Now, there seems to be an app for almost anything that you want to do, whether it is to monitor your health, plan a holiday, or read a book. While a majority of people rely on the pre-existing apps, there are others who feel these apps won’t do and take the trouble to create their own app.
Among those bitten by the ‘customised app creation’ bug are school and college students.
In the last couple of years, a number of school and college students have come up with apps that meet a variety of needs, including game-based entertainment and solutions for everyday problems. While some of these students are interested in iOS and Windows apps, a majority are looking to develop Android Apps, experts say.
As a result, the demand for android app development courses has gone up.
“There was a 120 per cent increase, last year, in the number of people searching for Android App Development courses,” Satya Prabhakar, founder, Sulekha.com, said.
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What's its all about
An Android app is a collection of tasks or activities. Each activity has its own purpose and user interface.
The official language to develop an app on the Android OS is Java.
>developer.android.com/training/index.html has a lot of details on how to develop apps
Some apps developed by students now available on Google Play Store:
Cow and bull
It is a word game that allows users to guess a word that another user has challenged them with
Droid detector
Allows users to locate their phone even if it is in silent mode
Smart display
When the phone is in pocket, the display will not switch on
Prayer planet
Allows user to offer prayers even if there are no idols around
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According to Vinod Shakthikumar, Android Developer with FITA Training Centre, there are several college students who come in looking for app development projects.
“A number of students who have passed Class X have come to us seeking to find out how to develop apps,” he said.
There are various factors that encourage students to take up app development.
One, since Android is a Linux-based operating system, it is open source. Two, the cost of developing apps is very low.
“With over 1 billion mobile devices working on the Android platform, there is a good chance that their apps will get downloaded,” he said.
S. Ashwin Kumar, a fourth-year computer science student from SSN, says: “During the holidays, I worked with a start-up that helped me learn how to develop apps,” he said.
He has been working with a group of students at his college to come up with several apps that are available in the Google Play Store.
“While a majority of our apps are games, we have been working on a couple of other applications that address practical issues,” he added.
D. Priyadarshini, a IV-ear student from RMK Engineering College has also started to create her own apps. “Initially I went to a local start-up, where I learnt the basics of app development. Later I came back to college and took a four-day training course,” she said.
The advantage of Android App development is that there are a number of free online resources that show you how to develop apps, she added.
Even school students have taken up app development. The most popular among them are brothers Shravan and Sanjay Kumaran (from http://www.godimensions.com/), who are studying in Class XI and IX respectively, and have been developing apps for the past four years.
“While we have now moved on to product development, we are still exploring various apps,” Sanjay said.
According to M.M. Ramya, Centre for Automation and Robotics, Hindustan University, several colleges have introduced app development as a module for many of the engineering streams. “Developing these apps helps students think outside the box, understand the problem, and helps them visualise solutions,” she said. Having a few apps on the Playstore is a good way for these students to showcase their talent to the world, a senior HR manager from one of the IT companies said.
