Android L Developer Preview & Android Wear Support

Today we have published support for Google’s Android L Developer Preview in the Alpha channel. Additionally, we are introducing preliminary support for new SDKs that Google has released, including Android Wear, Android TV, and brand new Support Libraries.

Installing our Android L Preview

• With this release, a Java JDK 1.7 is now required to properly compile applications. You can download one for your system from Oracle website.
• Update your Android SDK Tools to 23.0.2 from the Android SDK Manager
• Install Android SDK Platform & Build-tools to 20

• Download the Android L and Android 4.4W SDKs

• Switch the Xamarin Studio Updater channel to the “Alpha” channel.
• Install the Xamarin.Android and Xamarin Studio updates.

Android Wear

When Google announced their new wearable platform, Android Wear, last March, they only made a new library for enhancing existing notifications available.

At Google I/O, an official developer SDK to create full-featured applications capable of running on an Android Wear device was unveiled. With this release, Xamarin developers will now enjoy the same ability.

We are also making available the Android Wear UI Library preview on NuGet to include in your wearable apps. Our Android Support Library v4 was also updated to include many of the new Android Wear interaction APIs, such as NotificationCompat and RemoteInput.

Android Support Libraries

Not only did the Android L Preview come in with a new series of core APIs, it also brought a large update to the Android Support Libraries set.

Along with Android Support Library v4 updates, additional Support Libraries are now in preview release, including great new features such as RecyclerView, CardView, Palette, Android TV Leanback, and update to Support Library v13. All of these libraries are now available straight from NuGet.

IDE Improvements

We have also added some new features to help you design for those new platforms to our Android designer for both Xamarin Studio and Visual Studio. You’ll find Wear device support, Material theme selection, and Action Bar previewing, among others, starting today.

See the Xamarin Studio release notes for more information and known caveats.

Getting Started

You should have the new APIs available now. Check our release notes for more details and a detailed list of the new APIs.

Android L and So Much More Webinar Recording

Xamarin Developer Evangelist James Montemagno covers the top new and updated APIs in the Android L release, as well as the new Android Wear and Android TV SDKs, in this pre-recorded webinar.