[exDM69]

You're correct. It doesn't seem to be for consumer oriented products today. But it's a start...

I guess they're targetting some professional audio gear that have an Android-based component in it. Or hope to get this sold to phone/tablet vendors who would like to build a music-oriented product. Or get acquired by Google and get integrated into Android proper. Or just make Android a viable backend for their cross-platform audio sdk.

Can anyone from Superpowered chime in and shed some light on who or what you're targetting?

[vlaskovits]

Hi there,

We're licensing the Superpowered Media Server to OEMs who want to differentiate their Android build by bringing latency down to pro audio levels.

As we say in the article, we squeeze latency out of user space with our zero latency SDK as well as out service space with our new server.

[AceJohnny2]

What is the business case here? A provider of audio software can write an iOS app that will out of the box avoid these latency issues for the variety of iOS hardware out there, or they can take on the task of creating hardware, customizing Android, using your media server and SDK, in order to avoid those latencies on Android.

One path seems easier and cheaper than the other...

[vlaskovits]

If you want to develop an app that depends on low latency such as an interactive audio app or DAW, then on iOS that is entirely doable.

If you want to do the same on Android, or port that same app from iOS to Android, than that is virtually impossible.

From: http://superpowered.com/androidaudiopathlatency

"Many mobile apps that are critically dependent on low latency audio functionality such as some games, synthesizers, DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), interactive audio apps and virtual instrument apps, and the coming wave of virtual reality apps, all of which thrive on Apple's platform (App Store + iOS devices) --- and generate big revenues for App Store and iOS developers are largely non-existent on Android. Android Audio's 10 Millisecond Problem, a little understood yet extremely difficult technical challenge with enormous ramifications, prevents these sorts of revenue producing apps from performing in an acceptable manner and even being published (!) on Android at this point in time. Startups and developers are unwilling to port and publish otherwise successful iOS apps (with ~10 ms audio latency needs) on Android for fear of degraded audio performance resulting in negative word-of-mouth and a hit to their professional reputation and brand. Consumers lose because have a strong desire to buy such apps on Android, as shown by revenue data on iOS, and currently, are unable to do so. One can appreciate the scale of this problem/opportunity when one takes into account the so-called 'next billion' consumers who will be 'mobile-only'."

No app developer will, as you describe:

"take on the task of creating hardware, customizing Android, using your media server and SDK, in order to avoid those latencies on Android."

But OEMs seeking to differentiate their Android builds will integrate Superpowered Media Server, allowing for low latency functionality.