The Unification of Our Android Ecosystem

By Garrett Kinsman   ::   February 27th, 2014

        Our world is becoming more and more populated by a myriad of devices. We encounter mobile operating systems more than ever before.  Android has become the most popular, holding over 80% of the world's smartphone market share. Many people, the younger generations especially, are interacting with Android more often than a Personal Computer. It has become an integral part of everyday, human life.

        With the addition of connected devices (Wireless speakers, Fitness Trackers, Smart Fridges... etc), we have created a personal ecosystem in which we interact with technology. As these devices become more common, the interfaces to manage these connections become ever-more complex. The following is a proposed re-thinking of Android that would solve  many of these problems. This is based on evidence from current Google  activities and involvement in Project Ara.

        The first problem when it comes to Android is the relative difficulty in moving a piece of information between Android devices. As more and more Android devices are showing up in our lives, we need a way to manage our data even without a connection to the cloud.  Manufacturers and programmers have come up with many different ways to NFC or “beam” information between a device, these are extremely fragmented and rarely work well. The first proposition is a standard within Android itself that links one account to many devices, each of which communicate wirelessly without the internet. With an internet connection, these devices could be interacted with remotely.

Notification management will be extremely helpful as we interact between a phone, a tablet, and even a smartwatch. With each device being connected, we can now manage all of our notifications through one interface. Once we view a notification, it shouldn't be still waiting on other devices. This would also allow us to secure our devices through one password that could be changed instantly from any device. Settings could now be managed across one ecosystem, instead of individually by device.

        These kinds of connections would allow users to do more with their data. Android could now act as one operating system. One user interface could connect devices' data without the cloud or different interfaces. With a fast data connection, apps could be run on one device, and displayed on another. This modularity was introduced through Project Ara. A phone built with interchangeable components. What I’m proposing is that the operating system doesn’t stay on one device. It works through all components, and wirelessly through all of one’s devices.

        Now many of these things can be done through hacking or third-party apps. But in order for Android to become a more serious operating system, it will have to scale seamlessly between screen sizes and computing power. By working wirelessly as one, It can utilize more processing power, and more screens. Your storage could be partitioned between devices and the cloud.  Those who master these interactions will redefine what an operating system can do.

        The second problem when it comes to mobile devices is externals. Externals in this sense are anything that connects to a smartphone that isn't running the Android OS. Our lives are becoming more and more filled with connected devices, bluetooth speakers, and fitness trackers. The internet of things was coined to name this vast network of "smart objects".

         The problem is the way we interact with these devices. A bluetooth external can only be connected to one device. When using a bluetooth keyboard, switching between a phone and tablet takes a lengthy process of "pairing" and "unpairing" . The process should be simple, even unoticable. I imagine it could be as simple as knowing which device is in use, and forwarding the connection. The possibilities exceed one's imagination.

        As more and more notifications fill our environment, another important aspect will be managing these notifications across externals. A hierarchy must be defined as to which what notifications alert the user depending on the time of day. It also may be important to control what shows up per-device. A person can only handle so many disturbances before they begin to react with stress. Today many problems remain as to notifications going off between devices.

        Google also maintains a strong presence on Android, although it  may sometimes seem repetitive. On a nexus device running Android 4.4, google search can be initiated by swiping up, swiping to the right, through a search bar, or saying "Ok Google Now". If a user is surrounded by multiple android devices, saying “Ok, Google Now” will initiate a series of pings in response from each device. This should be simplified and managed across ones’ Android Ecosystem. One input, one response. Connecting these devices and externals as one OS will streamline the process of interaction and information retrieval.

        As the internet of things is becoming a reality we have to find a way to efficiently manage and connect these devices together. Android is already one of the most popular operating systems to date. But it isn’t perfect. We’re going to see a race for the big screens. In order to truly create content, graphics, programs etc... a large screen is essential. Windows and Macs dominate this marketplace. Moore’s law shows that our mobile devices will catch up very quickly to our desktop companions. A way to wirelessly connect to larger screens, and interact efficiently is going to be essential for Android. Even more essential, is how the interface changes to adjust for these resolution shifts.

The future is going to be awesome. It will be fascinating to watch (and hopefully participate) in how operating systems interact and innovate in the mobile ecosystem. We’ve only just started, and one question is going to drive the future of everything: What’s next? X

Garrett Kinsman is an 18 year old professional graphic designer and currently studying Industrial Design, UI/UX, and Business. He lives in Rochester, NY and hopes to change the world someday.  His work can be seen on his site: gekinsman.blogspot.com