Lau describes two challenges: keeping user experiences consistent across devices and avoiding duplicated development work. Android devices may use Google Mobile Services, AOSP without GMS, or manufacturer-specific software, alongside iOS and HarmonyOS. Apps that depend on GMS can lose login, maps, storage, or payment features on devices without it.
From Fragmentation to Unity: The Role of OMH in Mobile Development
Speakers
Preston Lau, Open Mobile Hub Technical Steering Committee chair, presents OMH’s approach to mobile platform fragmentation at a Callstack conference, then Diego Zuluaga, Open Mobile Hub’s Technical Solution Engineering lead, explains the architecture and demos its integrations.
Open Mobile Hub provides a shared library that checks which services are available at runtime. It uses GMS when present and can use alternatives, such as web-based Google authentication or OpenStreetMap for maps, when GMS is absent. Lau says OMH 1.0 included authentication, maps, and storage, and announces the React Native modules in OMH 2.0.
Zuluaga explains that apps can become tied to Google SDKs, while adding manufacturer and independent provider SDKs can increase app size and make provider changes require code changes. OMH uses a two-layer design: common interfaces for maps, authentication, and storage, with separate provider implementations. Its plugins are extensible, and the same approach supports native and cross-platform apps.
The maps demo shows provider switching and features including markers, polylines, polygons, and location sharing. Providers do not have identical capabilities; for example, Street View is not available across providers, and some styling features are provider-specific. The storage demo covers Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox, including sign-in, browsing, file creation, downloads, and metadata.
Zuluaga highlights OMH’s support for non-GMS devices, multiple service providers, and an extensible design. The team is seeking community feedback and exploring Expo compatibility, as well as future support for Flutter, HarmonyOS Next, ads, and payments. Lau says the Technical Steering Committee meets monthly and invites developers to contribute through the project’s GitHub discussions.
Takeaways
- Check whether core app features depend on GMS before targeting AOSP devices without it.
- A provider interface can make it easier to switch services without rewriting app logic.
- Plan for provider feature gaps; a shared API does not guarantee identical capabilities.
- OMH’s examples show how authentication, maps, and storage can be tested across different device ecosystems.
- Review OMH’s provider support and Expo plans against your app’s platforms before adopting it.
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What was claimed 17
- previously atPreston Lau previously at
Google“I used to work for Google”
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- role atPreston Lau is Technical Steering Committee chair at Open Mobile Hub
“I'm the Technical Steering Committee chair for this project.”
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- usesroutes requests to GMS when installed
“OMX determines at runtime whether the device has the GMS library installed.”
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- usesalternative map provider on devices without GMS
“If not, we use another map provider; OpenStreetMap is one example.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with OpenStreetMap
“If not, we use another map provider; OpenStreetMap is one example.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with
Google Maps“If not, we use another map provider; OpenStreetMap is one example.”
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- metricOpen Mobile Hub: Three major features in OMH 1.0: login authentication, maps, and storage
“OMH 1.0, which offered three major features: login authentication, maps, and storage.”
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- launchedOpen Mobile Hub: OMH 1.0
“Last year, we delivered OMH 1.0”
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- launchedOpen Mobile Hub: OMH 2.0 React Native modules
“Today, we're launching the final React Native modules in OMH 2.0 on GitHub.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with Dropbox
“For cloud storage, we support Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with Mapbox
“For maps, we have Google Maps, AMap, Microsoft Maps, Mapbox, OpenStreetMap, and Apple Maps.”
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- role atDiego Zuluaga is lead of the Technical Solution Engineering team at Open Mobile Hub
“I'm the lead of the Technical Solution Engineering team at Open Mobile Hub.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with Azure Maps
“Google Maps, Mapbox, Azure Maps, and OpenStreetMap each have an implementation.”
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- featureOpen Mobile Hub: Provides common interfaces for maps, authentication, and storage
“On level one, we have interfaces for maps, authentication, and storage.”
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- featureOpen Mobile Hub: Supports provider switching through a common interface without changing app code
“switch the same app from one provider to another seamlessly, without having to change anything in my codebase.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with
Google Drive“We're authenticated with Google Drive.”
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- integrates withOpen Mobile Hub integrates with OneDrive
“I'm going to sign out and show how it works with OneDrive.”
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