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Google's Android Studio 2.0 release: best day ever? Some devs think so

By Daniel Kobialka Apr 14, 2016 11:35am

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) this month released Android Studio 2.0, a new version of its app development platform.

The company originally unveiled a preview version of the suite at its Android Developer Summit in November. 

Since that time, Google has updated Android Studio 2.0, and some of the final release's new features include:

  • Enhanced Android emulator -- Enables developers to push apps and data 10 times faster to the emulator than to a physical device.

  • Cloud Test Lab integration -- Allows developers to incorporate the Cloud Test Lab within Android Studio.

  • App Indexing code generation and testing -- Adds auto-generated URLs with the App Indexing feature in Android Studio.

"Android Studio includes everything you need to build an app, including a code editor, code analysis tools, emulators and more," Android Product Manager Jamal Eason wrote in a blog post. "This new and stable version of Android Studio has fast build speeds and a fast emulator with support for the latest Android version and Google Play Services."

Many developers were impressed with the improved Android emulator, which runs roughly three times faster than its predecessor. 

The Instant Run capability also became an instant favorite for numerous developers, as it enables them to make changes and see them appear live in a running app. 

However, some developers encountered problems with Instant Run that made them question the new workflows provided by Android Studio 2.0.

For other developers, the April 7, 2016 release of Android Studio 2.0 may serve as a date that they will remember for years to come.