1 page.title=Android Compatibility 2 doc.type=compatibility 3 @jd:body 4 <p>Android is an open source product, and anyone can use the source code to build 5 devices. The purpose of the Android compatibility program is to help Android 6 device implementations remain compatible with all apps.</p> 7 <p>A device is considered compatible if existing and new third-party 8 applications run correctly on it. Poor device implementations that change APIs 9 or alter behaviors will break these apps and so are not compatible. The 10 Android compatibility program's aim is to ensure that these APIs are 11 consistently implemented across devices.</p> 12 <p>The latest version of the Android source code and compatibility program is 13 1.6, which roughly corresponded to the Donut branch. The compatibility 14 program for Android 2.x (corresponding to Eclair) is coming soon.</p> 15 <h2>Why build compatible Android devices?</h2> 16 <h3>Users want a customizable device.</h3> 17 <p>A mobile phone is a highly personal, always-on, always-present gateway to 18 the Internet. We haven't met a user yet who didn't want to customize it by 19 extending its functionality. That's why Android was designed as a robust 20 platform for running after-market applications.</p> 21 22 <h3>Developers outnumber us all.</h3> 23 <p>No device manufacturer can hope to write all the software that anyone could 24 conceivably need. We need third-party developers to write the apps users want, 25 so the Android Open Source Project aims to make it as easy and open as 26 possible for developers to build apps.</p> 27 28 <h3>Everyone needs a common ecosystem.</h3> 29 <p>Every line of code developers write to work around a particular phone's bug 30 is a line of code that didn't add a new feature. The more compatible phones 31 there are, the more apps there will be. By building a fully compatible Android 32 device, you benefit from the huge pool of apps written for Android, while 33 increasing the incentive for developers to build more of those apps.</p> 34 35 36 <h2>Android compatibility is free, and it's easy.</h2> 37 <p>If you are building a mobile device, you can follow these steps to make 38 sure your device is compatible with Android. For more details about the 39 Android compatibility program in general, see <a 40 href="{@docRoot}compatibility/overview.html">the program overview</a>.</p> 41 <p>Building a compatible device is a four-step process:</p> 42 <ol> 43 <li><b>Obtain the Android software stack source code</b><p>This is the 44 <a href="{@docRoot}source/index.html">source code for the Android 45 platform</a>, that you port to your hardware.</p></li> 46 <li><b>Comply with Android Compatibility Definition Document</b><p> 47 This document enumerates the software and the hardware features of 48 a compatible Android device.</p></li> 49 <li><b>Pass the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS)</b><p>You can use the CTS 50 (included in the Android source code) as an ongoing aid to compatibility 51 during the development process.</p></li> 52 <li><b>Submit CTS report</b><p>[Optional] You can also submit your CTS report, 53 so that it can be validated and recorded.</p><p><i>Note: 54 the submission system is currently under construciton, and is not currently 55 available.</i></p></li> 56 </ol> 57 58 <h2>Benefits of compatibility</h2> 59 <p>By submitting a validated CTS report, you receive public recognition of 60 your device's compatibility. This also opens up additional options you can 61 pursue such as use of the Android branding, access to Android Market, and 62 more.</p> 63 <p>As a consequence of some legal quirks, we aren't able to offer automatic 64 licensing of either the Android Market or branding. To actually obtain access 65 to these programs, you will need to <a 66 href="{@docRoot}compatibility/contact-us.html">contact us</a> to obtain a 67 license.</p> 68
