Posted by Adarsh Fernando, Senior Product Supervisor, Android Developer Instruments
Validating your app on a variety of Android screens is a crucial step to creating a top quality Android app. Nonetheless, having access to the gadget you want, whenever you want it, may be difficult and time consuming. From attempting to breed a tool particular conduct on a Samsung gadget to testing your adaptive app layouts on the Google Pixel Fold, having the precise gadget on the proper time is vital.
To deal with this app developer use case, we created Android System Streaming, powered by Firebase. With just some clicks, you and your crew can entry actual bodily gadgets, similar to the newest Pixel and Samsung gadgets, and use them within the IDE in lots of the methods you’d use a bodily gadget sitting in your desk.
At the moment, Android System Streaming is in beta and is offered to all Android builders utilizing Android Studio Jellyfish or later. We’ve additionally added new gadgets to the catalog and launched versatile pricing that gives low-cost entry to the newest Android gadgets.
Learn under to be taught what adjustments are on this launch, in addition to frequent questions round makes use of, safety, and pricing. Nonetheless, if you wish to get began straight away and take a look at Android System Streaming for free of charge, see our getting began information.
What are you able to do with Android System Streaming?
For those who’ve ever used System Mirroring, you recognize that Android Studio permits you to see the display of your native bodily gadget inside the IDE window. With out having to bodily attain out to your gadget, you’re in a position to change the gadget orientation, change the posture of foldables, simulate urgent bodily buttons, work together along with your app, and extra. Android System Streaming leverages these identical capabilities, permitting you to attach and work together with distant bodily gadgets offered by Firebase.
Once you use Android Studio to request a tool from Android System Streaming, the IDE establishes a safe ADB over SSL connection to the gadget. The connection additionally permits you to use acquainted instruments in Android Studio that talk with the gadget, such because the Debugger, Profiler, System Explorer, Logcat, Compose Dwell Edit, and extra. These instruments allow you to extra precisely validate, check, and debug the conduct of your app on actual OEM {hardware}.
What gadgets would my crew have entry to?
Android System Streaming provides you and your crew entry to a lot of gadgets operating Android variations 8.1 via 14. You may have entry to the newest flagship gadgets from prime gadget producers, similar to Google Pixel and Samsung. You’ll be able to develop testing your app throughout extra type components with entry to the newest foldables and tablets, such because the Samsung Tab S8 Extremely.
And we’re ceaselessly including new gadgets to our present catalog of 20+ gadget fashions, similar to the next current additions:
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely
- Google Pixel 8a
With out having to buy costly gadgets, every crew member can entry Firebase’s catalog of gadgets in just some clicks, for so long as they want—giving your crew confidence that your app appears to be like nice throughout quite a lot of standard gadgets.
As we talked about at Google I/O ‘24, we’re partnering with prime Authentic Tools Producers (OEMs), similar to Samsung, Google Pixel, Oppo, and Xiaomi, to develop gadget choice and availability even additional within the months to return. This helps the catalog of gadgets develop and keep forward of ecosystem developments, as a way to validate that your apps work nice on the newest gadgets earlier than they attain the vast majority of your customers.
Is Android System Streaming safe?
Android System Streaming, powered by Firebase, takes the safety and privateness of your gadget periods very critically. Firebase gadgets are hosted in safe international knowledge facilities and Android Studio makes use of an SSL connection to hook up with the gadget.
A tool that you just’ve used to put in and check your app on isn’t shared with one other consumer or Google service earlier than being fully erased and manufacturing unit reset. Once you’re accomplished utilizing a tool, you are able to do this your self by clicking “Return and Erase System” to totally erase and manufacturing unit reset it. The identical applies if the session expires and the gadget is returned robotically.
How a lot does Android System Streaming price?
Relying in your Firebase mission’s pricing plan, Android System Streaming customers can use Android System Streaming with the next pricing:
- On June 1, 2024, for a promotional interval:
- (no price) Spark plan: 120 no price minutes per mission, per thirty days
- Blaze plan: 120 no price minutes per mission, per thirty days, 15 cents for every extra minute
- On or round February, 2025, the promotional interval will finish and billing will probably be primarily based on the next quota limits:
- (no price) Spark plan: 30 no price minutes per mission, per thirty days
- Blaze plan: 30 no price minutes per mission, per thirty days, 15 cents for every extra minute
With no month-to-month or yearly contracts, Android System Streaming’s per-minute billing supplies unparalleled flexibility for you and your crew. And importantly, you don’t pay for any time frame required to arrange the gadget earlier than you join, or erase the gadget after you finish your session. This enables you and your crew to save lots of time and prices in comparison with buying and managing your individual gadget lab.
To be taught extra, see Utilization ranges, quotas, and pricing.
What’s subsequent
We’re actually excited for you and your crew to attempt Android System Streaming, powered by Firebase. We expect it’s a straightforward and cost-effective means so that you can entry the gadgets you want, whenever you want them, and proper out of your IDE, as a way to guarantee the very best quality and performance of your app to your customers.
The very best half is, you’ll be able to check out this new service in just some clicks and for free of charge. And our economical per-minute pricing supplies elevated flexibility to your crew to transcend the month-to-month quota, so that you just solely pay for the time you’re actively linked to a tool—no subscriptions or long-term commitments required.
You’ll be able to count on that the service will probably be including extra gadgets from prime OEM companions to the catalog, to make sure that gadget choice stays up-to-date and turns into more and more various. Attempt Android System Streaming right this moment and share your expertise with the Android developer committee on LinkedIn, Medium, YouTube, or X.