Road Ahead For Mobile Game Development

Road Ahead for Mobile Game
Development
Imran Khan K | Studio Head
Griptonite Games India

2006 – Phones had limited gaming
capability.
2007 – Phones and 3D Games were a
difficult mix.
2008 - Handheld Games market was
Nintendo or Sony!
2009 – 2010 – 2011 – 2012
WHERE ARE WE TODAY?

Mobile Ecosystem
OS Companies Hardware
iOS Apple Intel
Android Google nVidia
Win7 Microsoft Qualcomm
Blackberry Nokia ARM
WebOS RIM Texas Inst
Symbian

Phones Stores OEM
Feature Phones Apple Store HTC
Smartphones Google Play Samsung
Tablets MS-Marketplace Motorola
OVI Sony Erricson
OEM Stores LG

Mobile Platform
• Mobile Operating System
• Development Tools
• Software and Hardware Updates Cycles
• Device Security Policy
• 3rd Party Applications
• Platform Business Strategy

Mobile OS Core
Apps Apps JVM [ Apps ] Apps JVM [ Apps ]

Google Dalvik Java Virtual
JVM Machine S60 Cocoa Touch X11/GNOME

Linux Kernel BlackBerry OS Symbian OS BSD Kernel Linux Kernel
Android BlackBerry Symbian ^ 1 iPhone Maemo Linux

- JVM enables “Write once, Run everywhere” paradigm but for lowest common
denominator feature set available on different phones.
- “Run Everywhere” is complicated by different implementations of JVM.
- iPhone has a tightly coupled Kernel, Cocoa API and 3rd party application interface
which uses all of the features of the iPhone consistently via the API calls.

Android vis-à-vis iOS
Android: (Open Platform)
+ OEM promotes development
+ Feature rich phones
- Inconsistent feature set
- Fragmented HW profiles
- Irregular software updates
- Non standard software distribution
- Ambiguous security policy
- Bloat of OEM features
iOS: (Closed Platform)
+ Stable development platform
+ Consistent features across
versions
+ Consistent software updates
+ Tight HW/SW integrated security
- Slow on delivery of features
- HW Limited to Apple’s choice

Android Evolution
Version Updates Size Vs Pixel Density
Version Codename API Level Distribution ldpi mdpi hdpi xhdpi
1.5 Cupcake 3 0.3% small 2.3% 2.4%
1.6 Donut 4 0.6%
normal 0.7% 26.2% 57.8% 0.9%
2.1 Eclair 7 5.2%
large 0.3% 2%
2.2 Froyo 8 19.1%
2.3 - 2.3.2 Gingerbread 9 0.4% xlarge 7.4%
2.3.3 - 2.3.7 10 64.6%
xlarge screens are at least 960dp x 720dp ldpi ~ 120 dpi
3.1 Honeycomb 12 0.7% large screens are at least 640dp x 480dp mdpi ~ 160 dpi
normal screens are at least 470dp x 320dp hdpi ~ 240 dpi
3.2 13 2% small screens are at least 426dp x 320dp xdpi ~ 320 dpi
4.0 - 4.0.2 Ice Cream 14 0.4%
4.0.3 - 4.0.4 Sandwich 15 6.7%

Device Software Updates Cycle

iOS Release
iTunes iOS Device
iOS Update

Android Release OEM build 3rd Party Distribution Android Device

Android Update OEM update

Release OEM Customize Distribution Device

Development Tools
Apple iOS Google Android
- COCOA API - Android Development Framework

- X-CODE - Eclipse

- Obj-C - Java

- Target Apple Device - Target Android Device

Security
iOS PUBLISH PROCESS: ANDROID PUBLISH PROCESS (1) :
- Prepare release build of App
- Prepare Release build of App - Email people the build
- Submit signed binary to Apple - Will only install if “Unknown Sources”
- Apple QA approval install enabled.
- Apple adds DRM to binary
- Apple deploys to App Store ANDROID PUBLISH PROCESS (2) :
- Web distribute the build
Apple controls the lifetime of App - Will only install if “Unknown Sources”
- Monitors application behavior install enabled.
- Can Remote shutdown
- Can Ban App from App Store ANDROID PUBLISH PROCESS (3) :
- Submit Signed App to Google Play
- Avail Google In-App Billing and
Licensing Services

3 Party Applications
rd

APPLE : Google :

- Has a strong guideline for how the - Enforces less control on content and
applications should be developed in presentation or follow strict
look & feel and functionality guidelines

- Controls how the 3rd party - Enforces no quality checks before
application is deployed to iOS apps are deployed to store.
devices via App Store and iTunes.
- No enforcement policy has led to
- Strict policies led to a professional Android becoming a tinkers
environment where serious destination where experimental
applications are deployed hobbyists deploy apps which are
buggy and unsecure.

Platform Business Strategy
Apple iOS : Google Android :

- Runs under everything tight direction of - Google offers Android for free but makes
one company to sell hardware. money from ads and tracking user
preferences via Google bundled apps.
- Provides all the support services that are
tightly integrated into HW design. - 3rd party OEM’s using Android offer features
that are non-standard and may not use the full
- All security flaws, hardware problems, Android feature set.
support managed by Apple.
- Android OS upgrades are managed by 3rd
- OS Upgrades are managed by Apple which party OEM’s rather than Google.
can provide a user friendly way of upgrading
your device to always stay current and use - 3rd Party OEM implementations of Android
the latest OS features. make it difficult to ensure global user
experience.
- Quality checks are strictly imposed on all
3rd party applications to make sure user has - Security and Quality is not actively managed
a good experience. on Android platforms.

Apple
- Leads in applications on App Store
- Leads in Revenue from Apps
- Leads in Tablet market share

Android
- Leads in User base growth

Conclusions!

Open for discussion!

Imran Khan K | Studio Head,
Griptonite Games India,
a glu Mobile Studio
Imran.khan@glu.com

Q&A

Road Ahead For Mobile Game Development

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