Google releases Android Things Developer Preview 3

Google has released the third developer preview of Android Things, the company’s platform that offers APIs to developers to help them build smart devices.

Leveraging Android Things, developers can develop for Internet of Things and take advantage of regular updates, Google services, and most importantly, a secure platform. The Developer Preview 3 introduces a few enhancements to improve the features available to developers.

As of Developer Preview 3, Android Things now supports all Android Bluetooth APIs for android.bluetooth and android.bluetooth.le packages across all supported devices. The improvements mean that developers can leverage Bluetooth as if it were an Android smartphone enabling the full range of Bluetooth capabilities.

In addition, USB Host Support has been added to Android Things to provide the same functionality that has been part of Android since version 3.1. USB Host allows a regular user space application to communicate with USB devices without root privileges or support needed from the Linux kernel.

The introduction of these two features in Developer Preview 3 bridges the gap yet further towards integrating the functionality we all know and love in Android into Internet of Things. With IoT devices quickly finding a place in everyone’s home, it’s good to see Google help provide a standardized platform to develop on that will hopefully improve accessibility and interoperability.

To download images for Developer Preview 3, you can visit the Android Things download page and also join Google’s IoT Developers Community on Google+ to connect with others interested in Android Things.