Developers will soon be able to make their apps aware of their surroundings thanks to the new Awareness API. The API can support up to seven different signals at once, including time, location, places, beacons, headphones, activity, and weather, to deliver contextually aware information.
Google says the API is able to process signals from these sources intelligently for accuracy and efficiency, and do so without chewing through battery life.
“Your app can combine these context signals to make inferences about the user’s current situation, and use this information to provide customized experiences. For example, suggesting a playlist when the user plugs in headphones and starts jogging,” explained Google.
WebOS, developed by Palm, was able to handle some contextually aware situations, such as recognizing when the user’s location didn’t match their calendar appointments. Developers can sign up for early access to the Awareness API. Google didn’t say when the API will be made more widely available, nor how or when it will be added to Android handsets.
