End-users really pay no attention to what OS version they have. It is not that hard to write application that works well across different versions as the differences aren't that big.
Its not true that all of iPhone OS users have the latest version either. iPod Touch users are reported to stay to ancient versions as they have to pay for update. Plus the iPhone HW, despite being from one manufacturer, is quite different between models (GPS, Compass, Camera), where Android phones are not.
That's not actually true. The Android and Palm updates are more important in adding features than are the Apple updates. There are too many of these little updates floating around. The other problem is that not all Android phones can be updated past a certain point. In general, Android phones before 1.6 can't go to 2.0. It's even a question as to how many 2.01 Android phones will be able to go to 2.1 and beyond.
Also you're wrong about Android phones all having equivalent HW inside. They don't. They are much different. Not all have a compass, for example. Not all have accelerated graphics. Some have physical keyboards, but they are different. Some also have virtual keyboards, and some just have virtual keyboards.They have different CPU's as well, and vastly differing screen resolutions—and this is for phones coming out in the same year, even the same quarter. It's a mess.
Additionally, each manufacturer has begun customizing the GUI. HTC for example, only allows multitouch on some applications.
It's getting more confusing all the time.
With Apple, each generation phone has newer features, but all the phones of that generation have the same features. Much easier to account for, both for consumers, and developers. And that includes the numerous HW developers, a market which the other phones lack to any useful extent.
As for the Android phones, the majority of them seem to be settling on the 800x480resolution screen, 3.7 inches, 3D chip, accelerometer, magnometer, relatively the same onboard storage, and running around the 1 Ghz area. And as many of the older phones are getting a 2.0+ update and many of the newer ones are releasing with 2.0.1, they're all within the same "generation" of OS. It seems to me that 2.0.1 to 2.1 is like going from Vista to Windows 7. An app written to run on 2.0.1 should run with no problems on 2.1.
What you're saying is not true. A few phones have high rez screens, and not all are the same rez. Not all have the compass. Not all have HW graphic acceleration. Not all can accept the OS upgrades beyond a certain point. The GUI's are moving in different directions, etc.
Note that most of the apps for the iPhone will run on all models. But check out the problems for the others, esp. Android, as thats what we're talking about here.
They talk about web apps as the solution. Yechh! That's what everyone has been complaining about.
And this aside about the Nexus One. I don't ever remember this happening with the iPhone;
What you're saying is not true. A few phones have high rez screens, and not all are the same rez. Not all have the compass. Not all have HW graphic acceleration. Not all can accept the OS upgrades beyond a certain point. The GUI's are moving in different directions, etc.
Not all, but a good deal of the flagship phone models are falling roughly into those specs I mentioned with a screen resolution of roughly 480x800. And the mid-range phones are falling into roughly the 320x480 resolution. Yes, I understand that it's a lot more varied than the iPhone, but at least there seems to be a trend slowly emerging, which should make things a little easier for developers. Whether they have a magnometer or not is no different than between the iPhone 3G and 3GS (I personally see it as a "nice to have" feature").
A lot of the Android phones that were released are getting a 2.x update. Some that just came out or about to come out with 1.6 are getting a 2.x update right after release or come with 2.x already. Some of the first generation Android phones can't be upgraded, but that's just the normal progression of things.
While the company does get to choose the GUI, I fail to see how that impacts how apps are run. If the base is still Android 2.x, then it'll run apps written for Android 2.x. Isn't it the same thing as me putting a theme over Windows 7? It looks different than vanilla Windows 7, but it's still Windows 7.
Customer: If I run out of battery and I am not near an outlet, how do I change the battery in the iPhone?
Apple Genius: You can't do that, but you don't need to. The iPhone has a very long battery life, so you won't need to change batteries.
Customer: That doesn't answer my question. {conversation continues}
That's not a conversation. That's someone who doesn't know what the hell their buying, but plans to use it in the middle of the desert for days on end.
That's literally about as competent as asking, "if I drop it in the ocean, what will happen," "It won't work," "That doesn't answer my question!"
Not all, but a good deal of the flagship phone models are falling roughly into those specs I mentioned with a screen resolution of roughly 480x800. And the mid-range phones are falling into roughly the 320x480 resolution. Yes, I understand that it's a lot more varied than the iPhone, but at least there seems to be a trend slowly emerging, which should make things a little easier for developers. Whether they have a magnometer or not is no different than between the iPhone 3G and 3GS (I personally see it as a "nice to have" feature").
A lot of the Android phones that were released are getting a 2.x update. Some that just came out or about to come out with 1.6 are getting a 2.x update right after release or come with 2.x already. Some of the first generation Android phones can't be upgraded, but that's just the normal progression of things.
While the company does get to choose the GUI, I fail to see how that impacts how apps are run. If the base is still Android 2.x, then it'll run apps written for Android 2.x. Isn't it the same thing as me putting a theme over Windows 7? It looks different than vanilla Windows 7, but it's still Windows 7.
If you read my earlier link, you'll also see that many older phones can't be upgraded to 2.0. You'll also see that many programs that were written for 1.6 can't work on 1.5. Most 1.6 phones CAN'T be upgraded to 2.0 or higher, and as far as I know NO 1.5 phones can. If you can show differently, I'd be interested to see that.
In addition, it;s being written about broadly that the various manufacturers are differentiating their phones with increasingly differing implementations of Android, something I said would happen a year ago. Even within the same company, different phones are having slightly different GUI's and abilities, such as whether or not they can use multitouch, and on what programs.
Some don't allow it at all, some only for the GUI and their own built-in programs, some just for the GUI, and one, for most everything, just not in this country. And that's another thing. The same phone often has different features and abilities depending on where it's sold.
Another thing that's becoming confusing is the naming.
Apple very wisely doesn't allow differing names for their products in different parts of the world, except for translations if required. But look at the Droid line.
The Droid is not a Motorola name for the phone. It's a Verizon name. The HTC Eris is also a Droid. Two totally different phones! Meanwhile, both of those phones with somewhat different features will be selling in different countries with different names. They will have different names in various countries. No one will know what they are buying. Very confusing.
When software developers come out with programs they will have to state the version of the OS they will work with, as well as the names, per country, of the phones they will work with.
That's not a conversation. That's someone who doesn't know what the hell their buying, but plans to use it in the middle of the desert for days on end.
That's literally about as competent as asking, "if I drop it in the ocean, what will happen," "It won't work," "That doesn't answer my question!"
It's also likely to have been a made up converation, not a real one.
I can make up plenty for phones that allow the change in the battery. But it's not required.
And, the Droid already has problems with the battery. The cover pops off for apparently no reason.
Verison's solution?
A thick piece of tape over the battery cover so that it doesn't come off.
Verizon is apparently so proud of the "solution" that they have their name and logo on the tape.
I wonder what happens when the battery needs changing? That tape looks like the stiff non-removable type. Do you need to get a package of the tape? How hard is it to get off?
Kind of makes the "removable battery" a bit of a joke.
I also can't even count the number of times I've seen people drop some portable device and seen the battery cover pop off and the battery(s) go skidding away. Maybe they should all come with tape.
Number of a available apps is meaningless. of the 100000 apps on the iPhone, only a handful are truly useful. Most are merely links to websites or fart apps.
And having TOO many to choose from makes it more difficult to weed out the crap. The quantity on the iPhone is starting to become a problem more than a benefit.
That being said, the iPhone is still the easiest to use, by far. The other phones do the same things, but nowhere near as gracefully.
I agree. Just look at how MS is criticised for having to support a myriad array of hardware, yet the same problem exists with Apple hosting thousands upon thousands of applications. Apple should just do what they do best, and lock down the App. Store so that only applications they think useful are offered, and cut out all the crap. A BSOD or lockup here and there is just as time consuming and wasteful as browsing through hundreds and thousands of pages of crap in the App. Store.
I agree. Just look at how MS is criticised for having to support a myriad array of hardware, yet the same problem exists with Apple hosting thousands upon thousands of applications. Apple should just do what they do best, and lock down the App. Store so that only applications they think useful are offered, and cut out all the crap. A BSOD or lockup here and there is just as time consuming and wasteful as browsing through hundreds and thousands of pages of crap in the App. Store.
Of course, you have no idea about the ratio of good to bad apps. This seems to be a popular notion not supported by any evidence.
Of course, you have no idea about the ratio of good to bad apps. This seems to be a popular notion not supported by any evidence.
I presume you think, and have evidence to support the claim that most apps are good quality then? The more applications there are, the more time you waste looking through them. Maybe Apple should take their app store policy of offering a huge selection and apply that to their hardware policy, where there is currently a very limited selection?
I presume you think, and have evidence to support the claim that most apps are good quality then? The more applications there are, the more time you waste looking through them. Maybe Apple should take their app store policy of offering a huge selection and apply that to their hardware policy, where there is currently a very limited selection?
I don't make that specious claim as those who attempt to belittle the store do.
I do know that I see quite a lot of good reviews of apps coming from a wide variety of web sites, magazines, and newspapers. I also know that I have about 100 of them, both paid and free, and am happy with them. There are quite a few more I'd like to get, but one must draw the line somewhere.
I also read in a number of places about the poor quality of apps in the Android store, mostly being simple games, and poorly polished.
The kinds of programs I have for my iPhone are, in a number of instances not going to be replicated on other phones because of the small sales of those phones, or the lack of consistency. Others won't come out because of the lack of a sophisticated hardware interface such as Apple's 30 pin connector.
Even if it were true that only, say, 15% of the well over 100,000 apps available are really good, that's almost the size of the entire Android catalog.
Even if 20% of the Android's apps were really good, and that doesn't seem to be true, then that's a pitiful number.
I don't make that specious claim as those who attempt to belittle the store do.
I do know that I see quite a lot of good reviews of apps coming from a wide variety of web sites, magazines, and newspapers. I also know that I have about 100 of them, both paid and free, and am happy with them. There are quite a few more I'd like to get, but one must draw the line somewhere.
I also read in a number of places about the poor quality of apps in the Android store, mostly being simple games, and poorly polished.
The kinds of programs I have for my iPhone are, in a number of instances not going to be replicated on other phones because of the small sales of those phones, or the lack of consistency. Others won't come out because of the lack of a sophisticated hardware interface such as Apple's 30 pin connector.
Even if it were true that only, say, 15% of the well over 100,000 apps available are really good, that's almost the size of the entire Android catalog.
Even if 20% of the Android's apps were really good, and that doesn't seem to be true, then that's a pitiful number.
As for Palm right now, forget it.
And the average number of apps installed and kept on an iPhone is what? IIRC, it was something like 7 - that might be wrong, but it was certainly a surprisingly small number given the size of the market place. If the average number of apps installed is so small, it doesn't matter whether your application store has 100,000 programmes, or 1500 programmes, even the smaller number caters for what people need and use. Having all that extra just means more content to spend your time filtering through to find something genuinely useful, which seams counter-intuative to me.
And the average number of apps installed and kept on an iPhone is what? IIRC, it was something like 7 - that might be wrong, but it was certainly a surprisingly small number given the size of the market place. If the average number of apps installed is so small, it doesn't matter whether your application store has 100,000 programmes, or 1500 programmes, even the smaller number caters for what people need and use. Having all that extra just means more content to spend your time filtering through to find something genuinely useful, which seams counter-intuative to me.
Try applying that bit of logic to the number of different items your mother buys from the supermarket... compared to the number the supermarket actually sells.
Try applying that bit of logic to the number of different items your mother buys from the supermarket... compared to the number the supermarket actually sells.
Stupid!
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
Not to mention the coming release of the iTablet. The best assumption is that it will tie into the same App Store and the iPhone and iPod. But then that means Apple is walking further down the fragmentation road. Different screen size, different hardware, and maybe even a different OS for the iTablet. Obviously, developers will now need to develop two or more versions of their app if they want it to run on all products.
Or Apple will have their own separate App Store for the iTablet. But that would mean that that store will have to start from scratch. And that would disappoint many buyers expecting to have access to the same 100,000 apps.
That's a lot of assumptions designed to make a case for "fragmentation" akin to Android, but it really doesn't make any sense. If Apple releases an entirely new device, that shares some characteristics of the iPhone OS and uses the same distribution channel for apps, that really has no bearing on what's going on in the iPhone space-- any more than Android tablets need to be regarded as a problem for Android phones or developers. Each will stand or fall on their own merits.
Quote:
As for the Android phones, the majority of them seem to be settling on the 800x480resolution screen, 3.7 inches, 3D chip, accelerometer, magnometer, relatively the same onboard storage, and running around the 1 Ghz area. And as many of the older phones are getting a 2.0+ update and many of the newer ones are releasing with 2.0.1, they're all within the same "generation" of OS. It seems to me that 2.0.1 to 2.1 is like going from Vista to Windows 7. An app written to run on 2.0.1 should run with no problems on 2.1.
Except they won't "settle" on this at all. The problem with the hardware partner model is that those hardware partners are constantly, almost mindlessly trying to carve out a little mind share by changing their spec bullet point list. If 800x480 becomes the norm, than rest assure some enterprising handset manufacturer will go that one better, or add another layer of UI abstraction, or more buttons, or something. The whole nature of the consumer electronics industry is to out spec the other guy, even when it doesn't make any sense from a user perspective. Android OS point releases will be forever chasing the ADD permutations of a market that competes on numbers, and it will be cheered on by fan boys who think numbers are magic. They'll compare numbers to the iPhone and decide that they're "winning", even as their platform becomes more and more a collection of disparate versions tailored to particular handsets.
That's not entirely disastrous, IMO, but it's not really a competitive advantage, either.
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
What? I think what you've said here is pointless, because it doesn't appear to make any sense, but the larger point-- that while for any given market place any given consumer might use a small fraction of the wares on hand, they're likely to be using a slightly different small fraction-- seems incontestable, and leads inevitably to the conclusion that the larger the inventory, the more likely any given consumer is going find just the right mix of products,
And the average number of apps installed and kept on an iPhone is what? IIRC, it was something like 7 - that might be wrong, but it was certainly a surprisingly small number given the size of the market place. If the average number of apps installed is so small, it doesn't matter whether your application store has 100,000 programmes, or 1500 programmes, even the smaller number caters for what people need and use. Having all that extra just means more content to spend your time filtering through to find something genuinely useful, which seams counter-intuative to me.
No, not true at all. Actually, it's something like over 40% of users have over 50 apps. There was a chart published a few days ago that had that, and I'm trying to remember where I saw it. It might have been in the NY Times, but I'm not sure.
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
That's no more correct than are the other arguments. Big stores also have "house brands" that are often the same thing, but are cheaper. Small stores have mostly brand name items. Even if they don't, what makes you think that unknown brand names are better, rather than worse?
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
I'm not goin' round in circles.
If you don't like the supermarket analogy.... just the other day Balmer boasted of the 4 million applications available for Windows. How many of those are installed on the average PC?
Comments
End-users really pay no attention to what OS version they have. It is not that hard to write application that works well across different versions as the differences aren't that big.
Its not true that all of iPhone OS users have the latest version either. iPod Touch users are reported to stay to ancient versions as they have to pay for update. Plus the iPhone HW, despite being from one manufacturer, is quite different between models (GPS, Compass, Camera), where Android phones are not.
That's not actually true. The Android and Palm updates are more important in adding features than are the Apple updates. There are too many of these little updates floating around. The other problem is that not all Android phones can be updated past a certain point. In general, Android phones before 1.6 can't go to 2.0. It's even a question as to how many 2.01 Android phones will be able to go to 2.1 and beyond.
Also you're wrong about Android phones all having equivalent HW inside. They don't. They are much different. Not all have a compass, for example. Not all have accelerated graphics. Some have physical keyboards, but they are different. Some also have virtual keyboards, and some just have virtual keyboards.They have different CPU's as well, and vastly differing screen resolutions—and this is for phones coming out in the same year, even the same quarter. It's a mess.
Additionally, each manufacturer has begun customizing the GUI. HTC for example, only allows multitouch on some applications.
It's getting more confusing all the time.
With Apple, each generation phone has newer features, but all the phones of that generation have the same features. Much easier to account for, both for consumers, and developers. And that includes the numerous HW developers, a market which the other phones lack to any useful extent.
As for the Android phones, the majority of them seem to be settling on the 800x480resolution screen, 3.7 inches, 3D chip, accelerometer, magnometer, relatively the same onboard storage, and running around the 1 Ghz area. And as many of the older phones are getting a 2.0+ update and many of the newer ones are releasing with 2.0.1, they're all within the same "generation" of OS. It seems to me that 2.0.1 to 2.1 is like going from Vista to Windows 7. An app written to run on 2.0.1 should run with no problems on 2.1.
What you're saying is not true. A few phones have high rez screens, and not all are the same rez. Not all have the compass. Not all have HW graphic acceleration. Not all can accept the OS upgrades beyond a certain point. The GUI's are moving in different directions, etc.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34646110...h_and_gadgets/
Note that most of the apps for the iPhone will run on all models. But check out the problems for the others, esp. Android, as thats what we're talking about here.
They talk about web apps as the solution. Yechh! That's what everyone has been complaining about.
And this aside about the Nexus One. I don't ever remember this happening with the iPhone;
http://www.pcworld.com/article/18639...omplaints.html
And this is something that some of us have been saying for some time about Googles very Microsoft like move:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01...tner_friendly/
What you're saying is not true. A few phones have high rez screens, and not all are the same rez. Not all have the compass. Not all have HW graphic acceleration. Not all can accept the OS upgrades beyond a certain point. The GUI's are moving in different directions, etc.
Not all, but a good deal of the flagship phone models are falling roughly into those specs I mentioned with a screen resolution of roughly 480x800. And the mid-range phones are falling into roughly the 320x480 resolution. Yes, I understand that it's a lot more varied than the iPhone, but at least there seems to be a trend slowly emerging, which should make things a little easier for developers. Whether they have a magnometer or not is no different than between the iPhone 3G and 3GS (I personally see it as a "nice to have" feature").
A lot of the Android phones that were released are getting a 2.x update. Some that just came out or about to come out with 1.6 are getting a 2.x update right after release or come with 2.x already. Some of the first generation Android phones can't be upgraded, but that's just the normal progression of things.
While the company does get to choose the GUI, I fail to see how that impacts how apps are run. If the base is still Android 2.x, then it'll run apps written for Android 2.x. Isn't it the same thing as me putting a theme over Windows 7? It looks different than vanilla Windows 7, but it's still Windows 7.
There is no multi-task on the iPhone.
AT&T's service is absolutely terrible. Just listen to the millions complaining about drop calls and atrocious 3g coverage.
There's multi tasking on MY iPhone. Something must be wrong with yours. Same with 3G. I have full coverage, and routinely get 1 Mbps speed.
Something must be wrong with your iPhone.
Overheard at an Apple store in New York:
Customer: If I run out of battery and I am not near an outlet, how do I change the battery in the iPhone?
Apple Genius: You can't do that, but you don't need to. The iPhone has a very long battery life, so you won't need to change batteries.
Customer: That doesn't answer my question. {conversation continues}
That's not a conversation. That's someone who doesn't know what the hell their buying, but plans to use it in the middle of the desert for days on end.
That's literally about as competent as asking, "if I drop it in the ocean, what will happen," "It won't work," "That doesn't answer my question!"
Not all, but a good deal of the flagship phone models are falling roughly into those specs I mentioned with a screen resolution of roughly 480x800. And the mid-range phones are falling into roughly the 320x480 resolution. Yes, I understand that it's a lot more varied than the iPhone, but at least there seems to be a trend slowly emerging, which should make things a little easier for developers. Whether they have a magnometer or not is no different than between the iPhone 3G and 3GS (I personally see it as a "nice to have" feature").
A lot of the Android phones that were released are getting a 2.x update. Some that just came out or about to come out with 1.6 are getting a 2.x update right after release or come with 2.x already. Some of the first generation Android phones can't be upgraded, but that's just the normal progression of things.
While the company does get to choose the GUI, I fail to see how that impacts how apps are run. If the base is still Android 2.x, then it'll run apps written for Android 2.x. Isn't it the same thing as me putting a theme over Windows 7? It looks different than vanilla Windows 7, but it's still Windows 7.
If you read my earlier link, you'll also see that many older phones can't be upgraded to 2.0. You'll also see that many programs that were written for 1.6 can't work on 1.5. Most 1.6 phones CAN'T be upgraded to 2.0 or higher, and as far as I know NO 1.5 phones can. If you can show differently, I'd be interested to see that.
In addition, it;s being written about broadly that the various manufacturers are differentiating their phones with increasingly differing implementations of Android, something I said would happen a year ago. Even within the same company, different phones are having slightly different GUI's and abilities, such as whether or not they can use multitouch, and on what programs.
Some don't allow it at all, some only for the GUI and their own built-in programs, some just for the GUI, and one, for most everything, just not in this country. And that's another thing. The same phone often has different features and abilities depending on where it's sold.
Another thing that's becoming confusing is the naming.
Apple very wisely doesn't allow differing names for their products in different parts of the world, except for translations if required. But look at the Droid line.
The Droid is not a Motorola name for the phone. It's a Verizon name. The HTC Eris is also a Droid. Two totally different phones! Meanwhile, both of those phones with somewhat different features will be selling in different countries with different names. They will have different names in various countries. No one will know what they are buying. Very confusing.
When software developers come out with programs they will have to state the version of the OS they will work with, as well as the names, per country, of the phones they will work with.
What a mess!
And this is just the beginning.
That's not a conversation. That's someone who doesn't know what the hell their buying, but plans to use it in the middle of the desert for days on end.
That's literally about as competent as asking, "if I drop it in the ocean, what will happen," "It won't work," "That doesn't answer my question!"
It's also likely to have been a made up converation, not a real one.
I can make up plenty for phones that allow the change in the battery. But it's not required.
And, the Droid already has problems with the battery. The cover pops off for apparently no reason.
Verison's solution?
A thick piece of tape over the battery cover so that it doesn't come off.
Verizon is apparently so proud of the "solution" that they have their name and logo on the tape.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anticit...57623026970804
I wonder what happens when the battery needs changing? That tape looks like the stiff non-removable type. Do you need to get a package of the tape? How hard is it to get off?
Kind of makes the "removable battery" a bit of a joke.
I also can't even count the number of times I've seen people drop some portable device and seen the battery cover pop off and the battery(s) go skidding away. Maybe they should all come with tape.
Number of a available apps is meaningless. of the 100000 apps on the iPhone, only a handful are truly useful. Most are merely links to websites or fart apps.
And having TOO many to choose from makes it more difficult to weed out the crap. The quantity on the iPhone is starting to become a problem more than a benefit.
That being said, the iPhone is still the easiest to use, by far. The other phones do the same things, but nowhere near as gracefully.
I agree. Just look at how MS is criticised for having to support a myriad array of hardware, yet the same problem exists with Apple hosting thousands upon thousands of applications. Apple should just do what they do best, and lock down the App. Store so that only applications they think useful are offered, and cut out all the crap. A BSOD or lockup here and there is just as time consuming and wasteful as browsing through hundreds and thousands of pages of crap in the App. Store.
I agree. Just look at how MS is criticised for having to support a myriad array of hardware, yet the same problem exists with Apple hosting thousands upon thousands of applications. Apple should just do what they do best, and lock down the App. Store so that only applications they think useful are offered, and cut out all the crap. A BSOD or lockup here and there is just as time consuming and wasteful as browsing through hundreds and thousands of pages of crap in the App. Store.
Of course, you have no idea about the ratio of good to bad apps. This seems to be a popular notion not supported by any evidence.
Of course, you have no idea about the ratio of good to bad apps. This seems to be a popular notion not supported by any evidence.
I presume you think, and have evidence to support the claim that most apps are good quality then? The more applications there are, the more time you waste looking through them. Maybe Apple should take their app store policy of offering a huge selection and apply that to their hardware policy, where there is currently a very limited selection?
I presume you think, and have evidence to support the claim that most apps are good quality then? The more applications there are, the more time you waste looking through them. Maybe Apple should take their app store policy of offering a huge selection and apply that to their hardware policy, where there is currently a very limited selection?
I don't make that specious claim as those who attempt to belittle the store do.
I do know that I see quite a lot of good reviews of apps coming from a wide variety of web sites, magazines, and newspapers. I also know that I have about 100 of them, both paid and free, and am happy with them. There are quite a few more I'd like to get, but one must draw the line somewhere.
I also read in a number of places about the poor quality of apps in the Android store, mostly being simple games, and poorly polished.
The kinds of programs I have for my iPhone are, in a number of instances not going to be replicated on other phones because of the small sales of those phones, or the lack of consistency. Others won't come out because of the lack of a sophisticated hardware interface such as Apple's 30 pin connector.
Even if it were true that only, say, 15% of the well over 100,000 apps available are really good, that's almost the size of the entire Android catalog.
Even if 20% of the Android's apps were really good, and that doesn't seem to be true, then that's a pitiful number.
As for Palm right now, forget it.
I don't make that specious claim as those who attempt to belittle the store do.
I do know that I see quite a lot of good reviews of apps coming from a wide variety of web sites, magazines, and newspapers. I also know that I have about 100 of them, both paid and free, and am happy with them. There are quite a few more I'd like to get, but one must draw the line somewhere.
I also read in a number of places about the poor quality of apps in the Android store, mostly being simple games, and poorly polished.
The kinds of programs I have for my iPhone are, in a number of instances not going to be replicated on other phones because of the small sales of those phones, or the lack of consistency. Others won't come out because of the lack of a sophisticated hardware interface such as Apple's 30 pin connector.
Even if it were true that only, say, 15% of the well over 100,000 apps available are really good, that's almost the size of the entire Android catalog.
Even if 20% of the Android's apps were really good, and that doesn't seem to be true, then that's a pitiful number.
As for Palm right now, forget it.
And the average number of apps installed and kept on an iPhone is what? IIRC, it was something like 7 - that might be wrong, but it was certainly a surprisingly small number given the size of the market place. If the average number of apps installed is so small, it doesn't matter whether your application store has 100,000 programmes, or 1500 programmes, even the smaller number caters for what people need and use. Having all that extra just means more content to spend your time filtering through to find something genuinely useful, which seams counter-intuative to me.
And the average number of apps installed and kept on an iPhone is what? IIRC, it was something like 7 - that might be wrong, but it was certainly a surprisingly small number given the size of the market place. If the average number of apps installed is so small, it doesn't matter whether your application store has 100,000 programmes, or 1500 programmes, even the smaller number caters for what people need and use. Having all that extra just means more content to spend your time filtering through to find something genuinely useful, which seams counter-intuative to me.
Try applying that bit of logic to the number of different items your mother buys from the supermarket... compared to the number the supermarket actually sells.
Stupid!
Try applying that bit of logic to the number of different items your mother buys from the supermarket... compared to the number the supermarket actually sells.
Stupid!
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
Not to mention the coming release of the iTablet. The best assumption is that it will tie into the same App Store and the iPhone and iPod. But then that means Apple is walking further down the fragmentation road. Different screen size, different hardware, and maybe even a different OS for the iTablet. Obviously, developers will now need to develop two or more versions of their app if they want it to run on all products.
Or Apple will have their own separate App Store for the iTablet. But that would mean that that store will have to start from scratch. And that would disappoint many buyers expecting to have access to the same 100,000 apps.
That's a lot of assumptions designed to make a case for "fragmentation" akin to Android, but it really doesn't make any sense. If Apple releases an entirely new device, that shares some characteristics of the iPhone OS and uses the same distribution channel for apps, that really has no bearing on what's going on in the iPhone space-- any more than Android tablets need to be regarded as a problem for Android phones or developers. Each will stand or fall on their own merits.
As for the Android phones, the majority of them seem to be settling on the 800x480resolution screen, 3.7 inches, 3D chip, accelerometer, magnometer, relatively the same onboard storage, and running around the 1 Ghz area. And as many of the older phones are getting a 2.0+ update and many of the newer ones are releasing with 2.0.1, they're all within the same "generation" of OS. It seems to me that 2.0.1 to 2.1 is like going from Vista to Windows 7. An app written to run on 2.0.1 should run with no problems on 2.1.
Except they won't "settle" on this at all. The problem with the hardware partner model is that those hardware partners are constantly, almost mindlessly trying to carve out a little mind share by changing their spec bullet point list. If 800x480 becomes the norm, than rest assure some enterprising handset manufacturer will go that one better, or add another layer of UI abstraction, or more buttons, or something. The whole nature of the consumer electronics industry is to out spec the other guy, even when it doesn't make any sense from a user perspective. Android OS point releases will be forever chasing the ADD permutations of a market that competes on numbers, and it will be cheered on by fan boys who think numbers are magic. They'll compare numbers to the iPhone and decide that they're "winning", even as their platform becomes more and more a collection of disparate versions tailored to particular handsets.
That's not entirely disastrous, IMO, but it's not really a competitive advantage, either.
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
What? I think what you've said here is pointless, because it doesn't appear to make any sense, but the larger point-- that while for any given market place any given consumer might use a small fraction of the wares on hand, they're likely to be using a slightly different small fraction-- seems incontestable, and leads inevitably to the conclusion that the larger the inventory, the more likely any given consumer is going find just the right mix of products,
And the average number of apps installed and kept on an iPhone is what? IIRC, it was something like 7 - that might be wrong, but it was certainly a surprisingly small number given the size of the market place. If the average number of apps installed is so small, it doesn't matter whether your application store has 100,000 programmes, or 1500 programmes, even the smaller number caters for what people need and use. Having all that extra just means more content to spend your time filtering through to find something genuinely useful, which seams counter-intuative to me.
No, not true at all. Actually, it's something like over 40% of users have over 50 apps. There was a chart published a few days ago that had that, and I'm trying to remember where I saw it. It might have been in the NY Times, but I'm not sure.
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
That's no more correct than are the other arguments. Big stores also have "house brands" that are often the same thing, but are cheaper. Small stores have mostly brand name items. Even if they don't, what makes you think that unknown brand names are better, rather than worse?
Yep, and that smaller supermarket, with a smaller range of items, but with less of the own brand value rubbish! This is completely pointless as we could just end up going round in circles here.
I'm not goin' round in circles.
If you don't like the supermarket analogy.... just the other day Balmer boasted of the 4 million applications available for Windows. How many of those are installed on the average PC?