Is Android an Ugly Platform?

[reinbeau]

On Gizmodo today

I find it interesting he goes on and on about IOS, as if that's the only platform Android is competing with.

 

[ElasticNinja]

They have clearly never used Symbain

 

[falconeight]

Its not but the way carriers are releasing updates and older versions is criminal.

 

[gallandof]

i take gizmodo with a grain of salt, they seem to be very very apple oriented and favorite that brand more than most.

 

[lordofthereef]

He brings up a very valid point. To the AVERAGE smart phone user (not people who visit these forums and root/mod/hack their way through everything), it can be frustrating to sit around and wait for updates. There is no doubt that Apple has this right... all updates are available at launch for their newest handset. Yes, this is because they release their own handsets and there is only one new release every 12 months. The point is, that from a devloper standpoint, it is far more convenient to go with the operating system that is getting the updates if you run the type of service where a person buys the app and then is supposed to get free updates for X amount of time. Gizmodo may be Apple fans, but I don't really see a whole lot of that here. Maybe the title of the article (and the degrading picture of the delapidated droid) wasn't the most appropriate, but otherwise I don;t see any fanboyism in this article.

 

[IOWA]

He brings up a very valid point. To the AVERAGE smart phone user (not people who visit these forums and root/mod/hack their way through everything), it can be frustrating to sit around and wait for updates. There is no doubt that Apple has this right... all updates are available at launch for their newest handset. Yes, this is because they release their own handsets and there is only one new release every 12 months. The point is, that from a devloper standpoint, it is far more convenient to go with the operating system that is getting the updates if you run the type of service where a person buys the app and then is supposed to get free updates for X amount of time. Gizmodo may be Apple fans, but I don't really see a whole lot of that here. Maybe the title of the article (and the degrading picture of the delapidated droid) wasn't the most appropriate, but otherwise I don;t see any fanboyism in this article.

The AVERAGE user doesn't even know updates exist.

And for the love of god, please change your avatar. Here's one I cleaned up for someone else on here.

DRM'd images just bug me.

 

[dan330]

He brings up a very valid point. To the AVERAGE smart phone user (not people who visit these forums and root/mod/hack their way through everything), it can be frustrating to sit around and wait for updates. There is no doubt that Apple has this right... all updates are available at launch for their newest handset. Yes, this is because they release their own handsets and there is only one new release every 12 months. The point is, that from a devloper standpoint, it is far more convenient to go with the operating system that is getting the updates if you run the type of service where a person buys the app and then is supposed to get free updates for X amount of time. Gizmodo may be Apple fans, but I don't really see a whole lot of that here. Maybe the title of the article (and the degrading picture of the delapidated droid) wasn't the most appropriate, but otherwise I don;t see any fanboyism in this article.

yes.. that is possible...

but I would guess that more than 50% of android users.. dont care about updates! they are either happy or unhappy with what they get. Only way they correct it, if they dont like it... is buy new shiny phone.

 

[lordofthereef]

I think you are all missing the point. They don't want to have to have different versions of apps/games on the market for each flavor of android. With iOS, they are able to avoid this, because all devices less than two years old see these updates, so they can tell you "please update or you get no support". Can't rightly do that with android where we still have phones being sold with older than the latest flavor.

 

[Bnice]

I think you are all missing the point. They don't want to have to have different versions of apps/games on the market for each flavor of android. With iOS, they are able to avoid this, because all devices less than two years old see these updates, so they can tell you "please update or you get no support". Can't rightly do that with android where we still have phones being sold with older than the latest flavor.

Oh really?, so the 3g and 3gs iphones can do face time? and a few update features are known not to work on the older versions iphone that only work on the iphone4

 

[snapper.fishes]

Oh really?, so the 3g and 3gs iphones can do face time? and a few update features are known not to work on the older versions iphone that only work on the iphone4

Problem is, most Apple users seem pretty happy to know that new features won't work on their older phones, while most android users are not. (Seen the hundreds of droid users complaining about how 3D intense games won't work on their phones?)

 

[lunatic59]

Problem is, most Apple users seem pretty happy to know that new features won't work on their older phones, while most android users are not. (Seen the hundreds of droid users complaining about how 3D intense games won't work on their phones?)

Yep, hundreds out of the millions of Droid users, that must be the new math that makes it "most".

 

[Guamguy]

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 update to Eclair is finally out. It's not just an Eclair update, but the whole Rachel interface is also overhauled plus more features are added.

I want to see it, but my bro doesn't seem to care about updating his phone.

 

[lordofthereef]

Oh really?, so the 3g and 3gs iphones can do face time? and a few update features are known not to work on the older versions iphone that only work on the iphone4

You clearly missed the point. We are talking about Apps related to this article, not new features on newer phones. We are talking about the fact that every iPhone that is less than a two year old model is compatible with the current version of iOS. Aside from face time, I can't think of a thing that will not run in iOS 4 on a 3GS. Why the hell is everyone jumping down my throat on this one. Honestly if you cannot see that the article makes a good point about development (from a developers eyes) is in many ways easier on iOS is blind.

For those stupid enough to think I am in some way bashing android, I am not. In fact, I am not bashing anything. If I was bashing something, it would be all the hardware developers that put out these handsets and then drop support on them in the blink of an eye.

 

[Demache]

You clearly missed the point. We are talking about Apps related to this article, not new features on newer phones. We are talking about the fact that every iPhone that is less than a two year old model is compatible with the current version of iOS. Aside from face time, I can't think of a thing that will not run in iOS 4 on a 3GS. Why the hell is everyone jumping down my throat on this one. Honestly if you cannot see that the article makes a good point about development (from a developers eyes) is in many ways easier on iOS is blind.

For those stupid enough to think I am in some way bashing android, I am not. In fact, I am not bashing anything. If I was bashing something, it would be all the hardware developers that put out these handsets and then drop support on them in the blink of an eye.

I do agree with you on that. But then again, its not something that's incredibly new and limited to Android. The way Apple keeps updating their phones as much as possible is phenomenal. Windows Mobile has (had?) this problem along with Symbian and Blackberries. Apple pretty much has to thrive on customer support. And they really don't have much choice. When you only release one new model of phone every year, you need to make sure you don't alienate your customers by dropping support as soon as the new model comes out.

 

[Stuntman]

I don't know about the developer point of view. For me, I didn't buy an Android smartphone because I wanted a console to run apps. I bought an Android phone primarily for the web browsing, social networking and making calls. Apps are a bit further down the list. I don't go looking for the latest apps to run on my phone, although I do like the fact that there are some useful and/or interesting apps I could run on my phone.

Gruber seems to criticise Android for not being iOS. I guess from a developer's point of view, he finds it more feasible to develop for iOS than for Android. Developers perhaps have to be creative to profit from the Android platform.

As a consumer, I see iOS as a platform without a phone that I want to use. Actually, the devices available are OK, but when I look at other platforms, I see a greater selection of devices and feel I can more likely find a device that suites me more than the limited number of devices on iOS. This greater selection seems to make developing for Android a greater challenge than iOS. However, I do not see some app on iOS only that I must have in order for me to sacrifice having a device that is more of a fit for me.

 

[Guamguy]

Mobile doesn't need killer apps. Mobile itself is the killer app.

That's why 3/4th of all mobiles sold are still dumbphones. Of all the smartphones sold, a good fraction might be used as dumbphones. And those that are used as smartphones, you're lucky if you have more than five apps being used constantly.

Mobiles are not built on apps but on services. What are services? Voice, SMS. Examples of other services, email, GMail, GPS location and maps, BBM, IM (GTalk, Live, AIM, QQ...), social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, MySpace...) Nlow we have more like cloud backup, mobile banking, mobile payments, NFC, VOIP, video calls.

A mobile happens because of these qualities that makes up its own killer app. Gruber, Gizmodo, think mobiles are small computers, and by thinking they are miniature PCs, must require apps to make them viable. A PC is an empty machine that has no purpose or function unless it has an app. A mobile is a small computer, but it is also beyond a small computer. A mobile has unique qualities of its own that separates them from PDAs, PMPs, game consoles, tablets and handheld PCs. A mobile is simply way beyond a handheld PC.

1. It can call.
2. It can text, message or email with notification.
3. It can fit into a pocket.
4. It is an extension and an expression of the owner.
5. It is ever present. Or the owner needs it to be ever present.
6. It can locate
7. It must notify.
8. It can capture context (photograph, record video, tweet, microblog, etc,.
9. It is always connected to a network.
10. It must always be powered on.

 

[dan330]

guamguy... that is very interesting point of view.. good points.