Android system accounts/users

[plecostomusmodel]

Hi, I am wondering if android easily supports multiple users using a device, ie user accounts. I believe since it is Linux based it must have users and searching the internet have seen articles mention a root user. With android now moving onto tablets, what I'm really interested in is can the tablet be passed around and easily have desktop/icons/logins/etc switched to the current user. Only thing I was able to find was in reference to smartphones and involved clearing all data and/or cache and logging into a new gmail account.

Secondary question, does the user/account login have to be tied to gmail? Ie, friend/family member may be over and not have a gmail account?

Thirdly, wondering how the application framework env helps apps work with different users....anything build it to easily save data under a certain user context, ie my facebook app saves my credentials tied to this android user account, etc...?

Any information about this would be very much appreciated, thank you.

 

[Rossi]

Welcome to the AC forums bjm88.

Linux supports multiple accounts, but Android doesn't. While you can certainly create a new account on the underlying Linux on a rooted phone with the correct software installed, Android runs in a specific account, so wouldn't even noticed the new user. There may be custom ROMs out there that does, but I'd doubt it as it's not a feature I've ever heard anyone require before.

Some phones (for example my Samsung Galaxy S) don't have to use a Gmail account at all, it just depends on the phone.

I've been a developer for Android for nearly 2 years, and I've never noticed anything mention of multi-user related stuff in the API.