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Google has launched a new cross-device software development kit (SDK) that allows developers to build apps that work across Android and non-Android devices.

The cross device software, compatible till the Android 8 version, is now available with a developer preview for Android phones and tablets, and will arrive later for Android surfaces and non-Android operating systems.

Users can also share an app's current state with the same app on another device and start the app on a secondary device without having to keep the app running in background.

The initial release contains a set of rich APIs focused around the core functionality of device discovery, secure connections, and multi-device sessions, said the company.

With device discovery, you can locate nearby devices, authorise peer-to-peer communication, and start the target application on receiving devices.

Secure connections enable encrypted, low-latency bi-directional data sharing between authorised devices.

Multi-device sessions enable transferring or extending an application's user experience across multiple devices.

"This SDK allows you to focus on what matters most -- building delightful user experiences and connecting these experiences across a variety of form factors and platforms," said Google.

The software also enables task handoff where the user starts a task on one device, and can easily continue on another device.

"In addition, apps will not have to declare or request runtime permissions for connectivity protocols, and the user can allow apps to connect to only the device they selected," said the company.