Google Encourages Developers to Make Android Tablet Apps

In an attempt to get third-party developers working on apps for Android tablets, Google has released a checklist to help them create software for devices with larger screens, and is sharing stories on companies that have been successful at it.

Android-based tablets are caught in something of a "chicken and egg" situation. One of the reasons they haven't competed very well with the Apple iPad is that there is a dearth of great software designed for them, but one of the reasons the selection of apps is poor is because sales of hardware haven't been very strong.

There are hundreds of thousands of Android apps, but a large majority of these were created for smartphones, and were optimized for small screens. Google has started putting a series of new app collections on Google Play designed to highlight the best software created specifically for tablet users.

Reaching Out to Devs

In an attempt to kickstart app development, Google is actively encouraging programers to take a serious look at tablets. One of the ways is by sharing some case studies from Mint.com, Tiny Co, and Instapaper, who all have enjoyed good results from their apps created for Android tablets.

The company has also put together what it calls a Tablet App Quality Checklist to help people and organizations create better programs for this class of devices.

An extensive array of third-party applications is important to the success of any platform. Google showed it has gotten more serious about Android tablets by releassing the Google Nexus 7 this summer.

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