When Android first arrived in 2008, it was a bit drab compared to much more stylish iOS on the Apple
iPhone iPad.
But quite quickly, it a variety of handset offers that struck a chord with a practical price.
Conscious consumers as well as those who are fashion conscious and tech savvy.
Android user numbers exploded.
For many, myself included, developing for Android is the most rewarding pastime compared to iOS,
quickly putting together a prototype of an idea, refining it, and then deciding to run with it and
ride it up into a fully fledged application is such an exciting and rewarding process.
Any programming can be fun.
I have been programming all my life, but creating for Android is somehow extraordinarily rewarding.
Defining exactly why this is the case is quite difficult.
Perhaps it is the fact that the platform is free and open.
You can distribute your applications without needing the permission of a big controlling corporation
and nobody can stop you.
And at the same time you have a real established corporate controlled mass market such as Amazon App
Store and Google Play.
It is more likely, however, that the reason that developing for Android gives such a good feeling
is the nature of devices themselves.
They are deeply personal.
You can develop applications that interact with people's lives which educate, entertain, tell a story
and so on, and it is there in their pocket, ready to go in the home, in the workplace, or on the
holiday.
You can certainly build something bigger for the desktop, but knowing that thousands or even millions
of people are carrying your work in their pockets and sharing it with their friends is more than just
the popularity.
There is no longer is developing applications considered geeky or nerdy?
In fact, developing for Android is considered highly skilful, and the most successful developers are
hugely admired or even revered.
If all this fluffy spiritual stuff doesn't mean anything to you.
That's fine too.
Developing for Android can make you a living or even make you wealthy.
With continued growth of device ownership.
The ongoing increase in CPU and GPU power and then non-stop evolution of Android operating system itself,
the need for professional application developers is only going to grow and increase.
In short, the best Android developers and more importantly, the Android developers with the best ideas
and the most determination are in greater demand than ever.
Nobody knows who these future underrate application developers are, and they might not even have written
their first line of code yet.
So why isn't everybody an Android developer?
Obviously not everybody will share my enthusiasm for the thrill of creating software that can help make
people's lives better.
But I'm guessing that because you are taking this course, you might.