3DR Announces Android App v2.4 out in "few weeks"

PdxSteve · Jun 20, 2016

From Vu Tran on Facebook about 30 minutes ago:

Hi All, here's an update for all the Android questions. We will be releasing Solo Android 2.4 in a few weeks. It will have the Zip, Pano, Return to Me, and Return and Hover. Unfortunately, we're not planning to have AR or Geofence, those features will only be on iOS. As always, all bugs and issues will continue to be addressed ASAP.

Pedals2Paddles · Jun 20, 2016

Well this should get people lit up. Although I think it pretty much confirms what we suspected, due to losing their Android guy. I'm annoyed by this in general. I do not need or care about either AR or the geofence, so it doesn't personally effect me. But I'm sure many others will be livid.

pyrate · Jun 20, 2016

people will have a hissy fit no matter what happens
the real people will get it
we are getting the main features, results are what I care about
With the addition of zip and pano, and return to me I can get as good a result with android as I can with Apple
So its good, in my humble opinion

Pedals2Paddles · Jun 20, 2016

I agree. It's really not neglect or malfeasance on 3DR's part that their application designer quit just before the project was done. This industry does not financially support having redundant designers working as a team that can maintain productivity if one leaves. He quit. It sucks, but shit happens. If that means we have to wait a few weeks for them to get moving again and get it reliable and debugged, then so be it.

I hope down the road, they get android development back into high gear and it stays parallel to iOS. But I can tolerate the current setback just fine.

PdxSteve · Jun 20, 2016

Most companies would have just waited to release until both versions were complete though. This isn't good for PR. This causes a lot of confusion. Just look at FB and this site over the last few days. Think of how much money they are having to waste in answering support questions. If they had simply waited a few more weeks until both versions were finished and released them simultaneously like they had always done in the past (with the exception of the difference in apple/google app approval making them released a few days apart), it would have saved them money, had fewer ticked off consumers or the bad PR. Just another dumb move in what is seeming the new trend from the new 3dr. I doubt they will do this stuff with their sitescan customers, but I hope they are paying attention before making that large purchase.

Rusty Jones · Jun 20, 2016

Well..... I don't 'need' AR and geofence, but if this now means Android is considered 2nd class citizens for future updates then this blows!

I was all happy today to see Part 107 may get announced tomorrow, and now this.

Any reviews if the ipad Mini 2 is decent??

muzz3256 · Jun 20, 2016

This is sad, I hate this part of being an Android owner, always feeling like a second class customer. Just ordered an ipad mini 4, sigh, I'm not an iOS fan...

Flashy · Jun 20, 2016

PdxSteve said:
From Vu Tran on Facebook about 30 minutes ago:

AR and Fence will coming later or never on Android?

Flashy · Jun 20, 2016

muzz3256 said:
This is sad, I hate this part of being an Android owner, always feeling like a second class customer. Just ordered an ipad mini 4, sigh, I'm not an iOS fan...

last update (2.3) Android release was before iOS release.

muzz3256 · Jun 20, 2016

Flashy said:
last update (2.3) Android release was before iOS release.

Yeah, but now saying that things are going to be iOS only means that they're developing more for them than android. I would have thought that it would hae made more sense to update everything at once, don't love one more than the other lol.

PdxSteve · Jun 20, 2016

Flashy said:
last update (2.3) Android release was before iOS release.

This is different, though. Usually both versions are finished at the same time and submitted to Apple and Google for approval to be put in their respective app stores. Sometimes Apple would approve first, sometimes Google, but it was usually within a day or two max, sometimes within hours. This is a "several weeks" delay because they haven't even started the android version yet because they fired their android developers, which means they also still have to test it after that. Apparently, according to Phillip, the only reason why they are coming out with a 2.4 update is because of all of the uproar in the FB forum a few days ago. They also announced that they are no longer going to be including all of the same features in Android that they are iOS.

Flashy · Jun 20, 2016

they did'nt fired their developers, the developers or the one developer went to google... and they have no backup..
but I understand what u want say.. I hope they do not disregard the android users in future.

fpvsteve · Jun 20, 2016

Guys calm down a bit.
Fact is that their main developer who wrote basically every line of code on Dronekit, 3DR Services, Solo app and Tower over the past 18 months moved on.
It will take some time for the new hires to catch up.
Providing now the Smartshots is the straight forward thing to do next since its just UI work only (the logic is inside Solo).
Probably best would be to open source the Solo app on Android and have the community to enhance it.

PdxSteve · Jun 20, 2016

That's not accurate according to Philip and others. Fredia was one person who went to google after 3DR disbanded the Android Team. I guess we will see what happens with future updates post 2.4, but the people in the know keep saying get iOS if you want continued full support. He has many friends still at 3dr, and has been 100% right with everything he's publicly stated. 3DR on the other hand, has not been forthcoming.

Philip:

you make the assumption that this is all related to one person leaving of their own free will.

The FACTS as we have them now...
1. 3DR disbanded their Android team
2. Fredia is no longer at 3DR
These are separate events..
3. Due to pressure put on 3DR BY THIS GROUP! 3DR have agreed to do an additional update to Android. (Hiring additional external people if needed)
4. 3DR have stated that only the UI for additional Smartshots and bug fixes will be added to the app.

So read that how you like...

Move to iOS... Or get left behind is how I read it.

fpvsteve · Jun 20, 2016

PdxSteve said:
That's not accurate according to Philip and others. Fredia was one person who went to google after 3DR disbanded the Android Team. I guess we will see what happens with future updates post 2.4, but the people in the know keep saying get iOS if you want continued full support. He has many friends still at 3dr, and has been 100% right with everything he's publicly stated. 3DR on the other hand, has not been forthcoming.
:

LOL. You just need to look at the dronekit-android Git which also includes 3DR Services. The only contributor since early 2015 was Freya.
Contributors to dronekit/dronekit-android · GitHub

Same situation with 3DR Tower:
Contributors to DroidPlanner/Tower · GitHub

Maybe there was a team. But all others apparently never contributed to the project

I had a lot of interaction with Freya during the Tower beta testing. He all of a sudden went quiet early this year. Even a publicly documented showstopper defect in Tower remained unfixed for over 5 months. So it became obvious that he started to look into other things.

Rusty Jones · Jun 20, 2016

fpvsteve said:
Guys calm down a bit.
Fact is that their main developer who wrote basically every line of code on Dronekit, 3DR Services, Solo app and Tower over the past 18 months moved on.

This was poor planning on 3DR's part. Too many eggs were in one basket, and now they are in a bind. That is unless they planned on dropping Android, which would be a serious nail in the coffin.

It will take some time for the new hires to catch up.
Providing now the Smartshots is the straight forward thing to do next since its just UI work only (the logic is inside Solo).

I hope this is the case, but having to pick up someone eleses work is not easy. I hope 3DR works this out.