AI in game development grows despite concerns

A growing number of game development studios are embracing AI to streamline their processes, according to a new industry report from Unity.

The report finds that 62 percent of studios now utilise AI tools at some stage of development. The top use cases include improving character animations, code writing assistance, art and level generation, narrative design, and automated playtesting:

Credit: Unity

68 percent leverage AI specifically to accelerate prototyping. World...

18 March 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

Spotify cries foul over Apple’s app review process

Spotify has accused Apple of deliberately holding back approval for an updated version of its iOS app, claiming the tech giant is failing to comply with the European Union's new Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations.

The music streaming giant submitted an updated app to Apple's App Store on March 5th, just days before the DMA came into effect on March 7th. The new rules allow developers to use alternative payment systems for in-app purchases and distribute apps outside of Apple's...

15 March 2024 | App Stores

Discord announces SDK for in-app experiences

Discord has announced the upcoming launch of its Embedded App SDK, allowing developers to build apps and games that can be played directly within the platform.

Set to become available globally on March 18th, the Embedded App SDK lets developers create apps embedded in an iframe within Discord, essentially enabling the creation of new 'Activities' that users can play together.

"We want Discord to grow into the best place for developers to do it all: build, share,...

14 March 2024 | Developer

Google paid $10M to bug hunters in 2023

Google has revealed that it paid out $10 million to over 600 bug hunters from 68 countries in 2023.

Throughout the year, Google's bug hunter community played a pivotal role in identifying and addressing thousands of vulnerabilities across various Google platforms. The company's dedication to incentivising researchers saw the introduction of several new programs and improvements to existing ones.

Among the notable developments was the launch of the Bonus Awards program,...

13 March 2024 | Android

Microsoft’s latest Agility SDK packs cutting-edge graphics features

Microsoft has released the latest version of its Agility SDK, packed with innovative graphics features that will be showcased at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024.

The SDK 1.613.0 introduces Work Graphs, Shader Model 6.8, GPU Upload Heaps, and several other enhancements aimed at empowering game developers to create more efficient, flexible, and creative experiences.

Work Graphs: Unlocking the full potential of GPUs

The highlight of the Agility SDK is Work...

12 March 2024 | Developer

Linux Kernel closes in on 10M git objects

Linus Torvalds has announced version 6.8 of the Linux Kernel, inching ever closer to a major milestone in the project's codebase. In his announcement on Sunday, Torvalds noted that the git repository tracking the kernel's development now contains 9.996 million objects.

"This is the last mainline kernel to have less than ten million git objects," Torvalds wrote, though he was quick to add, "Of course, there is absolutely nothing special about it apart from a nice round number. Git...

11 March 2024 | Linux

Google improves Android device orientation accuracy

Google has announced a new device orientation solution for Android map developers called the Fused Orientation Provider (FOP) API in Play services. This API aims to provide more consistent and high-performance device orientation capabilities across devices.

“Device orientation, or attitude, is used as an input signal for many use cases: virtual or augmented reality, gesture detection, or compass and navigation – any time the app needs the orientation of a device in relation to...

8 March 2024 | Android

Apple faces EU scrutiny for terminating Epic’s developer account

Apple finds itself under the European Union's microscope following its decision to terminate Epic Games’ developer account, blocking the gaming company from establishing its own app store for iPhone users in Europe. This move has reignited the ongoing feud between the two tech giants and raised concerns over potential violations of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Epic Games – the creator of popular game Fortnite – expressed outrage after Apple abruptly ended its...

7 March 2024 | App Stores

Java remains backbone of enterprise applications

Java is set to remain the stable backbone of enterprise applications, according to a new report from Perforce Software.

The 2024 Java Developer Productivity Report is based on a survey of 440 respondents across 72 countries. Among the key findings, 60 percent of respondents said their companies plan to add Java developers in the coming year, while 42 percent plan to increase their Java development tool budgets.

"These investments in tools and talent are testament to...

6 March 2024 | Java

Google: Meta’s approach to Android 14 is a ‘blueprint’ for success 

Google has shed light on how Meta approaches tackling challenges and streamlining processes to enhance Android app development.

Following the rollout of Android 11, Meta embarked on a transformative journey, establishing the "Android OS Readiness Program." This move was prompted by identified hurdles concerning existing features such as Chat Heads and emerging requirements like scoped storage integration.

A major bottleneck in addressing these issues stemmed from...

5 March 2024 | Android