to write the apps users want; so the Android Open Source Project aims to make it as easy and open as possible for developers to build apps.

Building a compatible device is a three-step process:

1.      Obtain the Android software source code. This is the source code for the Android platform that you port to your hardware.

2.      Comply with the Android Compatibility Definition Document (CDD). The CDD enumerates the software and hardware requirements of a compatible Android device.

3.      Pass the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS). Use the CTS as an ongoing aid to compatibility during the development process. After complying with the CDD and passing the CTS, your device is now Android compatible. Android apps in the ecosystem will have a consistent experience on your device.

References:

https://source.android.com/compatibility/index.html