Google launches Flutter beta, a dev platform for both Android and iOS

  • Flutter is an app development platform that works with both Android and iOS.
  • With one set of code, app developers can create and release apps for both operating systems at the same time.
  • This will hopefully lead to a less fragmented Android experience.

One of the biggest issues Android faces is fragmentation. With hundreds of manufacturers creating thousands of devices with different display sizes and hardware capabilities, it’s difficult to control anything in regards to the operating system and its apps. In contrast, Apple controls all iPhones and iPads and has a very limited number of device sizes and capabilities to keep in mind when developing new apps.

The result of this dichotomy is that apps are made for iOS first because it’s far simpler to do. An Android app then eventually follows.

Google has been trying to formulate a solution to this problem for years, which is why the company must be incredibly excited that Flutter beta is launching today. Flutter is an app development tool that will finally let developers create apps for both Android and iOS at the same time using the same code.

Here is a YouTube video that explains how Flutter can help developers in ways they never thought possible:

According to Google, developers can use Flutter on its own or integrate it with development tools they already know. Flutter also comes with presets like widgets and forms that work across operating systems fluidly, helping developers spend more time on creativity and the user experience and less on the nitty-gritty.

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This is a beta rollout, so Flutter still has some potential issues. However, some prominent apps have already been created on the Flutter platform, including the Hamilton: The Musical app as well as Hookle. Toni Piirainen, CEO of Codemate, the developers of the Hookle app, praised the Flutter experience: “We now confidently recommend Flutter to help our clients perform better and deliver more value to their users across mobile,” he said.

Google says that it hopes to release updates to Flutter every four weeks, but has no solid date planned for its eventual 1.0 release.

Developers interested in trying Flutter should visit the Getting Started guide.



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