Wearable Android: Android Wear and Google FIT App Development

Chapter 5 Android Device Discovery and Communication

5.1 Android Interconnectivity

Inter-device communication has much significance in a world of a multitude of devices and peripherals that reside in the body area and home area networks. In such a world of a multitude of devices that a consumer may possess or interact with, it is important that devices can interconnect conveniently and securely. The specifications and standards that address this important function are by no means unique to Android; rather, the base Android APIs typically support common industry standards that boost such interconnectivity between devices and services.

As users, we have probably seen our devices interact with other devices via various technologies, such as Near-Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, etc. As developers, we have written or will end up writing at some point, applications that leverage these technologies.

Consumers typically find it cumbersome to have to set up network-based printers, scanners, TVs, etc. via configuration of technical attributes such as IP addresses, ports, and so on. Consumers tend to appreciate it when the devices and their associated applications are self-configuring and can interconnect with minimal manual steps.

As technologists, it behooves us to make technology easy for general consumers to use by reducing the manual and cumbersome steps that can potentially act as barriers to adoption and usage.

5.2 Advertisement and Discovery ...