android-6-for-programmers-3rd

1.5 Downloading Apps from Google Play 13
Feature
App Standby
Now on Tap
New permissions
model
Fingerprint authentication
App linking
Automatic backup
Direct Share
Voice Interaction API
Bluetooth stylus support
Description
For apps that a user has open but has not interacted with recently,
Android defers background network activity.
Tap and hold the home button while inside any app and Google Now
inspects what’s on the screen and presents relevant information in the
form of cards. For example, in a text message discussing a movie, a card
containing information about that movie is displayed. Similarly, in a text
message mentioning a restaurant name, a card with the ratings, location
and phone number appears.
Before Android 6.0, a user was required at installation time to grant in
advance all permissions that an app would ever need—this caused many
people not to install certain apps. With the new model, the app is installed
without asking for any permissions. Instead, the user is asked to grant a
permission only the first time the corresponding feature is used.
For devices with fingerprint readers, apps can now authenticate users via
their fingerprints.
Enables developers to associate apps with their own web domains and
craft web links that launch specific apps from the same developer.
Android can automatically backup and restore an app’s data.
You can define direct share targets in your app that enable users to share
data via other apps, directly from your app.
Enables apps to respond to voice interactions.
Apps can respond to pressure-sensitive interactions from a Bluetooth stylus—for
example, in a drawing app, pressing the stylus against the screen
harder could result in a thicker line.
Fig. 1.10 | Some Android Marshmallow features (http://developer.android.com/about/
versions/marshmallow/android-6.0-changes.html). (Part 2 of 2.)
1.5 Downloading Apps from Google Play
At the time of this writing, there were over 1.6 million apps in Google Play, and the number
is growing quickly. 8 Figure 1.11 lists some popular free and fee-based apps in various
categories. You can download apps through the Play Store app installed on your Android
device. You also can log into your Google Play account at
http://play.google.com
then specify the Android device on which to install the app. It will then download via the
device’s Wi-Fi or 3G/4G connection. In Chapter 10, Google Play and App Business Issues,
we discuss additional app stores, offering your apps for free or charging a fee, app
pricing and more.
8. http://www.statista.com/statistics/266210/number-of-available-applications-inthe-google-play-store/.