Google considering implementing Apple's Swift programming language into Android

[captain cactus]

Source: http://www.macrumors.com/2016/04/07/google-possibly-adopting-swift-for-android/

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Google is considering making Apple's Swift programming language a "first class" language for Android, reports The Next Web. Executives from Google, Facebook, and Uber reportedly attended a meeting to discuss Swift in December, around the time that Apple officially made Swift an open source language.

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Google's Android operating system currently supports Java as its first-class language, and sources say Swift is not meant to replace Java, at least initially. While the ongoing litigation with Oracle is likely cause for concern, sources say Google considers Swift to have a broader "upside" than Java.

So, this is pretty huge. A programming language's biggest dream is to be used across platforms and it may happen sooner rather than later. It's also interesting since Google had its programming language called Go that's also open source, but now they're considering Swift, and on some pretty deep levels, too.

[Sidiox]

well if Swift is open source I don't really object

[QueenDemetria]

They should just "borrow" Swift like they did Java.

 

Spoiler

Don't feed the troll, I'm not hungry.

 

[suicidalfranco]

guess it's time for me to take some swift lessons, personally i would have preferred C cause that's what i'm more used to

[SurvivorNVL]

@patrickjp93 Any thoughts?

[OuchMyFaceyHole]

2 hours ago, suicidalfranco said:

guess it's time for me to take some swift lessons, personally i would have preferred C cause that's what i'm more used to

Enjoy your suffering. It is not a fun language to learn as it is very very similar to Objective C

[suicidalfranco]

12 minutes ago, Hunter259 said:

Enjoy your suffering. It is not a fun language to learn as it is very very similar to Objective C

is objective C more like C# or Java? Maybe all hope is not lost

[patrickjp93]

11 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

is objective C more like C# or Java? Maybe all hope is not lost

It's the worst sort of mix of Python and C#.

 

30 minutes ago, SurvivorNVL said:

@patrickjp93 Any thoughts?

Dear lord... Just use C++14 and toss on the graphics libraries Google. C++ is not a difficult language to use anymore!

[suicidalfranco]

3 minutes ago, patrickjp93 said:

It's the worst sort of mix of Python and C#.

Crap. But that's where money is going so might as well just bite the bullet

[AlexGoesHigh]

6 minutes ago, patrickjp93 said:

It's the worst sort of mix of Python and C#.

 

Dear lord... Just use C++14 and toss on the graphics libraries Google. C++ is not a difficult language to use anymore!

TFW Android GUI runs on Java... 

[OuchMyFaceyHole]

3 hours ago, patrickjp93 said:

It's the worst sort of mix of Python and C#.

 

Dear lord... Just use C++14 and toss on the graphics libraries Google. C++ is not a difficult language to use anymore!

Eh. I'd say swift is the one that threw Python into it. Objective C is more like C had a baby with Java. Swift just added Python into the mix.

[patrickjp93]

2 hours ago, AlexGoesHigh said:

TFW Android GUI runs on Java... 

It won't be for much longer. Google will be phasing out all things Java, and that will be the end of that language (good freaking riddance).

[patrickjp93]

1 hour ago, Hunter259 said:

Eh. I'd say swift is the one that threw Python into it. Objective C is more like C had a baby with Java. Swift just added Python into the mix.

Swift has reflection (very poorly done and equally as screwball as C#'s). Java does not.

[CommandMan7]

This has bad implications for Microsoft, because Swift does not work on Windows or Windows Phone, so this could cause even more harm to Windows Phone, which I believe is programmed in C++. The logistics of porting from Swift to C++ is going to be much harder than porting from Java to C++. If over the next 2 years, Android + iOS adopt Swift, the universal windows platform is going to be essentially dead, as they'll be the last significant mobile platform with C++, especially with how the Windows Store is consistently failing. With Project Astoria dead (Android to UWP), and Project Islandwood (iOS to UWP) still only working for Apple's soon to be replaced Objective-C, I can't see UWP getting widespread adoption. 

 

Although I do agree with @patrickjp93 that C++ is definitely the best choice, if anything, this will further hurt C++'s representation in the mobile market.

[GoZone]

Rather to learn one program for both iOS and Android, so this will be helpful for some.

[suicidalfranco]

48 minutes ago, CommandMan7 said:

This has bad implications for Microsoft, because Swift does not work on Windows or Windows Phone, so this could cause even more harm to Windows Phone, which I believe is programmed in C++. The logistics of porting from Swift to C++ is going to be much harder than porting from Java to C++. If over the next 2 years, Android + iOS adopt Swift, the universal windows platform is going to be essentially dead, as they'll be the last significant mobile platform with C++, especially with how the Windows Store is consistently failing. With Project Astoria dead (Android to UWP), and Project Islandwood (iOS to UWP) still only working for Apple's soon to be replaced Objective-C, I can't see UWP getting widespread adoption. 

 

Although I do agree with @patrickjp93 that C++ is definitely the best choice, if anything, this will further hurt C++'s representation in the mobile market.

replace every C++ mention with C#

[OuchMyFaceyHole]

11 hours ago, patrickjp93 said:

Swift has reflection (very poorly done and equally as screwball as C#'s). Java does not.

After looking through it, my friend and I came to the conclusion it has borrowed from : Basic, C, Obj C, C++, Java, C#, and Python. Swift - We took it all and threw it at the wall.

[patrickjp93]

3 hours ago, CommandMan7 said:

This has bad implications for Microsoft, because Swift does not work on Windows or Windows Phone, so this could cause even more harm to Windows Phone, which I believe is programmed in C++. The logistics of porting from Swift to C++ is going to be much harder than porting from Java to C++. If over the next 2 years, Android + iOS adopt Swift, the universal windows platform is going to be essentially dead, as they'll be the last significant mobile platform with C++, especially with how the Windows Store is consistently failing. With Project Astoria dead (Android to UWP), and Project Islandwood (iOS to UWP) still only working for Apple's soon to be replaced Objective-C, I can't see UWP getting widespread adoption. 

 

Although I do agree with @patrickjp93 that C++ is definitely the best choice, if anything, this will further hurt C++'s representation in the mobile market.

I somewhat doubt Google is going this direction, at least exclusively anyway. Android still supports C++ apps.

[patrickjp93]

2 hours ago, suicidalfranco said:

replace every C++ mention with C#

Other than "C++ is the best choice"

[suicidalfranco]

16 minutes ago, patrickjp93 said:

Other than "C++ is the best choice"

obviously 

[Kalebtheking12]

Does apple have some sort of patent on their programming language? Can google just take it like that?

[captain cactus]

2 hours ago, Kalebtheking12 said:

Does apple have some sort of patent on their programming language? Can google just take it like that?

Apple made Swift an open-source language last December. So yes, Google can take it, and no, Apple doesn't have a patent on this programming language.

[TechGod]

6 hours ago, Kalebtheking12 said:

Does apple have some sort of patent on their programming language? Can google just take it like that?

Apple has made it open-source, of course anyone can use it.