WDWmagic app for android?

[stratman50th]

I'm just gonna come out and say it, apps for android are pretty pointless for the developer. You can make money, but with it being open source, its only a few days of exclusivity before someone makes a rival app that is free and you're suddenly stagnant....love my htc android, but why put r&d into an app that anyone can copy?

I understand your point completely, but with the running growth of the android isn't the "I" market going to diminish anyway? With the exception of the Apple fanboys that will always buy, people are moving rapidly toward the adroid. The developers are going to have to come up with a winning business plan to be able to make money, but I just always think of Beta vs VHS when it comes to these discussions.
And for the record, I'd love to have it for my Incredible.

 

[Master Yoda]

I understand your point completely, but with the running growth of the android isn't the "I" market going to diminish anyway? With the exception of the Apple fanboys that will always buy, people are moving rapidly toward the adroid. The developers are going to have to come up with a winning business plan to be able to make money, but I just always think of Beta vs VHS when it comes to these discussions.
And for the record, I'd love to have it for my Incredible.

I think it is going to diminish a bit more but I think it will settle out somewhere in the 20% of the market range. This will be more than large enough to keep iOS as a viable platform for developers.

The one thing Apple has going for it is hardware consistency and they were first to the table. Consistent hardware makes a phone choice a bit easier on the consumer. If you buy the most current model you know you have a solid smart phone. Also because they were the first to market with a successful "phone that is really a pocket computer" style smart phone many customers will stay with them simply because that is what they are use to.

Consistent hardware simply does not exist when it come to android or WP7 phones. You really have to do your homework when buying one as there are a few great ones and a bunch of crap. But on the flip side it is less expensive to get into an android or WP7 phone. The average user will not use any smart phone to its limits so top of the line hardware is not really all that important.

WP7 has the potential to really string things up if MS ever decides to do anything with it. Hopefully that will happen when the Nokia phones running WP7 hit the streets.

In the end I think it will flesh out much like the PC market. You will have one big player a solid runner up and everything else.

 

[DMC-12]

Count me in for the android app. :king:

 

[wdwmagic]

The one thing Apple has going for it is hardware consistency and they were first to the table. Consistent hardware makes a phone choice a bit easier on the consumer. If you buy the most current model you know you have a solid smart phone. Also because they were the first to market with a successful "phone that is really a pocket computer" style smart phone many customers will stay with them simply because that is what they are use to.

Consistent hardware simply does not exist when it come to android or WP7 phones. You really have to do your homework when buying one as there are a few great ones and a bunch of crap. But on the flip side it is less expensive to get into an android or WP7 phone. The average user will not use any smart phone to its limits so top of the line hardware is not really all that important.

WP7 has the potential to really string things up if MS ever decides to do anything with it. Hopefully that will happen when the Nokia phones running WP7 hit the streets.

In the end I think it will flesh out much like the PC market. You will have one big player a solid runner up and everything else.

Consistent hardware is what makes developing for Apple very nice, and the lack of consistency with Android a complete nightmare. When we write something for iOS we know it's going to run perfectly on every iOS device. For Android it's not clear cut. All the different resolutions, aspect ratios, memory, cpus, variations of OS are going to mean that Android will not give a consistent experience to all users. It is very fragmented, even down to the lack of a central app store. Malware and security problems within Android apps are becoming common.

I kind of view it as developing for IOS is like writing a game for a PS3, whereas writing for Android is like writing for a PC. You just don't know what hardware will be running it, and for some users, the experience will be poor.

For me, the reason why the iPhone has completely changed the device world and will remain the best mobile platform, is that common and consistent user experience. No other device has that, despite the fact that what we see with Android and Windows Phone is basically a clone of the iPhone.

 

[Master Yoda]

Consistent hardware is what makes developing for Apple very nice, and the lack of consistency with Android a complete nightmare. When we write something for iOS we know it's going to run perfectly on every iOS device. For Android it's not clear cut. All the different resolutions, aspect ratios, memory, cpus, variations of OS are going to mean that Android will not give a consistent experience to all users. It is very fragmented, even down to the lack of a central app store. Malware and security problems within Android apps are becoming common.

I kind of view it as developing for IOS is like writing a game for a PS3, whereas writing for Android is like writing for a PC. You just don't know what hardware will be running it, and for some users, the experience will be poor.

For me, the reason why the iPhone has completely changed the device world and will remain the best mobile platform, is that common and consistent user experience. No other device has that, despite the fact that what we see with Android and Windows Phone is basically a clone of the iPhone.

There is no question that developing for a locked down platform like ios is easier on the developer and does provide a consistent, relatively trouble free environment for the end user but "better" is something we can debate until the cows come home.

The best example I can think of would be the PC vs console gaming market. There is no question that you can get a better gaming experience from a good gaming rig. Resolutions are much higher, mods are possible, etc but it all comes at a cost. You need a pretty stout PC and the knowledge to run it to make it work.

The 360 and the PS3 are easy. You plug them in and they work but you take a hit on appearance, control and performance. IMHO when the consoles went to HD graphics the closed the cost benefit gap enough to effectively put PC gaming on life support.

Right now the iPhone is the Atari 2600. A solid closed system that works great but has its own, self imposed limitations. The android phones are like the early PC. They are completely open and are advancing rapidly in terms of hardware performance and software. The trick for android is going to be finding the middle ground. If they keep going on their current path, they run the risk of the hardware becoming too complicated and fragmented just like PC's did. If that happens and Apple comes out with their own version of the xbox 360 for the phone market then they will regain their strangle hold on the market. If android can get some hardware and OS requirements locked down they can hold onto the crown forever.

 

[wdwmagic]

There is no question that developing for a locked down platform like ios is easier on the developer and does provide a consistent, relatively trouble free enviroIf that happens and Apple comes out with their own version of the xbox 360 for the phone market then they will regain their strangle hold on the market. If android can get some hardware and OS requirements locked down they can hold onto the crown forever.

I think it's also a case of differing goals. Android want to dominate the market in terms of number of devices - hence the massive spread of manufacturers, carriers and versions. Apple want to have the best combination of hardware and software, which does not necessarily result in the largest number of users.

 

[stratman50th]

Consistent hardware is what makes developing for Apple very nice, and the lack of consistency with Android a complete nightmare. When we write something for iOS we know it's going to run perfectly on every iOS device. For Android it's not clear cut. All the different resolutions, aspect ratios, memory, cpus, variations of OS are going to mean that Android will not give a consistent experience to all users. It is very fragmented, even down to the lack of a central app store. Malware and security problems within Android apps are becoming common.

I kind of view it as developing for IOS is like writing a game for a PS3, whereas writing for Android is like writing for a PC. You just don't know what hardware will be running it, and for some users, the experience will be poor.

For me, the reason why the iPhone has completely changed the device world and will remain the best mobile platform, is that common and consistent user experience. No other device has that, despite the fact that what we see with Android and Windows Phone is basically a clone of the iPhone.

I don't know that I buy the apple wanting to have the best and most stable hardware. I think they will try anything to sell another gadget. (From you post to Master Yoda after this one).
But regarding the above, I can see the Android development issue. I'm a contractor for the fed. government and am the PM for a help desk. We face outside the agency, meaning we support the public, not our government agency (well, we do for some, but it's the same applications). My team has to support multiple Windows operating systems as well as MAC's. We also have to deal with the last 3 versions of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. All users have to have VeriSign certificates as well as IBM add on's to the browser and active X. Security levels are inconsistent from major corporations to the grandmother in Idaho. So yes, I really do feel your pain on the development side trying to aim for a standard configuration.

Believe it or not, I really don't "hate" apple, It's just in my world I've found they just don't play well with others. If you want to do graphics and music/video recording, a MAC is what you want. If you want to communicate with the rest of the world, you need a PC. At least that's what I see on the business side of it.

 

[Master Yoda]

I don't know that I buy the apple wanting to have the best and most stable hardware. I think they will try anything to sell another gadget. (From you post to Master Yoda after this one).
But regarding the above, I can see the Android development issue. I'm a contractor for the fed. government and am the PM for a help desk. We face outside the agency, meaning we support the public, not our government agency (well, we do for some, but it's the same applications). My team has to support multiple Windows operating systems as well as MAC's. We also have to deal with the last 3 versions of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. All users have to have VeriSign certificates as well as IBM add on's to the browser and active X. Security levels are inconsistent from major corporations to the grandmother in Idaho. So yes, I really do feel your pain on the development side trying to aim for a standard configuration.

Believe it or not, I really don't "hate" apple, It's just in my world I've found they just don't play well with others. If you want to do graphics and music/video recording, a MAC is what you want. If you want to communicate with the rest of the world, you need a PC. At least that's what I see on the business side of it.

I do not hate Apple products either but I am not a fan of the company. I would go so far as to say I hate the apple fanboys.

The products themselves are good solid pieces of hardware with a very elegant look. I simply think they are overpriced for what they are. I never run into all of these issues that people seem to have with PCs and I see no need to spend an extra 30%+/- to fix a problem that does not exist.

What I do not care for is not being able to work on or modify my own hardware. I did not enjoy being told I was holding a phone wrong in response to a technical issue they knew existed. I do not care for the disposable hardware philosophy and lastly I do not care for perpetuating myth as a advertising strategy.

I hate fanboys of anything in general. Accepting anything on faith alone and ignoring evidence that contradicts said faith has never sat well with me regardless of the subject. Apple fanboys do hold a special dark spot in my heart as they tend to be the most annoying of all of the fanboys.

 

[boufa]

That same plattform consistancy will be, and already is, the iPhones downfall. It is looking old and dated.