Will Android avoid Windows Mobile's fate?

[rphillips02]

Hi everyone.

I can't help but notice the decline of Windows Mobile OS (due to the roll-out to multiple phones and lack of a uniform environment for developers) and foresee the same potential hurdles for Android. Does anyone know what Google might do to prevent fragmentation of its market as Android is extended to more and more devices?

Thank you!
Robert

 

[vincentp]

Hi everyone.

I can't help but notice the decline of Windows Mobile OS (due to the roll-out to multiple phones and lack of a uniform environment for developers) and foresee the same potential hurdles for Android. Does anyone know what Google might do to prevent fragmentation of its market as Android is extended to more and more devices?

Thank you!
Robert

I don't see it happening. Android's popularity is climbing and - though the apps are not completely compatible with every device - there is a reasonable degree of uniformity.

Moreso than that, though, the OS is just much better. I could be wrong, but honestly I attribute the downfall of Windows Mobile to the fact that - well - it's Windows Mobile... it sucks.

I don't think Android is going to suffer the same fate.

 

[rphillips02]

I hope you're right, but if I was a developer with limited resources and had the choice of making an app for Android device #1, Android device #2, or for 40 million iPhones I'd concentrate on the iPhone market. More apps attract more users, which attract more app development, and so on.

Seems that this will be a problem so the sooner people (much smarter than me) start thinking about it the sooner they can devise a solution.

 

[MarvinAndroid]

I think Windows Mobile decline has less to do with the fact that it's been rolled out on too many devices... and more with the fact that it kinda sucks.

 

[vincentp]

I hope you're right, but if I was a developer with limited resources and had the choice of making an app for Android device #1, Android device #2, or for 40 million iPhones I'd concentrate on the iPhone market. More apps attract more users, which attract more app development, and so on.

Seems that this will be a problem so the sooner people (much smarter than me) start thinking about it the sooner they can devise a solution.

That's very true. Also consider though that there are a large number of developers who are frustrated with Apple's "review" process, and would be more than happy to switch to an open platform on which they can be assured their application will be available. True, there are a large number of Android devices, but the basic code is going to be the same for all of them.

Apps may need slight tweaks for devices like the Droid - with different screen resolutions - or slightly different versions of the Android OS, but overall most of the apps I've noticed work fine on my Droid without updates. It's nice to see that apps designed for older OS versions (for the most part) work just fine on 2.0. It's a good sign. A lot of devs have already thrown out minor updates to make their apps work with the Droid, too, and it doesn't seem to have caused too much commotion.

Overall, I think devs will be more drawn to Android now (even with all the devices) due to the open platform advantage as well as the climbing number of Android users thanks to Verizon.

 

[e39e60]

I think Windows Mobile decline has less to do with the fact that it's been rolled out on too many devices... and more with the fact that it kinda sucks.

It just aged. Badly. MSFT blew it by not being able to get a decent browser on the thing. WM 7 looks tasty. We'll see. It's probably too late.


It could have been a contender. I would not have switched if the browser didn't suck. I really miss voice commanding everything. One button touch then voice for such things as "what is the battery strength" or "play pink floyd the wall". Plus Audible.

Startup for voice listenng was immediate on my two year old device. It takes a couple of seconds for VR to load on the Droid.

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

The issue with some apps not working on some devices has more to do with which version of Android you are running.

Android Example ...

JoesBadStuff app was developed for Android 1.5. People with Android 1.6 may be able to download it, but it wont work properly.

JoesReallyBadStuff app was developed for Android 2.0. This should work on all devices 2.0 back to 1.5. Some users might have problems but it should work.

Right now there arent that many apps ready for 2.0. Thats why alot of people are having problems with them not working. The same thing happened between 1.5 and 1.6.

If you have "SPARE PARTS" you can set compatibility mode. This lets you run older apps in Compatibility mode.

 

[gwlaw99]

Windows mobile is dying because the OS sucks not because of multiple handsets. HTC is the only thing keeping it on life support until we can see what windows mobile 7 looks like.

 

[rphillips02]

Thanks Vincent; very helpful. Hopefully the open platform will attract more people than the multiple devices dissuade.

 

[oceanlight]

Windows mobile is dying because the OS sucks not because of multiple handsets.

sadly, this.