Android gaining ground in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Because of the cost-efficiency and high potential for usage growth of the Android operating software, Cebu is bent on developing more applications using this platform for both mobile and tablet tools re-enforcing Cebu’s bid to become a world renowned software development site.

One of the most active universities pushing for more usage of Android is the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R), which is now doing a research project in Sugar CRM (Customer Relationship Management 2).

According to Mr. Gregg Gabison, USJ-R dean for the College of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), the school has deployed a dozen students to focus on this particular project, that will hopefully launch another breakthrough in the Android-based mobile technology usage.

Mobile technology is universal. Gabison said the potential is huge and compared to other applications, Android is the most cost effecient. Products and services that can be developed using this software could go beyond basic mobile applications, it could even include security system, using the open source gateway.

Gabison added that as the Android is becoming more popular, Cebu is expected to lead on the development of new mobile applications in this particular OS, while price of gadgets are slowly reaching out to the mainstream market.

USJ-R has partnered with Globe Telecom and other mobile and technology companies to come up with applications that are exclusive for the Philippines, as well as introduce the students to technology trends.

Earlier, the Software Skills Inventory report from the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) indicated that the demand for tablet PCs continues to grow on a global scale, and the Philippines is catching up with the rest of the world when it comes to the latest gadgets.

Because of their penchant for sophisticated technology, Filipino software developers are bent on developing mobile applications utilizing Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, the survey revealed.

The PSIA survey also showed that 30 percent of local companies in the Philippines are developing on the Android Operating System (OS), while Apple’s iOs mobile application emerged as the current most favored development platform for Filipino mobile applications developers.

The iOS is Apple’s operating system and touted as the world’s most advanced mobile platform installed in every Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad devices.

The PSIA Software Skills Inventory Report, released by services and investment advisory group Tholons was commissioned by the PSIA and funded by then Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), to look into the performance of the domestic software development industry.