This is a collection of tips I've accumulated during my experience of porting iOS apps to Android. It accompanied a talk i gave at openMIC#16 in Exeter, UK on 15 Feb 2013

1. Porting Tips:
iOS to Android
OpenMIC #16
@ Exeter University
15 Feb 2013
Elliot Long
@elroid
Monday, 18 February 13

2. Agenda
• Why port?
• UI Structural Considerations
• UI Style Considerations
• Responsive Design
• Testing/Distribution
• Android specialties
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3. Porting?
Port [pohrt] Vb
To translate software to run on a different
computer and/or operating system.
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4. Porting?
Port [pohrt] Vb
To rewrite an application so it works on a
different platform, using some common
assets where possible
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5. Why Android?
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6. Why not web-apps?
e.g.
PhoneGap
Appcelerator
Corona
FlashBuilder
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7. One size does not fit all
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8. One size does not fit all*
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9. *...unless you’re making a
game
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10. So what’s so different?
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11. So what’s so different?
Buttons, mainly.
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12. #1: We don’t need that on-screen back button
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13. #2: Menu options are there if you need them
[with menu key] [without menu key]
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14. #2: Menu options are there if you need them
...and for compatibilty
with older apps....
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15. #3a Tabs: Should be at the very least
be moved to the top...
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16. #3b Tabs: ...and preferably look more android like...
ActionbarSherlock
+
HoloEverywhere
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17. #3b Tabs: ...and preferably look more android like...
jgilfelt.github.com/android-actionbarstylegenerator
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18. #3c Tabs: ...or ideally ditched altogether
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19. #3d: Life without tabs: the 3rd way
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20. #3d: Life without tabs: the 3rd way
github.com/jfeinstein10/SlidingMenu
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21. Style: General guidelines
•Not quite so rounded
•16:9 not 3:2
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22. Style: UITableView vs LinearLayout
•No rounded corners
•No lines to the edge!
•No chevrons
•Accordions? Hmm...
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23. Style: UITableView vs ListView
Separate each row
--or--
Put them in a
scrolling rounded
window
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24. Style: 9Patch images
http://weblookandfeel.com/nine-patch-editor/
iOS5 equivalent:
cap insets
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25. Style: 9Patch images
http://weblookandfeel.com/nine-patch-editor/
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26. Style: Button states
In iOS you get lovely
blueness for free
No free lunch for
android, need
several states for
all buttons
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27. Style: Icons
http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/ui_guidelines/icon_design_launcher.html
Tip: Android tablets icons come from the “next bucket
up” e.g. the Nexus 10 is an xhdpi device, but will use
icons from the xxhdpi bucket
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28. Style: Switch Buttons
Not supported by ABS or
HoloEverywhere (yet)
Pretty easy to do with
images (extend
CompoundButton or use an
ImageView)
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29. Style: Fonts
Can use TrueType fonts
(like iOS5)
Not straightforward...
But do you really need
them....?
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30. Roboto in ICS+
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31. Roboto before ICS
Roboto Regular
Roboto Bold
Roboto Italic
But you can use roboto.ttf for < ICS
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32. Style: Densities
ldpi - 0.5x
mdpi - 1x
hdpi - 1.5x
xhdpi - 2x
xxhdpi - 2.5x?
http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/
screens_support.html
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33. iPhone 3
HTC Dream (G1)
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34. Nexus 1
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35. HTC Sensation
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36. HTC Sensation iPhone 4s (640x960)
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37. Galaxy Nexus
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38. Sony Xperia Z
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39. Android iPhone
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40. Vodafone 858
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41. Responsive Design
Do Use:
•LinearLayout, RelativeLayout
•layout_weight, match_parent, wrap_content
•dps for measurements, sp for fonts
Do not use:
•AbsoluteLayout
•px for interface measurements
•dp for fonts
(sp takes user font size pref into account)
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42. Testing & Distribution
iPhone Android
Type Simulator Emulator
Quicker, not as suitable for Slower, more
Suitability debugging, esp multi-
threaded accurate
Provisioning Share a link to
Beta Testing
(doh!) APK
Up to 50mb
Binary Size Up to 2GB +2 x 2GB extension packs
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43. Don’t forget - Android
does things iOS doesn’t!
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44. Android Specialties
•Background processes
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45. Android Specialties
•Background processes
•Intent-filter: BROWSABLE
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46. Android Specialties
•Background processes
•Intent-filter: BROWSABLE
•Widgets
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47. Android Specialties
•Background processes
•Intent-filter: BROWSABLE
•Widgets
•Rich notifications
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48. Android Specialties
•Background processes
•Intent-filter: BROWSABLE
•Widgets
•Rich notifications
•NFC
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49. Useful Resources
actionbarsherlock.com www.holoeverywhere.com
developer.android.com/design
developer.android.com/guide/practices/ui_guidelines/icon_design_launcher.html
www.androidpatterns.com
Sliding Menu
github.com/jfeinstein10/SlidingMenu
Actionbar Style Generator
jgilfelt.github.com/android-actionbarstylegenerator
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50. Useful Resources
www.jetbrains.com/idea
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51. Questions?
Elliot Long
@elroid
Monday, 18 February 13