The Importance of Compatibility

When you are choosing a tool or library for Android development it is really important to consider platform compatibility. Some tools only support the latest and greatest version of Android, while the majority of devices are still running Gingerbread. It is always useful to consult the monthly updated Platform Versions Distribution when considering which version of Android to target.

[![](http://blogs.remobjects.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MayPlatformVersionDistribution.png "May 2012 Platform Version Distribution")](http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html)May 2012 Android Platform Version Distribution

While Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4 / API 15) is all the rage, it is only installed on around 5% of the devices. Gingerbread (Android 2.3 / API 10) is the current front running with over 60% of the devices. It took over from Froyo (Android 2.2 / API 8) just last year. If you target Froyo or greater, you have the potential to reach a whooping **93.5%** of the 300+ million Android devices. A whole lot better than the 5% that Ice Cream Sandwich gives you.

That is why RemObjects SDK for Java and Oxygene for Java support Froyo and newer – to give you access to the greatest possible number of Android devices. This level of support and compatibility is the result of our commitment to provide a native developer experience on each platform we support.

And thanks to the Support Package compatibility libraries your app can take advantage of a lot of the latest Ice Cream Sandwich features even when running on a Froyo or Gingerbread device. That way you can have your dessert and eat it too!