Affinity for Android

[PaoloT]

Developing for a new platform is extremely cost intensive. Development for the iPad is relatively easy, since it is mostly the same as developing for the Mac. Much of the code can be shared.

If tools like Apple Catalyst are available for Android (and other platforms), an Android version will be relatively easy to do. If these tools are not available, I don't see a huge offer and request coming.

Paolo

 

[pixelstuff]

6 minutes ago, PaoloT said:

Developing for a new platform is extremely cost intensive. Development for the iPad is relatively easy, since it is mostly the same as developing for the Mac. Much of the code can be shared.

If tools like Apple Catalyst are available for Android (and other platforms), an Android version will be relatively easy to do. If these tools are not available, I don't see a huge offer and request coming.

Paolo

 

Are they using Apple Catalyst? Does that support Windows?

[PaoloT]

2 hours ago, pixelstuff said:

Are they using Apple Catalyst? Does that support Windows?

I don't think they use Catalyst, that in any case doesn't support Windows. Code sharing between Mac and iOS has been possible even before Catalyst in Xcode. I've no idea of which tools can be used to share code between them and other platforms.

Paolo

 

[Manny_va]

On 2/23/2022 at 7:45 AM, Novak said:

Things are much different today than they were 3y ago. We're getting 12L meaning Android is officially back on big screens and not just some Samsung experiment, sales of high end Android tablets are also going up and some nice SW (LumaFusion) is on it's way to Android. Not saying we'll see Affinity on Android anytime soon, or ever, but with recent development I see a bright future for Android on tablets with or without Serif. Btw if they decide to ignore it, some other  company will jump in.

yes lumafusion is coming to andriod...... but sadly its not the same version as ios.... i do believe it is 1-2 version below the current ios version.... and thats precisely what i mean..... apple get the best of everything while andriod users gets the boot.... granted i am happy that is finally coming.... not so happy how its being implemented 

[Novak]

13 hours ago, Manny_va said:

yes lumafusion is coming to andriod...... but sadly its not the same version as ios.... i do believe it is 1-2 version below the current ios version.... and thats precisely what i mean..... apple get the best of everything while andriod users gets the boot.... granted i am happy that is finally coming.... not so happy how its being implemented 

In time it will reach feature parity, wait for it, it's just the first version for android 

[garrettm30]

On 2/27/2022 at 1:05 PM, PaoloT said:

Development for the iPad is relatively easy, since it is mostly the same as developing for the Mac. Much of the code can be shared.

I remember listening to an interview of Ashley Hewson wherein he talked about the early days of development for the Affinity line. If I remembered correctly, development actually started on iOS, and as hardware was considerably weak then as compared to today’s standards, the current efficiency of Affinity (at least in Apple hardware) has a lot to do with those early experiences. Ash was talking about how they had to get graphics working well with very limited memory.

The point is that iPad was not really an additional platform, but Affinity was developed with it in mind right from the beginning, even though the iPad apps did come out later than the Mac versions. Windows was an additional platform (though I can only assume that Serif probably did intend to make Windows versions from the beginning), and it no doubt took a considerable amount of effort to bring the apps to that different platform. However, the profit potential for that market made the effort worth it when weighed against the resources available to Serif.

I would not be surprised if Android does eventually get some apps from Serif. In my estimation, it is just a question of timing. As a company, it is reasonable that they will go where the money is. As the company grows, and as sales of their existing offerings starts to reach saturation, they will naturally ask where they can go next and whether they have or can get the resources to launch off into new territory. Right now, they still do not have Publisher on iPad, and as that is one of their existing markets and an easier goal to obtain than launching any of the Affinity line on additional platform, I would expect that they would prioritize rounding out the trilogy on iPad as their next step.

These are all just observations from the outside. You can be sure that Serif has had discussions about which platforms to support and their roadmap for when or if they hope to support such and such a platform. I have merely tried to suggest what seems to be a plausible explanation for what we have seen so far.

[GaryRS]

I wonder if the way to go, is to not release an 'Android' version, but a Samsung Galaxy Tab version.... I mean, if it can be narrowed down to iPad as a single product/range.  Just a thought ("narrow market etc etc etc") 

[focuslocked]

6 minutes ago, GaryRS said:

I wonder if the way to go, is to not release an 'Android' version, but a Samsung Galaxy Tab version.... I mean, if it can be narrowed down to iPad as a single product/range.  Just a thought ("narrow market etc etc etc") 

Other developers have done exactly this. So, it's definitely a viable path.

[pixelstuff]

2 hours ago, GaryRS said:

I wonder if the way to go, is to not release an 'Android' version, but a Samsung Galaxy Tab version.... I mean, if it can be narrowed down to iPad as a single product/range.  Just a thought ("narrow market etc etc etc") 

That might be the way to go IF there is a lot of compatibility issues (leading to tech support hassles) or IF they could get Samsung to foot the bill in exchange for exclusivity.

Otherwise they would be shooting themselves in the foot by shunning half the market from the purchase. How many Samsung Tabs are sold compared to all manufactures combined from Google, Asus, Acer, nVidia, Lenovo, Toshiba, Onn, Huawei, Xiaomi, and dozens more regional brands from around the world.

[Novak]

Asked them on Twitter, they said they currently have no plans for Android so no point in continuing this topic. Maybe some day. 

[pixelstuff]

6 hours ago, Novak said:

Asked them on Twitter, they said they currently have no plans for Android so no point in continuing this topic. Maybe some day. 

As if this feature request forum is for their planning rather than our own amusement.

[Novak]

13 hours ago, pixelstuff said:

As if this feature request forum is for their planning rather than our own amusement.

True that. 

[Kamei Kojirou]

I like their products and wish I could use it on my preferred operating systems(Linux[Pop!_OS] & Android). So I'm showing my support for this, +1 for Android. I don't really see a need for discouraging discussion about this. Either Affinity will decide to do it or they won't.

[iuli]

1 hour ago, Kamei Kojirou said:

I like their products and wish I could use it on my preferred operating systems(Linux[Pop!_OS] & Android). So I'm showing my support for this, +1 for Android. I don't really see a need for discouraging discussion about this. Either Affinity will decide to do it or they won't.

Yesterday (again!) someone asked on twitter (if affinity software will be available to android), to which Serif has responded “Sorry, there are no current plans for an Android version.” So while I agree that no (decent) discussion should ever be discouraged, makes little sense (to me) to encourage a subject officially closed by Devs themselves (numerous times).

[Kamei Kojirou]

24 minutes ago, Away79 said:

Yesterday (again!) someone asked on twitter (if affinity software will be available to android), to which Serif has responded “Sorry, there are no current plans for an Android version.” So while I agree that no (decent) discussion should ever be discouraged, makes little sense (to me) to encourage a subject officially closed by Devs themselves (numerous times).

It's a feedback forum, as long as it is civil there is no harm in continuing. If anything, it helps them gauge interest in a particular request. Those other threads were locked outside of the scope of just being a request.

I've been lurking here for a few years and I've seen a lot of community members shout down other community members requests for other platforms (Not accusing you of this.) to get these threads locked. There are merits in keeping these requests open and showing support for them. Affinity/Serif at the end of the day will make any decisions that make sense for them. But I honestly find the community response to these requests quite concerning and sometimes toxic.

Edited March 16, 2022 by Kamei Kojirou

[iuli]

20 minutes ago, Kamei Kojirou said:

It's a feedback forum, as long as it is civil there is no harm in continuing. If anything, it helps them gauge interest in a particular request. Those other threads were locked outside of the scope of just being a request.

I've been lurking here for a few years and I've seen a lot of community members shout down other community members requests for other platforms (Not accusing you of this.) to get these threads locked. There are merits in keeping these requests open and showing support for them. Affinity/Serif at the end of the day will make any decisions that make sense for them. But I honestly find the community response to these requests quite concerning and sometimes toxic.

Now looking behind, my post looks rather disrespectful, which wasn’t my intention. All the best!

[espinozalee]

Affinity would definitely be good for Android! I use a Tab S8 Ultra and its power can run Emulators to a PS2 level.

[Snapseed]

On 12/14/2021 at 2:49 PM, Mini123110 said:

I would love affinity designer to be available on my Samsung Fold 3 and Samsung tablets. 

I think this would benefit both Affinity and Samsung. Samsung is a major manufacturer and I would quite happily purchase Affinity Designer again to use on my Samsung Fold 3. 

It's clear though that in the short to medium term at least that Serif Europe won't be developing their software products for Android.

Therefore, I'd suggest that everyone shares their experiences here of the alternative Android apps that are available from the Play Store to help others (that's what l have done in the equivalent Linux thread). 

[Muttley]

On 4/24/2022 at 11:08 PM, Snapseed said:

Therefore, I'd suggest that everyone shares their experiences here of the alternative Android apps that are available from the Play Store to help others (that's what l have done in the equivalent Linux thread). 

Sadly – and that's the point – there is not a single alternative to Affinity Photo when it comes to Android apps. Especially if you're looking for a photo editor with desktop-like UI and with no subscription plan. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are only available by subscription, same applies to On1 Photo Raw, Snapseed has a rather smartphone-like UI, Pixlr E is not available for Android, Pixelmator neither etc.

I've been investing a LOT of time searching for some usable photo editor for my Samsung Tablet (S7+) and I had to resign. Now I somehow get along with using Samsungs built-in photo editor and/or Snapseed for simple image editing and using PhotoPea in the browser for more serious photo editing stuff (when it comes to make local adjustments and/or working with layers), but switching between different photo editors is not an ideal solution. So I wish Affinity would finally recognize they'd face no serious competition if they were bringing Affinity Photo to Android, but they don't seem to care a lot resp. prefer to stay with the "cool kids" (namely Apple)... What a shame!

[Pšenda]

On 4/24/2022 at 11:08 PM, Snapseed said:

Therefore, I'd suggest that everyone shares their experiences here of the alternative Android apps that are available from the Play Store to help others (that's what l have done in the equivalent Linux thread). 

Why should it be done "here" on the Affinity product forum? Shouldn't this be discussed in Android/Linux forums, where many grateful readers would probably find it?
Insert a link to this discussion thread here so that everyone who is interested can find it, but there is no need to burden and abuse these forums.

[Enelya1988]

I have just purchases the entire suite for desktop and would do the same with the entire suite for Android if ink it would ever be developed.

[Dez]

They really should. We should corner affinity and send them emails and petitions we want it for android!!

[AdamStanislav]

2 hours ago, Dez said:

They really should. We should corner affinity and send them emails and petitions we want it for android!!

Why stop there? Why not Raspberry Pi? And brickOS, and QNX, and MS DOS, and NuttX, and Apache Mynewt, and BlackBerry and Firefox OS, and TurboDOS, and Oberon, and Netware, and JavaOS, and FreeDOS, and Xinu, and OpenSolaris, and..................

[pixelstuff]

47 minutes ago, AdamStanislav said:

Why stop there? Why not Raspberry Pi? And brickOS, and QNX, and MS DOS, and NuttX, and Apache Mynewt, and BlackBerry and Firefox OS, and TurboDOS, and Oberon, and Netware, and JavaOS, and FreeDOS, and Xinu, and OpenSolaris, and..................

How many users are there for each of those operating systems you listed?

[AdamStanislav]

1 hour ago, pixelstuff said:

How many users are there for each of those operating systems you listed?

Raspberry Pi alone has millions users all over the world.