As Android’s march towards mobile OS domination appears to continue unchecked, device manufacturers are joining the scrum to differentiate themselves from the competition. HTC has joined the ranks of manufacturers increasingly looking to pull in the developers to create device-specific apps,  announcing a dev-friendly programme to be launched in parallel with an SDK for its Sense user interface.

According to HTC, HTCdev, which is scheduled to launch this summer, will feature access to “an extensive resource library of tutorials, best practices, documentation and support” through a new web site www.htcdev.com. The site will also offer a user feedback channel to HTC “for ongoing investments and improvements to the developer toolset and program resources.” The scheme is aimed at encouraging  developers to work on applications specifically for HTC devices.

HTC says that the OpenSense SDK will be the programme’s “core offering” that will enable Android developers to “more deeply integrate into the HTC Sense 3.0 experience.” The framework will also offer APIs and sample code for 3D display and the tablet pen.

HTC isn’t the only device manufacturer courting developers. Motorola is among those offering Android developers a support system and Samsung launched its developer forum in May this year. Samsung’s programme includes a remote test lab feature that allows developers to install and test applications on Samsung devices over the web.