For better Android tablet apps, Google makes best practices checklist

Monday, Google's Android Developer Relations team published the Tablet App Quality Checklist so that developers can "make sure that [their] app meets the basic expectations of tablet users."

This checklist serves as a best practices guide, and includes ten key items for developers to acknowledge in their development process: Core app quality, tablet-optimized layout, full screen utilization, full asset utilization, font and touch target accuracy, homescreen widget correctness, one single version for all devices, no required hardware features, declaring tablet screen support, and following Google Play publishing best practices.

Android tablet apps have historically had a bad reputation among the tech press. They "suck" according to at least a couple of publications because they do not live up to the example set by the iPad.

In fact, until Android profitability could be proven, some prominent app developers shied away from building tablet-specific Android apps. Google has made a point of showing that Android tablets are a viable app platform by publishing several developer case studies with their own statistics about Android tablet engagement.

So by setting up these guidelines, Google is hoping to tighten up the appearance of Android tablet apps, so they can make the platform shine a little more brightly.