Performance benchmarking software company Futuremark has announced that it has started development of 3DMark for Android (working title), with the aim of bringing the industry standard gaming performance benchmark to Android-operating tablets in 2012.

The benchmark software firm extended an invitation to manufacturers of Android-running mobile devices to join Futuremark's Benchmark Development Program, in order to contribute to the development of 3DMark for Android, from initial specification to final delivery.

According to Futuremark, research groups including Gartner and IDC are predicting immense growth for tablets in the coming years, and the company believes that games will be one of the key drivers of this growth, as the performance of these portable devices increases.

The firm also stated that intense competition between Android devices for market share will lead to hardware manufacturers and suppliers requiring an “objective, impartial and forward-looking performance reference” to allow its engineers to deliver more competitive devices.

Jukka Mäkinen, CEO of Futuremark said: “Since 1998, the PC industry has relied on 3DMark to accurately measure gaming hardware performance. In 2012 we will bring 3DMark to the Android platform with a professional grade benchmark that can be trusted by manufacturers, suppliers and vendors to provide the definitive measure of gaming performance on Android while showcasing the very best in real-time graphics and effects.”

3DMark for Android (working title) highlights:

• Measures gaming performance using rendering, CPU and physics tests.
• Impressive real-time graphics pushing the OpenGL ES API to the limit.
• Complementary online service to compare results between devices.
• Results will be comparable with 3DMark for Windows 8.
• The software is currently in development and expected to be released next year.