Google is working on a way for apps to automatically open depending on what the user is doing.
Techcrunch reports that Google has introduced new app developing tools that allow app customization, enabling a particular app to "intelligently react" depending on a user's current setting, and this was revealed at this week's Google I/O Conference. It could be the weather, the location, or the user's current activity.
To make these "smarter apps" possible, Google is introducing a new "Awareness API," and is now available for early access on their developers' site. The new API can be combined with other existing API's to provide a customized experience for the user.
According to the developers' blog, Awareness API is made up of two distinct API's.
The Fence API lets the app react to the user's current activity, and provides notification when certain combinations of conditions are met. For example, a user might just put his headphones on and start walking or jogging. The music app may suggest an energizing playlist for the user to listen to while jogging, even if the music app is not running.
The Snapshot API allows an app to request for information first about the user's current situation, like the user's location and the time of day, or certain weather conditions.
The blog also outlines Context types, which is an important element of the Awareness API. Data includes sensor-derived data like location, place and activity, and can be combined for a more detailed analysis of the user's current situation.
The blog also mentioned the use of "beacons," which may translate into other devices such as Android Wear watches or even smart TV's.
Google has said that this was not a new idea, as this can previously be attempted using multiple API's. This is not recommended, as this would either cause battery drain or increase RAM usage and is not user-friendly.
A few developers who had early access to the Awareness API have launched various apps, with less than satisfying results, according to Techcrunch. With the API becoming more available, it might be a start of a new batch of smarter apps, making all Android users' lives easier.
