With the new 3d view, Blender can be used on mobile devices completely. Also the devices are getting better with upgraded hardware. So just want to know what is stopping blender from making dedicated versions for android. With new developments in iOS and Mac OS it will run on iphones anyways. So shouldn’t blender be available on android?
Also is this the right place to post these queries?
Let me know, I am new here …
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No, iPhone/iPad aren’t gonna happen… I’m pretty sure they don’t allow apps that have scripting languages built into them.
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I guess it will be lots of hard work for basically a gimmick. Say they get it work. How about adding models and other items which are normally located on a drive. It could work by cloud or over network. But I daubt they want to or gonna do this. Think about how many different OSs there are, all the different types of hardware etc etc.
Perhaps I’m wrong, I’m no Dev and don’t know enough of the coding and native code
Not a dev either, but I’m not seeing a true value in porting blender as is to mobile devices.
I am wondering tho if it might be possible and feasible to make some parts of blender work on mobile devices, like sculpting for example. It would be great if I could use an app to work on models with an optimised ui and maybe better performance instead of an app that simply mirrors the whole screen (I have an iPad and I’m using astropad to mirror the screen so I can sculpt with a pen).
Also not a developer.
I believe the main limitation in porting Blender to Android or iOS is actually OpenGL. From what I can tell, most phones use OpenGL ES rather than the full OpenGL and as a result can’t run Blender. Work could probably be done to convert Blender to OpenGL ES, but development towards a Vulkan back end would probably be a better option as that runs on both mobile and desktop with the same API (from what I can tell).
iOS doesn’t support Vulkan, but there is a compatibility tool developed called “MoltenVK” which converts Vulkan to Metal so you can run Vulkan applications on iOS and Mac OS.
Another reason for a lack of Android/iOS version of Blender is probably usability. Most Android and iOS devices are phones and most people don’t use a keyboard and mouse with them. This means Blender will probably require a large re-design for it to work on these devices.
One needs only to look at this thread Is there interest in supporting a Metal version of Cycles for MacOS?
to see that Metal is a long way off at best. I wouldn’t hold my breath for it.
On the other hand, I think an iPad/Tablet version of Blender isn’t a bad idea… maybe the idea could be developed with Windows Surface tablets for now, to get the UI/UX working while support for other platforms is considered/developed? Or maybe jail-broken Android devices running some kind of GNU/Linux system? Maybe Android itself is a possibility.
Why would developers waste time on such gimmick?
Those platforms aren’t suited for such workflows and no sane user going to use them for it when even budget laptops easily outperform high end mobile/tablet devices.
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bruh, Procreate is a huge force in the world of illustration and concept design. Don’t underestimate the convenience factor.
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I think a while ago there was a version of Blender 2.6x that ran on Android.
https://download.blender.org/demo/android/
I remember using it for a simple scene. Really needs a mouse and keyboard to be functional. It was a cool gimmick but just like going back and running Blender 1.0 that is pretty much all there is to it… A gimmick.
I seriously would not recommend using a full blown professional 3D suite on a mobile device, even if you could. Ideal mobile UX for 3D is FAR different from what you find in 3D desktop applications. The tedium of simple tasks alone makes it not convenient at all! Get a Windows Surface or something if you want to do Blender on-the-go. Even then working on production scenes will be rough due to HW specs.
A tablet with stylus is natural fit for drawing. Even for sculpting you need programmable buttons to work comfortably on something like Cintiq without a keyboard and Blenders modeling is very hotkey reliant.
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Procreate isn’t Blender… different tasks, different requirements, different suitability.
Movement convenience with Blender means laptop.
In the end there is modelling tools on those platforms and their force in 3d world is zero.
Only suited portion of blender for tablet device is sculpting and then it hits tablets performance which can be problem even on laptops that are once again cheaper for performance they offer…
We don’t use hammer for screws for same reason, it’s not suited for it…
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How do you get blender on Mobile devices?
Well TBH there is a market for mobile gfx whether 2D or and 3D. A perfect port of blender would be a huge task. Rather it could and should focus on what it can offer in what mobile can do at this time. A variant port would be a welcome. 3D sculpting can be done …there is Nomad on android which is lime a variation of Zbrush 3d modeling on a smaller scale. The program/app wouldn’t have to have every facet of Blender but just sections that are good.on the fly to use if have an idea/concept while not at desktop and can get it going .
Having the ability to save and load models is doable as well and that could be incorporated . There is model posing available now on android so that’s doable as well animation creating is available and can be done. Camera viewing and other visual manipulations and editing that is done and functional and can be done. Again many avenues that is now available on android mobile devices and ways to get around huge chinks of data. Which would be a problem in much of the areas. The app would have to be kept in a lower GB count and not eat up a lot.of the devices ram. An online only version would work to save that issue and the app itself is just a gateway to the program online Bigger storage would be required for offline workflow and maybe having the ability to storage those files on SD card would be more suitable . So factually a lot is very doable now with today’s tech outside.of opengl es if a variation is made.specifically designed with it. Basically a smaller mobile version of Blender with just what’s integral for on go design or.non PC design that can be ported back and forth . Its doable …just needs to be done.
Keep in Mind that this (even with all the UI changes that would have to be made to be Touch-first centered) would by current standards never be able to run on Apple hardware, which at least by now, is still the dominant mobile Hardware for artists. Thanks, Procreate and unfortunately super awesome Stylus.
There is a topic that got closed only 10 days ago - and here is the post that pretty much rules out 1/3 of the entire market share for now:
With the advent of devices like the Galaxy Fold and quality, capable tablets like the Tab S8 Ultra, along with desktop modes like Samsung DeX (connect your Galaxy to an external display and get a full desktop UI), we’re absolutely at the point where Android-based mobile devices have the hardware and software capabilities to serve as a real productivity tool and PC replacement. All that’s missing are the applications to leverage these capabilities.
The recent launch of LumaFusion on Android is a good indicator that it’s finally being seen as a legitimate platform.
I used Linux on Android to run the ARM version of Blender on my old Galaxy S10. Despite Linux on Android not having GPU acceleration, CPU rendering was on par with a 4th-gen i5. With a native Android application and full access to the GPU on a new chipset like the 8+ Gen 1 in my Fold 4, performance would not be an issue.
Imagine being able to take a Fold out of your pocket and get to work on the go with a full-fat version of Blender wherever you are. Not some crippled version; the real deal.
That’s the future we need to embrace today.
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The lines between laptop, tablet, and phone are getting blurred with each new generation. What is the difference, from an ergonomics perspective, between an ultra portable laptop with a “real” cpu and foldable touchscreen, and a “professional” tablet?
I would rather let hardware do the heavy lifting. I’m guessing in a few years there will be a pro version of an apple tablet, running osx instead of ios, inside a foldable touchscreen shell that fits in your pocket.
Remote desktop latency is another thing that might become more palateable. Maybe it already is good enough? This would mean way less heat and more battery life as well.
So I’m in the hospital. I have a zfold 4, a foldable Bluetooth keyboard (with numpad) and a travel Bluetooth mouse.
It’s no gimic that I should be able to use blender with this setup. Seriously. I have a want to model out this hospital room and all of it’s accoutrement but no viable way to do it. I could use nomad sculpt but have you ever tried to model interiors in a sculpt program😒. Look I figure there are a bunch of you old-school Linux users trolling around with your ThinkPads (I use mint at home) but come on. If krita can do it (and do it well) what’s the excuse of blender? It’s no gimic at all.
Now back to watching saline drip and be forever frustrated that blender is not available at my fingertips to knock out some models while I have some available time(the rarest of times).
Can’t even seem to get wine for droid running anymore…
There are so few solutions for this. I can use blender on my surface pro 4 and this phone is way more powerful than that too bad I don’t have my old surface here…
Well anywho, blender on Android a solid idea doesn’t have to be installed through the store could just be an APK. Seriously why hasn’t this happened sooner?
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