Android Dev Phone Update: Version 1.1!
Anybody can buy an unlocked T-Mobile G1 / HTC Dream courtesy of Google – all you have to do is buy one of Google’s own Android Dev Phone 1 devices for $400 plus a few fees. Many have been reluctant to do so though, originally with frequency of OS updates being of concern and most recently non-access to Paid Apps being the issue. Google and HTC have now resolved both of these with Version 1.1 of Android for the Android Dev Phone launching today.
The release notes provide a list of everything that is new and some of the improvements included are:
- Support for Search by Voice
- Priced Apps
- Alarm Clock Fixes
- Sending Gmail freeze fixed
- Fixes mail notifications and refreshing intervals
- Maps now show business reviews
Many of the improvements are in regards to the POP3 e-mail accounts which I’m sure will make people using the Dev Phone 1 as their main phone very happy. A bunch of API changes have been made as well.
One of the biggest issues here is obviously that Developers can now see Paid Apps on the market. If you’re launching a paid application and only have a Dev Phone I’m sure it would be mighty frustrating to be left in the dark as to how your app is performing on the market – especially in regards to all of the lovely comments folks love to leave. Developer Advocate Dan Morrill addressed this issue specifically:
Some developers have asked about the support for copy-protected apps on developer devices, and indeed there is a limitation you should be aware of. Many developers are concerned about the unauthorized redistribution of their applications, so they make use of the copy-protection feature (known as “forward locking”) which prevents applications from being copied off devices. However, developer phones like the ADP1 allow for unrestricted access to the device’s contents, making it impossible to enforce copy protection. As a result, the Market application on such devices is not able to access copy protected apps, whether they are free or paid. If you choose to add copy protection when you upload your application to the Android Market, then you won’t be able to test it on the ADP1’s Android Market client. Your application will always be accessible to users who have standard configurations though, and if your application (whether it is free or paid) is not copy-protected it will appear on all devices, including developer configurations.
Thanks to Google and HTC for staying in touch with the needs of the community!