Too many Android models may chase app-makers away

[XtremeAaron]

Too many Android models may chase app-makers away -- DailyFinance

"When I talked to Deutsche Bank wireless and GPS analyst Jonathan Goldman last week, he was largely bullish on Android and its ability gain market share as a smart phone operating system. But one thing did concern him, and its exactly the thing that Apple (AAPL) CEO Steven P. Jobs is counting on: Too many different handsets running Android means trouble in the app store."

 

[build319]

Soooo, how does this differ from a PC? I mean Windows runs on so many different platforms, resolutions and hardware. Windows still dominates about 90% of the market and Apple has being doing the same thing for years.

 

[BiGMERF]

great point build....

 

[XtremeAaron]

True, but at the same time i see what that article is trying to say. I have no knowledge in the Android SDK, so I could be wrong, but not every app works with every android version, so i can see how people can be left out with previous versions, and how much of a hassle it would be for a developer to make an app work with all versions. You gotta remember, android is open-source, support across all platforms is something to expect from a large company or group like google, but for the everyday person creating apps i can see the issue.

 

[bluefish]

It's worth mentioning that the iPhone also had three different hardware versions, all with some unique ability which is non-compatible with another version of the Phone.

I guess since Apple prohibits developers from developing applications which duplicate functionality (or even use some features), then this is a non issue.

You can't write another mapping, music playing, or video taking app for iPhone. Cuz Apple was there first. Neeners.

This "too many versions" rhetoric is just Apple's rock-tossing, trying to get developers to second guess themselves and run scared to a "safe" development platform.

later

 

[bluefish]

Also, to XtremeAaron's comments

The Android SDK lets you run any version you want in a virtual machine. At the same time even! You can test your app in 1.5, 1.6, and 2.0 at the same time. Hell if you were good enough, you could automate the testing with unit tests and not even need the virtual machine.

If someone is really planning on being a developer, this is the kind of stuff they should know about. I see too many examples of shoddy code slapped together with bad photoshop assets. To top is all off, they expect $1m from their 'effort' and complain when it does not take off like Yelp! or something...

This is a real business. Anyone else notice that Adobe is now in the mobile space? Developers will need to step up their game to compete with a company that has thousands of software engineers writing quality code for a living.

Laters...

 

[IOWA]

I don't think it will prohibit app making. Look at winmo! Winmo actually has tons more apps than apple iphone, and always have had more. They just never implemented a marketplace for app consolidation.

 

[ari-free]

AOL: So easy to use, no wonder it's #1!

 

[iclickjohn]

Also, to XtremeAaron's comments

The Android SDK lets you run any version you want in a virtual machine. At the same time even! You can test your app in 1.5, 1.6, and 2.0 at the same time. Hell if you were good enough, you could automate the testing with unit tests and not even need the virtual machine.

If someone is really planning on being a developer, this is the kind of stuff they should know about. I see too many examples of shoddy code slapped together with bad photoshop assets. To top is all off, they expect $1m from their 'effort' and complain when it does not take off like Yelp! or something...

This is a real business. Anyone else notice that Adobe is now in the mobile space? Developers will need to step up their game to compete with a company that has thousands of software engineers writing quality code for a living.

Laters...

This is exactly what I was going to say. I've been on the Android Developer forums since the beginning of Android. The SDK is expanding it's range to all devices and versions. Now that there is momentum in the OS, Android will bring it's linux mastery to full speed. Within a year Apps will work on any Android device. Yes there may be 100,000 apps or even 10,000 apps(in both camps), but only a handful that are really groundbreaking . These will follow Android. Android will not fade away. Is that what the "apps are going away" sayers are saying??? No way. Once you come out of the clouds with "quantity" of apps and come down to earth with "quality" of apps you will realize that Android is superior because of "open intents" that is what makes Android OS more complex and thus better. For those developers who can harness "open intents" the future will be Android all the way.

 

[ari-free]

Android will get apps that many iPhone users will want such as Adobe Flash. That is something that people use everyday on so many websites.
They will want apps that do live video streaming. For example the Movicha android version supports 2 way live video calling and the iphone version only supports only 1-way. People will begin to realize that the iPhone isn't as capable and is old news, just like Palm.