Porting a mobile learning app from iOS to Android

Case Study

International Digital Education Access | The Learning World of Oville

Android App Development

Oville World provides a safe, imaginative world to discover that sparks creativity, inclusion and kindness while preparing for kindergarten.

I.D.E.A., the organization supporting Oville World, is passionate about creating safe, age appropriate ethical products to teach children at home.

Problem

I.D.E.A. wanted to expand Oville World to support Android devices. The mobile learning app had already been developed for iOS, but they needed an experienced developer to work alongside their team to complete this project within a short timeframe. From there, I.D.E.A. reached out to our team to collaborate on developing the Android version of Oville World.

From iOS to Android

Along with developing the game for Android, the central challenge that our team was tasked with is to integrate the existing product’s membership capability from iOS to Android. This feature supports paid subscriptions to access extended content inside the app.

The issue resided in the different requirements for how subscriptions are handled between iOS and Android platforms. We identified the need to find a solution that will maintain cost-effectiveness, followed by a strong compatibility with the existing product.

Solution

As our development team is experienced in both iOS and Android, we were able to quickly understand the technical requirements and specifications for integrating the membership capability.

We began by researching the different platforms for third-party subscription management services. To name a few alternatives, we explored the pros and cons of using Firebase and Amazon Web Services. This led to a solution of adopting Google Cloud due to its cost effectiveness and compatibility with the Google Play storefront. In addition, this service fits the existing infrastructure built on iOS.

As a result, we were able to optimize loading speeds and the size of the game without introducing technical dependencies.

Process

Converting to Android

Prior to integrating the membership capability, we first began by converting the mobile game from iOS to Android. This also involved tackling a number of platform specific issues. We upgraded a number of third-party plugins to be compatible with the latest version of Android and to fulfill Google Play store requirements.

The second phase of the project was testing. We completed quality assurance by testing the game on different android devices with differing specifications. This revealed a number of areas which required further optimization, ensuring that the game worked smoothly for the end user.

Open Communication

We worked closely with I.D.E.A. due to our offices being located in close proximity. We held frequent in-person meetings and communicated through online messaging at other times. This allowed for quick turnarounds and sharing of ideas.

Results

We successfully developed the Android version of The Learning World of Oville from start to finish, and launched the game on Google Play to meet the project goals. The project was completed on time and within the client’s provided budget. This was the beginning of a long term relationship with I.D.E.A. as we are continuing to provide ongoing support for this project.

“We were most impressed by our developer’s ability to integrate the subscription service. The process was extremely complex, but he figured out a plan and built the entire system within a very reasonable amount of time. We were blown away.”

Nathan Cole

Studio Director
International Digital Education Access