Lanka duo in bid to become world’s youngest on apps stage

Wednesday, 23 April 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The recent release of two apps by a young Sri Lankan duo aged nine and 12 may put the country in the limelight for producing perhaps the world’s youngest brothers to publish Android apps. Mihil and Ruvin Suriyappreuma have released their first two apps based on Android OS for Android mobile devices. One app by each of them is available free of charge to download from ‘Google Play Store’.

The previous record, based on the published information, is of two brothers of 10 years and 12 years together publishing one IOS app for Apple devices. The achievement by Mihil and Ruvin was inspired by the gaming experience on mobile devices and parents’ guidance has moulded this liking towards an achievement. Increasingly mobile phone users are switching to smart phones and mobility is redefining how we go about our day-to-day work. The app published by Mihil is a mathematical times table allowing students to refer to times tables from two to 12 with an option for any two number multiplication. Ruvin’s app allows users to organise photos and images in a meaningful way to a small album. Compared to the commercial scale apps developed by others, these apps may not be perfect. However, this is a perfect start for the next generation to show their presence in a globally growing arena of mobile applications. For Mihil and Ruvin, it has taken close to a year of learning and preparation to become perhaps the world’s youngest android app publishers. The guidance behind the initiative was to inspire them to try new and challenging things in life. Both are studying at Gateway College Colombo and the inspiration and learning they get from Gateway College has moulded them to attempt to be the world’s youngest in this arena. Their apps are branded ‘RAMPS’ in Google Play Store, which stand for ‘Ruvin and Mihil – Play Smart.’ With Sri Lanka gearing up to be a knowledge hub, these initiatives indicate that the journey has already begun. These initiatives facilitate mobile technologies being used for constructive purposes by children. Further efforts are underway by the duo to increase their presence in the mobile-age and to expand their exposure to new technologies. Limitations in resources combined with abundance of desire will lead to new initiatives of this nature and the brothers are already attempting their next app. Both Apps ‘CoolTimes’ and ‘Familyphoto’ can be downloaded for free from Google Play Store.