Discover how Android helps developers and manufacturers around the world
Developers
Aviary
Android’s developer features allow Aviary to iterate builds up to three times faster than other platforms while maintaining a regular dialogue with its users.
BabyFirst
Thanks to Google Play, BabyFirst’s educational apps for babies have achieved over 40% more downloads on Android than any other platform.
Be My Eyes
Hans Jørgen Wiberg was 25 years old when he was diagnosed with an illness that would lead to him going blind. Years later, whilst working as a consultant for the Danish Association for the Blind, he had an idea: what if you could connect the blind and partially sighted with a network of sighted volunteers via a live video call?
With his eyesight decreasing, Hans turned to Android to develop his app Be My Eyes. The wide reach of the Android operating system meant that he could help the greatest number of blind people, especially in developing countries.
There are now 860,000 volunteers providing visual assistance to 58,000 blind and partially sighted users. Be My Eyes is a huge success for those that need help, and those that want to help.
This is the story of Be My Eyes.
With our app, we can transform the lives of the blind.Hans Jørgen Wiberg, founder of Be My Eyes, Denmark
Be My Eyes
The app that brings sight to the blind
BlaBlaCar
When BlaBlaCar founder Frédéric Mazzella left too late to book train tickets home one Christmas, his sister agreed to drive him from Paris to the family home 300 miles away. During the trip, he was struck by how many cars on the road had only the driver seat occupied. “There were thousands of seats available, but not on trains — in cars,” he says. This sparked an idea that is now changing the way people travel the world over. With 35 million members in 22 countries, BlaBlaCar is the world’s largest ridesharing community, allowing people to connect with drivers going the same way and share the cost of the journey. BlaBlaCar has grown as a result of constant innovation. Becoming a mobile-first company and developing on Android has helped the company adapt to the needs of its users and reach more customers. “Our members are using Android, especially in emerging countries, which has helped us when we launch in countries like India, Brazil, Turkey and Russia,” says Frédéric Dermer, Head of Product. Android’s openness has helped BlaBlaCar streamline the development process, so it can prioritise on improving customer experience. “If every device had its own operating system, we would have to allocate so much time to development for each one,” says Verena Butt d'Espous, Head of Corporate Communications. “Android helps us focus on making the user experience better, on creating innovative features, and creating value for our members.” BlaBlaCar’s goal is to turn every single car on the road into a BlaBlaCar, and with Android on board, the company will continue to innovate along the way. “When we started, ridesharing wasn’t a known travel alternative. We’re enabling people who would have never met before to connect and share a great experience as they travel together,” concludes Verena.
Android helps us focus on making the user experience better, on creating innovative features, and creating value for our members.Verena Butt d'Espous, Head of Corporate Communications, BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar
With 35 million members in 22 countries, BlaBlaCar is the world’s largest ridesharing community, and Android is at the heart of the company’s success.
Box
See how Box achieved over 5 million installs by harnessing the flexibility of the Android platform.
Ciclogreen
The way we travel in cities is leading to an alarming rise in pollution and CO2 levels, the main cause of climate change. When Gregorio Magno felt his work as a researcher didn’t have any immediate benefit for the environment, he looked to technology to make a difference.
Turning his back on his career, Gregorio focused all of his efforts on creating Ciclogreen, an app that rewards the use of sustainable means of transport. Developing the app on Android meant he could reach the greatest number of people and create the biggest environmental impact. Whether it’s people cycling, walking, or even skating, every kilometre travelled is converted into rewards, ranging from a free of charge coffee to a ticket for a gig.
In just a short time, the app has brought together a large community of committed citizens in Spain, including universities, businesses, and councils.
Gregorio is now on a mission to transform cities around the world.
This is the story of Ciclogreen.
Together we can create a better future.Gregorio Magno, founder of Ciclogreen, Spain
Ciclogreen
The app that rewards sustainable mobility
Clementoni
Since 1963, Clementoni has produced toys and educational games aimed at children up to 12 years old. The company started to design and create educational electronic toys in the early 1980s. More recently, they have started using the Android platform to develop new products such as the ClemPad, a tablet for preschool children which includes parental controls. Thanks to its new business model, the company has transformed its internal roles and established links with external consultants, to create a 25-strong team. “The ease and accessibility of Android has allowed our team to widen the appeal of our products, and we have exceeded 5 million downloads of our Clementoni apps”, explains Giovanni Clementoni. In 5 years 750,000 tablets have been sold, and Clementoni is now the leader of the children’s tablets sector in Italy, with 55% market share. “This year we have completely revitalised our range of tablets. We have launched a new smartphone with a social network specially created for children and a virtual reality viewer. Google opened a world of profitability and new possibilities to us. Through Android, we have been able to create a number of products with previously unimaginable content and playability. The apps have added a further dimension to our classic products and have expanded the possibilities of our games.”
Thanks to Android, we developed new products and strengthened our leadership in the toy industry, growing in foreign markets as well.Giovanni Clementoni, Managing Director, Clementoni
Clementoni
Android has helped toymaker Clementoni boost app sales and grow its market share in the children’s tablet sector to 55%.
Clue
Ida Tin is a driven, visionary and uncompromising Danish entrepreneur. During her adventures as a young woman, travelling by motorbike through remote parts of the world, she became increasingly aware of the health issues that women face. Frustrated by the lack of products and solutions available, and the lack of genuine insights into women’s needs, she was compelled to do something about it. Ida had the idea that through a mobile device, women could gain an understanding into their menstrual cycle, and a liberating insight into how their bodies work. Ida had discovered a huge gap in tech innovation and women’s health. A gap she was determined to fill.
While searching for investors, Ida found an ally in Hans, an entrepreneur from Berlin. Together they joined forces and set about building Clue. Android’s open source nature gave them the flexibility to innovative and create an app that put women’s needs first and entirely redefined the ‘femtech’ category. Using Android allows them to test new features, and constantly improve the app from user feedback. Android’s compatibility with a diverse range of hardware devices has helped Clue reach 5 million users in just 3 years. 40% of those are in emerging countries.
This is the story of Clue.
I knew that if we could get technology to work for women, it would have a huge impact in the world.Ida Tin, Co-Founder, Clue
Clue
The app that breaks a taboo.
DailyArt
DailyArt is an app for art lovers who want to have regular contact with the art world. Subscribers receive information on specific pieces of art, such as who created them and when - interesting and informed content, curated by art historians and delivered on a daily basis. According to Zuzanna Stańska, the Founder and Project Manager of Moiseum, it felt natural to first develop the app for Android because of the platform’s popularity worldwide. Although Android’s fragmentation presented a challenge, she still considers it the best choice: “Android is a better product. It’s more adaptable, which means we can do more with it.” DailyArt owes its success to Android - its high-quality content coupled with Android’s all-encompassing, user-orientated service enables you to cater to a client’s individual needs. And the numbers speak for themselves. DailyArt has been downloaded 135,000 times to date and the company has over 80,000 members worldwide, most of which are in Europe (52%) and North America (30%). On the back of the app’s success, Moiseum plans to introduce a subscription model and in-app purchases for users who want even more content, with the aim of reaching a larger audience and in turn, increasing profit.
Android is a better product. It’s more adaptable, which means we can do more with it.Zuzanna Stańska, Founder and Product Manager, DailyArt
DailyArt
Since launching on Android, DailyArt has been downloaded 135,000 times and the company now has over 80,000 members worldwide.
DivMob
Watch how Vietnamese developer DivMob introduced sub-dollar pricing in various markets to achieve a 300% increase in daily transactions.
DJiT
In 2012, Jean-Baptiste Hironde launched a free of charge music mixing app called edjing that allows people to share their creations on social networks. But it wasn’t until 2013, when he started using Google tools, that users really discovered it. “Before, we were only developing our application on Apple. In 2013, we started developing on Android. That really boosted our growth, we effectively tripled our audience,” explains Jean-Baptiste. DJiT then decided to adopt the entire Google ecosystem, including the Android Platform, Google Play, App Engine and Google Apps for Business. “This allowed us to focus on developing musical apps rather than infrastructure.” As a result, the company now has 35 million users worldwide and its revenues have doubled in less than two years. DJiT has kept on growing, and today has 30 employees. “Google is the development platform that’s best tailored to our needs. It’s at the heart of our company and has enabled us to work in a more fluid way. Android too is an integral part of our core business.”
In 2013, we started developing on Android. That really boosted our growth, we effectively tripled our audience.Jean-Baptiste Hironde, Executive Director, DJiT
DJiT
Following its launch on Android, DJiT’s music app quickly became its largest contributor to growth, with more than 70% of new downloads now on Android.
Emmy
When three university friends came up with an alternative transport idea one afternoon in a park, they wasted no time getting it on the road. Using Android’s open source platform they were able to make the journey from idea to app in only nine months, ensuring they were first to market.
Moving this fast means meeting plenty of bumps along the way, but far from being put off, Valerian, Hauke and Alex actively welcome mistakes as ‘the greatest opportunities to get better’. Inviting constant feedback from their customers, they use Android to quickly adapt and improve the service, and remain well ahead of the competition.
Emmy is an app-based, eco-friendly, electric scooter-sharing company that gives Berlin access to an alternative way around the city. Currently employing 20 people and with 20,000 registered users, Emmy expects these numbers to double by the end of the year. With plans to expand all over Europe, there’s no stopping these young entrepreneurs.
This is the story of Emmy.
Speed is the most important thing for our company. A system that is able to keep pace with us is essential.Valerian Seither, Co-Founder, Emmy
Emmy
The app that moves so fast it needs a crash helmet.
Everytap
Everytap is an app which works in partnership with cafes and restaurants to provide users with special offers, which in turn increases traffic and sales for these partners. In 2015, Everytap became The Mobile Application of the Year in the Start-Ups category at the Mobile Trends Awards; and since September 2015 Everytap has been working in collaboration with TVN Ventures. After perfecting their vision for the app and conducting research among potential users, the developers of Everytap created their app for Android. “We focused on platforms of the future and Android is a popular platform, both in Poland and globally. From over 105,000 downloads, 65% were on Android,” said Adam Pachucki, Co-owner and Product Manager of Everytap. These figures translated to increased sales and further growth, to the point where the company has now teamed up with more than 520 partner outlets in major Polish cities. Ecosystem fragmentation of devices hasn’t brought challenges for Everytap, since Android allows them to focus more on innovations that lead to better interaction and user interface. According to Adam, working with Android has been crucial in enabling his business to connect with new users and explore different opportunities. It has also allowed them to reach further afield and contributed to the development of the company as a whole. The combination of high-quality products, rapid development and excellent communication has been the secret to Everytap’s success.
We focused on platforms of the future and Android is a popular platform, both in Poland and globally. From over 105,000, downloads 65% were on Android.Adam Pachucki, Co-owner and Product Manager, Everytap
Everytap
After choosing to develop its app on Android, 65% of Everytap’s downloads have occurred on the open platform.
EyeEm
EyeEm is a free of charge photo sharing mobile app for iPhone and Android. EyeEm allows users to take and edit photos using filters and frames, then share them on their own website via email or social networks. “Google Play has played a major part in helping EyeEm spread so quickly,” says CTO and Co-founder Ramzi Rizk. “We’re now established in 150 countries – and in Brazil and the USA, we’re among the market leaders in the mobile app sector.” To date, more than 15 million photographers – over 50% of whom are Android users – have downloaded EyeEm and can now share their images with an extensive worldwide community of photographers. They can also use this platform to licence their work, thereby converting their passion for photography into money. Distributing the app via Google Play is a virtually automatic process – which, for a young and constantly growing company like EyeEm, carries another extremely important advantage: “We’re expanding at a phenomenal rate, but thanks to Google Play, we still have the capacity to focus on developing new technologies,” says Rizk. “And that means we’re able to keep improving the service we provide.”
Google Play has played a major part in helping EyeEm spread so quickly.Ramzi Rizk, CTO and Co-Founder, EyeEm
EyeEm
Thanks to Google Play, more than 7.5 million Android users have edited and shared their photos using EyeEm’s innovative photo editing app.
Fuelio
Fuelio is an app that allows drivers to track all the costs of running a vehicle, covering fuel, maintenance and more. The project began as a hobby for developer Adrian Kajda. He started developing the app in August 2011 and released a paid version a year later. In March 2015, Fuelio was acquired by Slovakian company Sygic, who also employed Adrian to manage and develop the app. Shortly after changing hands, Fuelio was made available for free of charge on the Play Store. For Adrian, this was a great honour and a huge boost: “We went from approximately one-thousand to twenty-thousand downloads a day, just like that.” By mid-2016, the app had racked up almost one million downloads. According to Adrian, Android was the obvious choice as the app's platform for several reasons. “It’s the most open platform. Its design, services, and convenience make it better than the competition. It also makes it easy to enter new markets,” he says. “One big advantage with Android is the fact that you can choose a phone to suit you – cheap or expensive, there’s a phone for everyone,” he adds. It’s safe to say that Adrian doesn’t underestimate the impact the platform has had on his life: “Without Android there would be no Fuelio, and without Fuelio I wouldn’t have the job I do now. The outcome has exceeded all of my expectations.”
Android is the most open platform. Without Android there would be no Fuelio, and without Fuelio I wouldn’t have the job I do now.Adrian Kajda, Developer and Product Manager, Fuelio
Fuelio
For Fuelio developer Adrian Kajda, Android provides an open and flexible operating system that enables the Fuelio app to reach the widest possible audience.
Gherbtna
See how Syrian developer Mojahed Akil created Gherbtna, an Android app to help him and his fellow refugees to navigate their new life in Turkey.
GiftedMom
As a doctor in Cameroon, the biggest battle Conrad Tankou has to face is maternal and infant mortality. Working with developer Alain Nteff, he is hoping to tackle the issue using technology. “Our research showed that education was the main problem,” says Alain. “We saw mobile as a good channel, due to its penetration, and decided to start GiftedMom.” Their app provides basic and simplified information about pregnancy, breastfeeding and child vaccination, to support expectant mothers and those who already have children. “The beginning was a real adventure. But when we started testing the app, everyone who used it wanted to have it,” says Conrad. Developing on the Android platform, Alain and Conrad worked to ensure GiftedMom was lightweight enough to be easily downloadable in rural areas. The app also provides content offline. GiftedMom is now starting to make a real difference in rural communities across Cameroon. “With smartphone penetration, we can actually provide people with lifesaving information,” says Alain. “70% of smartphone users in Africa are on Android. I want to leverage this to have five million users across the continent in the next three years.” After a successful launch on Google Play, Conrad is hoping they can take GiftedMom even further. “Infant mortality is a worldwide problem. We want to spread the GiftedMom concept to other developing countries.”
70% of smartphone users in Africa are on Android. I want to leverage this to have five million users across the continent in the next three years.Alain Nteff, Co-Founder and Developer, GiftedMom
GiftedMom
Android enabled a developer and a doctor to launch GiftedMom, an app that provides life-saving information to moms in developing countries.
HotelOga
HotelOga is an app that facilitates efficient hotel booking systems in African countries by connecting hotels with travel agencies and helping businesses process as many bookings as possible. When it came time to select a platform, the developers chose to work with Android from the outset – it was the natural choice for their business because of the extensive opportunities it offered. “We like Android because it’s the platform that allows us to introduce products to market the fastest. With iOS, for example, the minimum period is at least three weeks,” says Szymon Pepliński, Co-owner and CTO of HotelOga. In his opinion, the fact that it can quickly introduce updates is the reason why, in just six months, the company has reached 400 new customers and continues to generate interest. This is a truly remarkable achievement when compared against the competition. Currently, HotelOga has two apps on Android, and by establishing a relationship with customers, developers can get feedback on how the apps work on different devices. When asked about the future of the company, Szymon Pepliński says he could not imagine switching platforms, as only Android can guarantee efficient app development. This is key to fulfilling his ambitions for HotelOga, which include expanding into the remaining African markets in the near future.
We like Android because it’s the platform that allows us to introduce products to market the fastest.Szymon Pepliński, Co-owner and CTO, HotelOga
HotelOga
Discover how Android gives the developers at HotelOga the the ability to respond directly to their users’ needs, as well as reach a wide audience in a quick timeframe.
InLoop
InLoop creates mobile apps for businesses around the world and CEO Martin Adamek credits much of its success to Android’s flexibility as a development platform.
Lazzus
Lazzus, the augmented reality and geo-positioning app for the visually impaired, is the brainchild of Pedro Javier, CEO of cutting-edge technology company NeoSenTec. With approximately one million people living with some kind of visual impairment in Spain, Pedro’s company decided to come up with a technological solution to a common problem: “Normal GPS devices enable blind people to travel from one point to another, but there’s nothing but darkness in between those points,” explains Pedro. “We wanted to fill that void with information on their current location (street and number) and nearby places and businesses to help improve their everyday life.” And now it’s possible. Using GPS, the mobile phone’s built-in compass, and the extensive Google Places and Maps database, users just have to point their smartphone to receive information about what’s in their field of vision. Android’s open platform was key for NeoSenTec in developing the app: “Having a single programming language produces homogeneous results across the majority of devices, which has enabled us to devise an app that is suitable for a huge number of models and brands,” says Pedro. The company has also made good use of the Google Play market to launch the product in six countries and reach 2,000 early users: “Android has saved us a lot of extra work and has enabled a small team to create something which is benefiting thousands of people. Launching in a new country takes just four days. That would just be inconceivable with another platform.” explains Pedro.
Android has saved us a lot of extra work and has enabled a small team to create something which is benefiting thousands of people.Pedro Javier, CEO, NeoSenTec
Lazzus
See how Android assisted developers in creating and distributing Lazzus, a smartphone app that helps the visually impaired navigate their surroundings.
Le Cicogne
Le Cicogne co-founder Monica Archibugi started building her network of babysitters with just a notebook and pen. Now, Le Cicogne helps parents find their ideal babysitters in more than 80 cities across Italy. The business took off when Monica met her co-founder Giulia Gazzelloni, and they secured funding to develop a brand new business model centred around a mobile app. “Through Google Analytics, we saw that 70–80% of users were visiting our website via mobile, so we focused on creating a mobile app,” says Monica. “We’re the first app to offer a complete service – from matching to payment.” The app has transformed the user experience by speeding up the matching process from 24 hours to just two, and by enabling parents to make last-minute requests up to 30 minutes before they need a babysitter. “Moving to a mobile app, and thanks to Android in particular, we were able to increase our customer base by 30% leading to a 20% growth in business month-on-month,” says Giulia. “All because we had the courage to believe in an idea and offer something innovative to our customers.” Thanks to its availability on a wide range of devices, Android also plays an important role in reaching more babysitters. “One of our babysitters recently called to say that the app has completely changed her life,” says Monica. “After one job via the website she was able to buy a smartphone. Now she has three long-term jobs and can finally afford to move in with her boyfriend – all thanks to the app.”
Moving to a mobile app, and thanks to Android in particular, we were able to increase our customer base by 30% leading to a 20% growth in business month-on-monthGiulia Gazzelloni, Co-Founder, Le Cicogne
Le Cicogne
Discover how Android helped the co-founders of Le Cicogne, an app that helps parents find their ideal babysitters, increase their customer base by 30%.
Listonic
Listonic is so much more than a free of charge grocery list smartphone app – its features include quick and intuitive list management, budget management and access to current shop promotions. Based on previous shop purchases, the app also suggests additional items and makes lists shareable with other users. The app developers decided to use Android from the very beginning: “Developing on Android makes our lives easier because the platform is fast, efficient and has a better, more open distribution system than competitors,” says Filip Miłoszewski, the company Co-founder. The Listonic developers have over time learned to deal with the challenges of fragmentation in the Android ecosystem. Android is now their main platform, providing the company with a variety of ready-made solutions, tools and technical support. Testament to Listonic’s popularity, the app has been downloaded almost one million times and its content rating on Google Play has risen from 4.1 to 4.8 in the last 12 months. And thanks to a very quick development cycle strategy, the company managed to establish brand awareness and enter the market before the competition.
Developing on Android makes our lives easier because the platform is fast, efficient and has a better, quicker distribution system than competitors.Filip Miłoszewski, Co-owner, Product Manager, Listonic
Listonic
Thanks to Android’s efficiency and openness, grocery shopping app Listonic was able to launch before its competitors and has since been downloaded nearly one million times.
Musixmatch
Android provides Musixmatch unprecedented freedom, which makes it their leading development program. Today, 16 million of their downloads have come from Google Play.
MyABCKit
The myABCKit project was launched in 2015 with the ambitious goal of driving real change in primary education, both in Spain and the rest of the world. The main idea behind the platform is to provide children with a personalised approach to language learning with content relevant to each individual child, including games and exercises adapted to different levels and paces. “When it comes to educating children, you have to let them decide what they want to learn and how to learn it, because this helps them to develop their critical thinking and makes the whole learning process more intuitive,” explains Karina Ibarra, Founder of the company. myABCKit includes an app for schoolchildren and a website for their teachers and parents, which enables them to analyse data on the children’s progress, see what areas need more attention and even identify potential learning difficulties, such as laterality problems or dyslexia. The company intends to make myABCKit available to all children aged between three and seven who want to learn in a fun and personalised way, which is why they have launched the product on Android: “Schools are a major part of our business and many of them have invested in Android tablets which they regularly use during lessons,” she says. “Also, with Android we have been able to secure a market share 20% bigger than with iOS with the first free of charge version of our product,” Karina adds. The biggest challenge facing the company is the diversity of devices available on the market: “Children don’t generally tolerate mistakes, so we spent a lot of time conducting the necessary tests for Android.” However, fortunately, Android has really done its homework over the last few years and it’s now much easier to develop products for their platform. Just two weeks after myABCKit was launched in the market, it already had 180 parents and 200 children registered. In the near future, Karina hopes to be able to make an even bigger impact by launching the app in Arabic for Syrian refugee children.
With Android we have been able to secure a market share 20% bigger than with iOS with the first free of charge version of our product.Karina Ibarra, Founder and CEO, myABCKit
MyABCKit
By developing on Android, MyABCKit is able to drive real change in primary education, both in Spain and the rest of the world.
New York Times
The New York Times saw a 125% increase in subscription conversion using Google Play Billing after driving paying customers from over 150 countries via their Android app.
Ola & Olo
Ola & Olo is a developer of mobile games and apps for children. With the aim of improving his programming skills, Paweł Kozak-Raszkowski created the game “Animal Sound” for his young daughter. Encouraged by her response, he released the game on the Google Play Store, where it received lots of interest. His next game, “Cars Game”, which he developed for his one-year-old nephew, became a big hit and proved to be a turning point for Paweł, who then decided to become a developer full time. Since March 2014 his company has developed ten titles, and the firm now has 13 employees and is based in an office in an upmarket part of Warsaw. After meeting with Google in August 2014 and investing in online advertising, the company achieved a 100% monthly increase in the number of users of its games. Today the company has 100,000 users daily in countries such as Russia, Turkey and Germany. Ola & Olo uses YouTube and YouTube Editor to advertise its products. “Google has played a key role in creating and developing our company. I see Google not just as a tool to use, but as a partner in business,” says Paweł.
Google has played a key role in creating and developing our company. I see Google not just as a tool to use, but as a partner in business.Paweł Kozak-Raszkowski, Owner, Ola & Olo
Ola & Olo
Ola & Olo develops Android games for children and was started as a mere passion project. Now, the company has 100,000 users and has been downloaded all over the world.
Over
See how Over had its first prototype running within a week despite the entire team being new to Android.
Peak Games
Founded in Istanbul, Peak Games has grown into a global technology developer, providing community-based games for users worldwide. “We take the classic game experience and migrate it to mobile,” says Erdem Inan, Director of BI and Marketing. “Our users can socialise, have fun, send each other gifts and chat in a digital environment.” Much of the company’s success is linked to Android, which Peak Games sees as its priority mobile platform. From ROI to user acquisition, Android supports key areas of the business. “Most of our games are dependent on scale, and getting users in Android is a lot easier than other mobile platforms,” says Erdem. “We get 65,000 installs per day from Android, and for games like Spades Plus, more than 70% of our mobile revenue comes from the Android platform.” Android’s dynamic structure and fast, flexible iteration cycles help Peak’s developers fix issues quickly and push improvements out to users. This is important for a company that depends heavily on user experience. Thanks to Google Play’s extensive reach, Peak Games have been able to expand into new geographies, such as Western Europe and the US. “Android has been helpful in growing in international markets because user acquisition is much easier,” says Erdem. “Our average cost per acquisition in Android has been around 30–40% lower than other platforms.”
Android has been helpful in growing in international markets because user acquisition is much easier. Our average cost per acquisition in Android has been around 30-40% lower than other platforms.Erdem Inan, Director of BI and Marketing, Peak Games
Peak Games
Peak Games has leveraged Android to grow in international markets with a 30-40% lower average cost per acquisition than other platforms.
Pola
The Pola app helps shoppers in Poland find information about the origin of any product simply by scanning its barcode. Developed by NGO Klub Jagielloński as part of its “Code for Poland” initiative, Pola gives consumers the power to easily identify locally produced products by seeing information about where manufacturers are based and operate. To reach the greatest number of users across Poland, the app’s creators chose Android as a key development platform. “Android is an extremely popular platform in the Polish market,” says Developer Grzegorz Kapusta. “Its development tools are user friendly, and working on the platform is really straightforward.” As the first app of its kind on the market, Pola was an instant hit. Since being introduced in November 2015, it has been downloaded over 200,000 times and has around 5,000 daily users. “With Pola we are able to give people access to information they previously didn’t have,” says Grzegorz. “And because Android is an open platform, we can make the app available to users on a much wider range of devices, which helps us reach even more people.” While fragmentation is a challenge due to the varying quality of smartphone cameras, the Pola team are looking at using Android’s flexible development options so users can add numerical input using their phone keypad. With the help of Android, Pola has grown from the seed of an idea into a powerful tool in the hands of the consumer, and Grzegorz is excited to see where the journey will lead in the future.
Because Android is an open platform, we can make the app available to users on a much wider range of devices, which helps us reach even more people.Grzegorz Kapusta, Android Developer, Pola
Pola
Android helped Pola develop an app that lets Polish shoppers find information about the origin of any product simply by scanning its barcode.
Redbus
Bangalore-based redBus.in chose Android to deliver a superior travel experience to millions of daily bus riders in India.
RogerVoice
Growing up with over 80% hearing loss hasn’t stopped Olivier Jeannel from living life to the full. As an entrepreneur, he always wanted to do something to make communications more accessible. “I wasn’t looking for solutions, just something to help me,” he says. “When I realised there was more to it, I knew I had to make this happen for lots of other people too.” Olivier created RogerVoice, an app that helps hearing-impaired people make phone calls. The app uses voice-recognition technology to capture speech and turn it into text, enabling the user to read captions as the other person speaks. “My goal was to make it as accessible as possible. I knew Android had the widest reach out there, with over one billion users, which is massive,” he explains. With a design and development team on board, RogerVoice was finished within three months. “It was a great moment. I spent the next 24 hours calling all my friends,” says Olivier. Android and Material Design helped to make the app accessible and intuitive to end users, while Google Play’s beta testing programme enabled Olivier to invite people worldwide to test the app, helping to get it right from the first public version. “We’ve made good progress, but there’s so much more to do,” says Olivier. “The biggest evolution going forward will be accessibility as the major component of development and design.”
My goal was to make RogerVoice as accessible as possible. I knew Android had the widest reach out there, with over one billion users, which is massive.Olivier Jeannel, Founder, RogerVoice
RogerVoice
Material design and beta testing within Android enabled Roger Voice to create an intuitive voice recognition app for the hearing impaired.
Sendy
Founded in Kenya, Sendy connects couriers to customers to help enable delivery services that work for the next billion mobile users.
Smart Launcher Srl
When Vincenzo Colucci saw his friend playing scratch cards at a bar in his hometown of Manfredonia in southern Italy, he came up with an idea. What followed was the launch of his now famous Scratch cards! Android app and the start of his development company Smart Launcher Srl. “When I saw I’d earnt my first $5, it was incredible,” says Vincenzo. “With the money I made, I could pay for my studies, which was a big deal for me.” Enjoying his newfound independence, Vincenzo created the Smart Launcher app, a user interface for Android devices that makes it easier to locate apps and features. To date, the free of charge version of Smart Launcher has received a staggering 15 million downloads, while the pro version has received a further 200,000. “This kind of growth has been unexpected, but it means I now get to work with other developers, which is very exciting.” For Vincenzo, being a developer is about more than coding, it’s about having the freedom to create something new. “The only programme for me is Android, because it’s the only platform that enables you to do whatever you want,” he explains. While Smart Launcher Srl has an exciting future, Vincenzo is happy with where Android has taken him. He concludes: “Success is doing what you want with your life. For me, that’s living in my city with my parents and my girlfriend and being happy. And I can do that by being a developer.”
The only programme for me is Android, because it’s the only platform that enables you to do whatever you want.Vincenzo Colucci, Developer and Founder, Smart Launcher Srl
Smart Launcher Srl
Thanks to Android’s open platform, Smart Launcher Srl was able to create an entirely new interface to help Android users locate apps and features.
Space Ape Games
Award-winning mobile/social gaming start-up Space Ape Games is a small, high-performing team of passionate gamers with deep levels of experience, each driven by the desire to make amazing multiplayer games. The Space Ape team created strategy game Samurai Siege, a US top 50 grossing app – top 10 in some countries. This was played by over 7 million people in the first few months after its launch. “Today Samurai Siege makes around $45,000 a day across all platforms. Our best result was actually $220,000 in a day,” says John Earner, CEO and Co-Founder of Space Ape Games. “We’re delighted with the app’s performance on Android. We’ve steadily increased our marketing spend on Android, and this is helping to grow our retention numbers with the platform.” Above all, though, for John and his team it’s all about “making games at the intersection of what you love and what the market wants,” he says. “There is a huge audience that wants high quality gaming experiences, but has limited time to play. That means players need to be able to engage meaningfully with a game even if they only have a few minutes to spare. We plan to keep making accessible games for that audience.”
Today, Samurai Siege makes around $45,000 a day.John Earner, CEO and Co-Founder, Space Ape Games
Space Ape Games
Using Android as a platform for success, Space Ape Games managed to successfully launch its flagship app in the Japanese market.
Star Chart
Android enabled the development of Star Chart, a sky mapping app, which is now used by 15 million people globally on 12 million devices.
Taniwa
For José Luis Marina, Founder of the company Taniwa, Mememtum is much more than just his star product. The app, designed in 2013 to help with early detection of neurological disorders, replicates the tests that neurologists conduct on patients during consultations. José Luis is keen to point out that all you need to use the app is a smartphone. “Android and the whole Android ecosystem give you the freedom to do whatever you want. In our case, it enables us to use the device’s sensors to take health readings.” José Luis also likes Android because he says the devices are more affordable and therefore accessible to more people. Android has led to a 60% increase in the company’s revenue due to the huge demand for software for this operating system from third parties: “Since we started selling our services using Android, orders have been flooding in. Plus it’s flexible and allows us to adopt a global approach, meaning that we don’t have to worry about the fragmented nature of the industry.” So far, Mememtum has been tested by more than 1,000 patients and has been endorsed by two prominent neurologists. “It should help hospitals to reduce diagnosis lead times and pharmaceutical companies to identify market niches and launch new products faster.” With that in mind, José Luis has set his sights on becoming the market leader in smartphone-based neurological health monitoring in the near future.
Android and the whole Android ecosystem give you the freedom to do whatever you want.José Luis Marina, Founder, Taniwa
Taniwa
After developing Mememtum, an Android app that helps detect neurological disorders, Taniwa has increased revenue by 60% and Mememtum has been tested by over 1,000 patients.
Tap4Fun
With its success on Android, Chinese game developer Tap4Fun now generates 55 percent of its total gaming revenue globally on Google Play.
Too Good To Go
Shocked at seeing perfectly good food thrown away at a restaurant, a group of friends vowed to do something about food waste.
Their idea was to create a marketplace for stores to sell their surplus food for a cheaper price. An app seemed like the easiest way for people to get involved. With Android, the development process allowed them to quickly launch their app called Too Good To Go and continue to make improvements to the service as it grows.
Since their new CEO, Mette Lykke, came on board, there are now 3.5 million people using the app in 7 different countries. So far they have saved over 3 million meals, and this is just the start. Too Good To Go has a bold mission: that all food produced is food consumed.
This is the story of Too Good To Go.
Our biggest dream for the future is that we stop wasting food entirely.Mette Lykke, CEO of Too Good To Go, Denmark
Too Good To Go
The app that reduces food waste
Visualfy
After spending 10 years learning about the unique needs and challenges of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, Manel Alcaide, co-founder of Visualfy, and his team, realised that technology could transform their lives.
Using Android’s open and flexible operating system, they were able to create an app that translates the sounds of the home into visual and sensory alerts on a smartphone or any other device, such as a smart TV.
Visualfy is transforming the lives of thousands of people. Now they know if their baby is crying, their doorbell is ringing, or the kettle is boiling. Manel's ultimate ambition is to completely eliminate the barriers between the deaf and the hearing world.
This is the story of Visualfy.
We believe technology will lead us to a 100% accessible world.Manel Alcaide, co-founder of Visualfy, Spain
Visualfy
The app that helps you see what can’t be heard
Welcome App
Feeling powerless and frustrated by the refugee situation in Sweden, Tobias Rosman and Emma Rosman decided to take action. After visiting refugee camps and asylum houses, it was clear that Sweden’s refugee population was struggling to integrate. It was also apparent that there was a very large community in Sweden that truly wanted to help. What the two groups needed was a way to connect.
Although they had little access to computers, almost eighty percent of the refugees had some sort of smartphone. An app that could connect those in need with those willing to help, seemed a simple and powerful solution. Android’s compatibility with a huge variety of devices, regardless of age or brand, made it the perfect partner. Its open source nature allowed for the rapid development of an urgently needed solution.
Welcome App is a mobile platform that connects those struggling to integrate, to a community that wants to help them feel at home. A virtual handshake that has ’s created over 20’000 very real connections.
This is the story of Welcome App.
We’re fascinated by the possibilities of technology, to be able to do something so meaningfulEmma Rosman, CEO and Co-founder Welcome App
Welcome App
The app that helps you feel at home.
Wooga
Android and Google Play let Wooga iterate its games with incredible speed, enabling the success hits such as Diamond Dash, Jelly Splash, and Pearl’s Peril.
Manufacturers
Allview
High-quality technology, accessible to everyone – that’s the mission of Romanian company Allview, which has dedicated the past eight years to bringing innovation closer to its customers. The first Romanian company to launch a tablet PC and the first to develop a Romanian-branded smartphone, Allview produces more than 1.5 million devices each year, the majority of which run on Android. “To help us exceed ever-growing customer expectations, we need to deliver continuous innovation, which would not be possible without the support of a flexible operating system,” says Cristian Iacob, Marketing Manager. “Android offers impeccable fluency in terms of app usability and compatibility, and excellent video and multimedia playback, so the decision to develop on Android was an easy one.” Offering Android – a popular and trusted platform – has helped Allview increase its visibility and boost its image with consumers. “Android has brought massive changes to the global technology and communications market. By encouraging competition, it has led to more affordable devices, and it offers versatility, comfort and incredible experiences for end users,” says Cristian. “For us, it’s also meant exponential growth year-on-year, 85% of which we can attribute to Android.” Allview is looking forward to the future as they take big steps towards developing in the Internet of Things space, and they believe that Android, being an open-source platform, can provide the perfect ecosystem for the innovations that will change how we all live and work.
Android has brought massive changes to the global technology and communications market. By encouraging competition, it has led to more affordable devices, and it offers versatility, comfort and incredible experiences for end users.Cristian Iacob, Marketing Manager, Allview
Allview
Discover the success Allview has created by using Android as a powerful and flexible operating system for its smartphones and tablet PCs.
Archos
Archos produces high-end consumer electronics for the European market, including tablets, smartphones and other devices. By combining innovation with affordability, Archos has pioneered a range of new technologies throughout its history, from the first Android tablet to the first connected smart home. “We always aim to make unconventional products,” says CEO Loïc Poirier. “Android helps us channel our innovation by always adapting and improving, which leaves us room to create distinctive smart devices that are affordable and accessible.” As early adopters, Archos has been developing on Android for seven years, and today more than 70% of its devices are produced on the platform. “Before Android, we had to maintain and evolve our own operating system. Now, with Android, we’ve turned the operating system into a commodity, and we benefit from a continually evolving ecosystem,” says CTO Marc de Courville. “Being able to provide the services and apps available through Android is an important benefit for our customers.” For Loïc, the key to Android is its openness, which allows for healthy competition in the marketplace and more affordable smart devices being available to consumers. He also sees Android as a significant factor in the company’s continual growth. “It’s hard to overstate the impact of Android on our business. We’ve doubled in size in less than six years and we are now in the top-five smartphone providers in Europe,” says Loïc.
Android helps us channel our innovation by always adapting and improving, which leaves us room to create distinctive smart devices that are affordable and accessible.Loïc Poirier, CEO, Archos
Archos
Android’s open platform has allowed Archos to compete in the marketplace and offer more affordable smart devices. As a result, Archos has doubled in size in less than six years.
Bittium
Finnish device manufacturer Bittium has specialised in developing reliable, secure communications and connectivity solutions for more than 30 years. The company produces platforms for a range of markets, including government authorities, the armed forces, and the police and fire services, as well as creating Internet of Things solutions for the industrial sector. Bittium develops many of its advanced devices on Android, and has a core team of 150 dedicated to Android development. Android’s flexibility and range of ready-made and customisable solutions have enabled Bittium to bring two variants of Android devices to the market. For customers requiring access to apps like Google Maps, Gmail and Chrome, Bittium offers devices that include Google Mobile Services. For customers requiring more bespoke network and connectivity solutions, the company also provides devices without these services. “For us, it’s important to make devices with Google Mobile Services included, as it helps us compete with other devices in the market and many customers want a bigger range of apps, but it’s just as important that the device can be customised without them," says CEO, Hannu Huttunen. Because Android is an open-source system, Bittium can easily develop new devices equipped with advanced features, such as its latest Tough LTE Mobile smartphone. “Thanks to Android’s ease of use and versatility, we can develop proprietary functionality without the need to invest our own resources in basic development," says Hannu. These reduced costs have also led to business growth, with Bittium hiring 70 new staff in the last year.
For us, it’s important to make devices with Google Mobile Services included, as it helps us compete with other devices in the market and many customers want a bigger range of apps, but it’s just as important that the device can be customised without them.Hannu Huttunen, CEO, Bittium
Bittium
The flexibility and openness of Android has helped Bittium offer a wide range of experiences to its customers, all while helping to keep its development costs in check.
BQ
Technology company BQ is best known for developing smartphones. Founded in 2010, the true source of its success has been Android – the vast majority of BQ’s sales come from smartphones running on Android. In September 2015, the company launched the Aquaris A4.5, an Android One smartphone designed to help bring high-quality, affordable Android devices to everyone. Laura Desviat, Director of Marketing, believes that BQ is a great example of innovation and continuous improvement. She explains, “If Android didn’t exist, we wouldn’t have grown so much, or so fast. As a result, we’ve been able to dedicate part of our revenue to educational projects, which has given us more power and freedom as a company.” Despite starting out during the depths of an economic recession with just ten entrepreneurs, the company now employs more than 1,200 people, demonstrating its firm commitment to innovation and education. BQ’s education projects include CIRCOLAB (circolab.org), a traveling exhibition that shows children how technology is developed in a free of charge and collaborative environment.
If Android didn’t exist, we wouldn’t have grown so much, or so fast.Laura Desviat, Director of Marketing, BQ
BQ
In just 5 years, Madrid-based smartphone manufacturer BQ grew its turnover to €200m.
Bullitt
Bullitt creates mobile devices designed especially for people whose work and lifestyle require technology that is robust and durable. Teaming up with leading global brands, the company develops innovative products that provide a unique mobile experience, such as the rugged Cat® S60 smartphone, which is the world’s first to feature thermal imaging technology. All of Bullitt’s smart mobile devices are built to run on the Android platform. “The openness of Android leads to more developer talent and it has become a key tool for enabling us to provide compelling products,” says Tim Shepherd, Head of Applications and Market Intelligence. “Because we can give our customers the latest version of Android, they know they are getting the fundamentals they want. This allows us to focus on the unique experience our products offer.” For a company with innovation at its core, Android’s flexibility is an invaluable part of the development process. "Android’s open operating system and rich app ecosystem have been hugely helpful in developing our proposition across niche sectors because of the apps and content available," says Tim. This openness enables the Bullitt team to build highly customized products to suit different customer needs. “Android is the first option we look at when we approach a project like the S60. We couldn’t deliver something as appealing without being on a platform that consumers want and businesses value”. Thanks to its success in the smartphone sector, in which Android plays a central role, Bullitt has doubled in size year on year, and this growth looks set to continue as it seeks to enter new segments. "Android’s compatibility has a role in broadening the range of products and devices we use and develop for," says Tim.
The openness of Android leads to more developer talent, and it has become a key tool for enabling us to provide compelling products.Tim Shepherd, Head of Applications and Market Intelligence, Bullitt
Bullitt
With Android as its core operating system, Bullitt has been able to double in size in less than one year, and develop truly unique and durable smartphones
Crosscall
Crosscall is a manufacturer of tough, resistant and waterproof smartphones. Thanks to Android being free of charge and scalable, the company can focus on the development of its products and its international growth.
Doro
To the older generation, the technology that was connecting everyone else, seemed to be leaving them behind. From small font sizes to complicated navigation, the smartphone can be anything but smart when you’re elderly. So one company - Doro, made it their mission to reconnect an entire generation.
Using Android’s open source and permissive nature, Doro was able to completely redesign the smartphone. Simplifying the complexity of the user interface, and tailoring it perfectly to an older generation's wants, needs and behaviour. Doro helps older people embrace, rather than avoid, technology so they can live a more active, confident, social and fulfilling life. The demand for Doro phones has been so great, they are now available in over forty countries.
This is the story of Doro.
We want to make life easy for seniors and include them in today's societyThomas Bergdahl, Vice President Product Development Doro
Doro
The smartphone that connects generations.
Fairphone
Designed for long-lasting use and easy repair, the Fairphone is the world’s first sustainable, modular Android smartphone. Together with over 100,000 Fairphone owners, the company is bringing social change to the tech industry: sustainability is at the heart of everything they do, and they’re tackling social challenges in the phone supply chain. Some materials used to make the phones, for example, are sourced from conflict-free mines in high risk areas which benefits local economies instead of armed militias. The company has grown consistently since its foundation. What started with just six people in Amsterdam in 2013 has become a 50-strong social enterprise that now markets its phones across Europe. From the beginning, Android has been essential as the basis for the Fairphone operating system. “We use Android because it’s open source,” says Olivier Hebert, Chief Technology Officer at Fairphone. “That gives us a full-featured open source operating system that doesn’t need much tweaking before it’s good to go.” The Fairphone 2 currently has 11 apps preloaded, and according to Olivier, the apps in the Google Play Store help keep the user experience competitive: “If you don’t go to the effort of installing Google apps, you’re ignoring out-of-the-box options that millions of customers know and want to use. Without Android and Google Apps we’d be at a major disadvantage.” Customer feedback on the user experience has been very positive so far, and although it’s still early days for the Fairphone, Android is set to be a mainstay of their formula for the future.
Android gives us a full-featured open source operating system that doesn’t need much tweaking before it’s good to go.Olivier Hebert, Chief Technology Officer, Fairphone
Fairphone
Fairphone launches the world’s first, sustainable modular Android smartphone.
General Mobile
General Mobile is a phone manufacturer and distributor that was founded in 2005. In 2015, the company developed the Android One 4G smartphone – a competitively priced high-performance smartphone that has become the most popular Android smartphone in Turkey. Android One runs the latest, fastest version of Android and automatically gets the new version once it’s released. The company’s aim is to sell the devices that it developed within the Android One program in more than 30 markets. With the help of Google and the Android team, General Mobile is on track to achieve its goals. And thanks to cutting-edge software, update issues have been resolved and battery usage has been reduced. These improvements won over its customers. General Mobile used to launch 10–15 products a year, but then it radically changed its strategy and decided to launch just two to three products each year, with a shelf-life of two to three years. The company took on more employees and created a, competitively priced, high-quality Android smartphone. General Mobile now generates a turnover of $1 billion from Android devices and Android One 4G has been its most successful phone to date, with almost 1 million devices sold since launch. Google’s two-year update guarantee has played a tremendous role in this success. Managing Director Muzaffer Gölcü explains: “Google has changed our lives. Our first target was to sell the phone in 30 markets and Google is helping us to achieve this goal.” General Mobile has also made a great contribution to the Turkish education system, by providing 1.5 million pupils across Turkey with Android-based tablets as part of the Fatih project – the biggest ever technology donation in the education field. The company also launched their second Android One device, the GM 5 Plus in 2016.
Google has changed our lives. Our first target was to sell the phone in 30 markets and Google is helping us to achieve this goal.Muzaffer Gölcü, Managing Director, General Mobile
General Mobile
Thanks to Android, General Mobile now generates a turnover of $1 billion and is on track to reach its goals for the future.
Gigaset
Founded in Düsseldorf in 2008, Gigaset is the leading landline telecommunications company in Europe, producing high-quality landline telephones and smart home solutions. With the help of Android, Gigaset ventured into the smartphone business and launched its very first Android smartphone in September 2015. The telecommunications industry moves at an incredible pace, particularly the smartphone market,” explains Product Manager Dominik Bläker. “We wanted to speed up our product development. Thanks to Android, we’ve reduced our development expenditure by 30%. Moreover, development on Android OS allowed us to shorten our development cycle by 25%, which is a huge amount, given the kind of labour-intensive development required to make high-end smartphones like ours,” explains Bläker. Gigaset customers have responded positively to the new Gigaset Android smartphones. “Our first Android smartphones are being very well received. Android has enabled us to maintain our leading position in the market and hire more staff for our new smartphones business unit. We consider Android to be the best operating system out there,” concludes Bläker. With their new Me range of Android smartphones, Gigaset has also managed to secure lucrative sponsorships with Bayern Munich and Royal Ascot.
Thanks to Android, we've reduced our development expenditure by 30% and shortened the development cycle by 25%.Dominik Bläker, Product Manager, Gigaset
Gigaset
Android’s open-source model enabled Gigaset to reduce production costs on its first Android smartphone by 30%.
Silent Circle
Silent Circle is a specialist provider of multi-platform secure communications for businesses and individuals. The company creates apps and mobile devices that deliver privacy without compromise. In the beginning, the company developed apps exclusively, but later launched the Blackphone, a smartphone designed in-house that uses a modified version of Android to encrypt user data and communications. Android played a pivotal role as Silent Circle extended its portfolio. “We saw that Android was an open-source platform committed to security research, and provided much of what we were looking for,” says David Purón, Vice President of Engineering. “It offered us a wealth of functionality as well as the flexibility to preload apps we wanted and to tweak the look and feel of our OS.” This gave Silent Circle a head start and slashed development times – the company launched the first version of Blackphone after just six months. By contrast, says David, working from nothing would have taken years. Several versions of the Blackphone later, Silent Circle has doubled its sales, expanded its client base and launched worldwide. David is enthusiastic about the part played by Google and Android in the company’s growth. “It wouldn’t be possible to compete in the market if you had to start from scratch,” he explains. “It’s great that Android gives you the flexibility to create innovative products outside the Google ecosystem.”
Android offered us a wealth of functionality as well as the flexibility to preload apps we wanted and to tweak the look and feel of our OS.David Purón, Vice President of Engineering, Blackphone
Silent Circle
Learn how Android enabled Silent Circle to successfully bring a truly unique smartphone to market while drastically cutting development times.
Vertu
Vertu is an English designer and manufacturer of luxury mobile phones and a lifestyle services provider. Founded in 1998, the company has witnessed several stages of mobile transformation. Alongside its precision-engineered phones, the company offers a 24-hour concierge service and access to exclusive events and experiences, all at the touch of a button. “Vertu customers appreciate the quality of the product and the lifestyle services that come with it, but they also require a high-performance phone with cutting-edge technology,” says Jon Stanley, Vertu’s Head of PR. “For most people, their phone contains their life: their contacts, pictures and videos, and they use it for up to 10 hours a day.” Vertu’s in-house development team uses the Android operating system, customising the platform for Vertu’s growing global customer base, adding apps and features that complement modern affluent lifestyles. According to Jon, “Android offers the perfect technological complement to the physical and service elements of the Vertu brand.” He sees Android as a way to attract new customers who are more demanding in terms of technical innovation: “Vertu is constantly innovating and reimagining its products and services as we capitalise on the growing worldwide demand for ‘luxury-tech’ and Android is at the heart of these developments.”
Android offers the perfect technological complement to the physical and service elements of the Vertu brand.Jon Stanley, Head of PR, Vertu
Vertu
Android provides luxury phone and lifestyle service provider Vertu with the perfect operating system to meet the unique needs of its global affluent customer base.
Zound Industries
Zound Industries is known for premium lifestyle electronics under the Marshall brand. With a portfolio of trademarks such as UrbanEars, Molami and Marshall, the Swedish company has established a stronghold in the discerning, trend-conscious technology sector. What started out as an idea has grown into an extremely fast-growing enterprise, as announced at the annual Swedish Gasell awards. In 2015, the company entered the highly competitive mobile market with its own Android smartphone, Marshall London, which oozes quality from its design to its sound. “Thanks to Android we can compete with the major technology companies without having to employ 1,000 people. It enables us to express ourselves through our hardware and offer customers a unique experience,” says Konrad Bergström, Founder of Zound Industries. “We have invested in developing a piece of hardware and a go-to-market strategy, while Android has ensured there is a good platform behind it. Without our partnership with Google, we would not have had this opportunity,” explains Bergström. Android is an open platform, enabling OEMs to harness Google's engineering power, while creating opportunities for businesses to reinvent themselves. “We are now looking at how we can build additional mobile phones and make use of Android for our other products which communicate with each other in the technological landscape, in order to cater for future consumer needs,” Konrad Bergström concludes.
Thanks to Android we can compete with the major technology companies without having to employ 1,000 people.Konrad Bergström, Founder and President, Zound Industries
Zound Industries
Without the costs of licensing or developing an operating system, Zound Industries was able to create and sell its own specialized Android device.
Mobile operators
Swisscom
Swisscom enjoys a very strong position on the Swiss telecoms market, with a 60% market share in the retail and business sectors. However, when it comes to core business, Swisscom has faced some challenges in recent years with stagnating and slightly declining revenues. However, since the company launched Google Play Direct Carrier Billing, they’ve seen an increase in revenues of more than 100%, year on year. In September 2014, Swisscom launched a campaign which focused on increasing the number of active, paying customers using Direct Carrier Billing via the Google Play store. This campaign included a dedicated microsite, a digital newsletter sent out to 50% of Swisscom’s Android user base, a text-messaging campaign, social media updates, and discounts for customers using Google Direct Carrier Billing to make their payments. “The campaign has been very successful,” says Gerrit Schneider, Swisscom Marketing Manager, “We saw a 2% conversion rate and the number of active paying users has increased by 13%.” Thorsten Hau, Partner Manager, agrees that the decision has shown fantastic results. “This campaign had a massive impact on our bottom line, because we were able to increase our revenues by 43%, the number of transactions increased by 22%, and that’s really an amazing result for such a campaign.”
In terms of carrier billing, Android is really the most important platform. It’s really advanced from a technological standpoint and has a huge user base, which we can leverage.Thorsten Hau, Partner Manager, Swisscom
Swisscom
Swisscom, one of Switzerland’s largest telecom service providers implemented Google Play Direct Carrier Billing in 2014, and they’ve seen an increase in revenues of more than 100% year over year.
Other industries
Škoda
Android is no longer just about smartphones and tablets – the platform has now been extended to cars too. Partnering with key automotive companies, like Czech car manufacturer ŠKODA, Google has developed Android Auto to bring innovation to on-road connectivity. Android Auto allows drivers to seamlessly sync their Android phone to their car infotainment system, enabling them to control services such as Google Maps, Spotify or WhatsApp, make phone calls, or ask for their favourite sports team scores all while keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. ŠKODA is one of the first car manufacturers in Europe to integrate Android Auto into their car infotainment systems, and it offers Android Auto-enabled models in all vehicle categories. “ŠKODA has a key strategy to improve connectivity for its customers, and Android Auto sits at the centre of that,” says Luigi Ricciardi, Product Marketing – Coordinator Smart Mobility and Smartphone Integration. “In today’s tech-savvy world, people expect to connect to their phones in any space. With Android Auto, this is now happening, and the smartphone and the car have become part of a new entirely connected and highly personal driving experience.” Android Auto supports automotive companies like ŠKODA to take full advantage of the opportunities that digital technology offers and to bring the industry into the connected age. “When we think of Android, we think of the words: innovation, technology and future-proof,” says Siddarth Goud, Communications Specialist. “We know Android Auto will be an exciting addition to the automotive industry, and we at ŠKODA want to be a part of that exciting journey delivering enhanced and personalised experiences to our customers.”
When we think of Android, we think of the words: innovation, technology and future-proof.Siddarth Goud, Communications Specialist, ŠKODA
Škoda
As one of the first automakers in Europe to integrate Android Auto into their cars, ŠKODA is able to offer an unparalleled level of connectivity to European drivers.