Firemonkey & Android 64-bit requirement - delphi

Starting August 1, 2019:
All new apps and app updates that include native code are required to
provide 64-bit versions in addition to 32-bit versions when publishing
to Google Play.
How in a Firemonkey application, can I set app to meet 64-bit requirements?
I'm using Embarcadero RAD Studio 10.3.

It's impossible to compile a 64bit Android app with RAD Studio 10.3.
Android 64bit support is only available in RAD Studio 10.3.3 and later as can be seen from the August 2019 Roadmap. So you'll need to get RAD Studio 10.3.3 if you want to compile an Android 64bit application.

This is an official blog post from Embarcadero about Delphi 64bit. You can request an extension to the 64-bit requirement, as follow:
Official Post From Sarina DuPont:
As you’re probably aware, starting August 1st, 2019, applications in the Google Play Store must support 64-bit. We are working to provide 64-bit Android support in RAD Studio, but in the meantime, Google’s Play Store team is considering extensions to the 64-bit requirement for our Delphi and C++Builder customers on an app-by-app basis (see steps below).
To ensure your C++Builder or Delphi Android 32-bit application is accepted into the Play Store, you will need to submit a request for an extension after following the regular Google Play Store publishing steps in the Console.
Note: Starting August 1st, 2019, only app updates to existing Android 32-bit applications will be considered for an extension by the Google Play Store team, not new 32-bit Android applications. For new Android 32-bit applications, it’s recommended that you submit them as soon as possible and start asking for an extension now, so that you are not impacted by the deadline come August 1st.
How to request an extension:
1) Visit https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/contact/publishing
2) Fill out the form and select ‘I submitted a new app or app update but it is not live’
3) In the feedback field, indicate that your application was built with Embarcadero Delphi or C++Builder, and that you’d like to request an extension to the 64-bit requirement
Embarcadero customers can submit extension requests for Android 32-bit app updates to existing Google Play Store applications until August 2020.

It's not possible at the moment unless you update to Rad Studio 10.3.3.
However, here are some alternative (aggressive) solutions :
If you have a limited user base (Corporation/B2B), you can instruct users to sideload your application outside of the store.
Publish on an alternative Android App store, there are many, with less restrictions!
You can publish 32-bit on Google play, but for Android pre-9 version.

This also depends on if the you are using C++ or Delphi, it looks like C++ support for android 64 bit won't be available for at least a year.

Related

Delphi Metro App in Tablet with Windows 10 home edition

I need to create a delphi app to install and run into a Tablet with Windows 10 - home edition.
If I use Delphi XE8/Win 8.1 and create a Metropolis or VCL app, could I be able to install it into that Tablet and run without problem?
If is not possible, what type of app could I create with Delphi XE8/Win 8.1 to run into a windows 10 tablet - home edition?
For now I didn´t buy the tablet because I don´t know if the app will work.
Luiz
At this time, Delphi cannot produce true Universal (formerly known as Metro) apps. It can only produce native Win32 apps that look and feel like Universal apps (and can access a few select WinRT APIs that have been made accessible to Win32), but they are not true Universal apps from Windows' perspective.
So, Delphi cannot be used to develop apps that can be deployed through the Windows App store (at least until Microsoft releases its "Project Centennial" bridge, which is essentially just a Universal wrapper for Win32 apps).
That being said, the Windows 10 Mobile OS (for phones and small tablets) cannot (yet) run native Win32 apps, only Universal apps. On tablets with a screen size of 8" or larger, tablet manufacturers may decide to install the full Windows 10 desktop OS instead, in which case native Win32 apps can be run.
You can create an application with delphi (VCL or FMX) that run without problems in a Windows 10. In a desktop computer, in a portatil or a Tablet.
The problem not is the device, is the operating system installed.
You can't develop for Windows 10 Movile, but without problem for Windows 10 Home Edition.
I have developed for a Tablet with Windows 10 with Delphi 7 (and DevExpress for Metro interface). Of course you can do it with Delphi XE8.
Regards.

Can I make Windows 10 Mobile apps using Delphi 10 Seattle?

I know Delphi 10 Seattle is currently able to make apps for Windows 10, Android, iOS, OS X and Web. Well does Windows 10 mean that I can also make apps for Windows 10 Mobile and/or Windows Universal Apps?
No. Delphi does not support any kind of Windows Mobile or Windows Universal development at this time. Microsoft is still researching the possibility of supporting classic Win32 apps in Windows Mobile environments.

Cordova Windows Phone URL Association

I have a plugin for my Cordova application that adds support for URL association, so my app can be launched from let's say, bob://test/some/stuff This works for Android and iOS.
How would I add Windows Phone support?
It's being written in Visual Studio 2013 Update 3 with CTP Hybrid Tools 2.

How to prepare old Blackberry app for BlackBerry 10?

We have a couple of Blackberry apps and are now trying to prepare them for BB 10. These apps are made in Java via Eclipse and/or RIM IDE tool. However, when I went to https://developer.blackberry.com/platforms/bb10, I saw that there is no even a mention of Java SDK. Take a look at image below.
So how am I supposed to update Blackberry app to BB 10? Any ideas?
You have to decide what to do with your applications. If you have an Android version, one option is to repackage the APK to a BAR using the provided tool set so that it will run under the Android player. There are many good Android applications that provide an acceptable or even good user experience this way. Another option is to port your BlackBerry Java application to Android (if there is no existing Android version) then package the Android version for the player. This would also allow you to market the application to Android users. The final option is to port the BlackBerry Java applications to the Native SDK, Cascades, HTML5 or Adobe Air.
The best way forward depends on how tightly integrated into the BB10 system you want to be. While there are facilities provided in BB10 that are the equivalents to those is BlackBerry OS, there have been significant changes required to enable the improvements everyone wants to see on the new platform. If you see BB10 as a significant part of your future business then porting to Cascades would be very worth while.

Is it worth it to write BlackBerry apps for the older OS with BBX coming out?

As a mobile app developer on all platforms, I am interested to know if it is worth it to write BlackBerry apps for the older OS now that BBX is coming out. I heard the new OS will have an Android player that will supposedly run Android apps on it. It seems that any apps written for the older OS won't be compatible with the BBX OS. Also, is using WebWorks a viable option? What do you guys think?
The road map ahead for developing for BBX announced at DevCon is:
HTML5, WebWorks, Adobe products (Air)
Native C/C++
Android Applications repackaged to run on the Android Player
BlackBerry OS is deprecated after OS 7. That said however, there are currently 70 million (according to RIM) BlackBerry smartphones in use, none of which will likely ever support BBX. RIM will continue to support those devices and the development environments for them. If you only want to work in one environment, and want to support the greatest number of devices, both BlackBerry OS and BBX, then WebWorks is the way to go. If you only want to support the PlayBook and BBX devices then you can use any of the approaches listed above. If you can't do what you want in WebWorks, or want to support devices prior to the introduction of WebWorks support then you will have to use the BlackBerry Java Environment.
At some point in every product line you will come to the end of useful life of a product and, as a developer, have to face moving on into the future. It is going to be worth while developing for BlackBerry OS as long as doing so helps you achieve your goals, what ever they are. So you have to look at your target market and decide if it includes those users who will be carrying BB OS devices, for probably at least the next 3 years, or not.
That's correct, legacy BlackBerry code will be useless:
DevCon update: BB-Java is dead, no java support for QNX.
By the way, the Android player will have several limitations too. Your best bet is C++ for BBX. Luckily, BlackBerry market share is declining and there's not a single BBX device out there yet.
Update: New BlackBerry 10 (as BBX is called now) phones have just been released. Here are the final dev options:
Native C++ API (optional libraries are available)
Android API, partial support
Adobe AIR API, partial support
HTML5 API, partial support

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