Google considers adopting Apple's Swift language for Android

Google could dump Java entirely - Oracle's bellicose legal action to blame?

Google is considering making Apple's general-purpose development language Swift a 'first class' language for Android, according to reports. The move could enable developers to create native apps for both Android and iOS operating systems at the same time.

Developers shouldn't get too excited just yet, though, as Google will face a number of technical hurdles first, which means a move to Swift could be years away, if it happens at all.

For example, Google will need to create a runtime for Swift and incorporate it into APIs and SDKs, some of which are C++. Swift cannot currently bridge to C++ and would need to be rewritten.

Google would also have to spearhead Swift support for Android, which is still only being poked and prodded at by developers in the Swift community.

What's more, the move is by no means a done deal. Another language under consideration by Google is 'Kotlin', created by Java-focused development company JetBrains. However, Google reportedly has concerns about Kotlin's performance.

Apple and Google have yet to comment on the reports, initially aired on The Next Web.

The reports come as Google's long-running court battle with Oracle notches up another gear, with Oracle announcing its intention to seek $9.3bn in damages from Google. "While the ongoing litigation with Oracle is likely cause for concern, sources say Google considers Swift to have a broader 'upside' than Java," the report said.

The Next Web also reported that Uber and Facebook are considering moving at least some of their code to Swift.

This growing interest in Apple's development language shouldn't come as a surprise. Just five days after Apple announced that the company will donate it to the open source community, it became the most 'starred' (i.e. popular) language on code repository GitHub, knocking Rust into second place with more than 20,000 users.

What's more, big-name companies have already formally voiced their support for the language, including IBM and Lyft.