Android edges Apple iPad as second-most-popular mobile development platform

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 98
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macinthe408 View Post


    I work and live in Silicon Valley and I see about 20 iPhones for every Android phone.



    At work, I don't know anyone who has an Android phone, yet I counted 37 that have an iPhone.



    I attend San Jose Sharks hockey games--I am a season ticket holder, in fact. While in my seat, during a stoppage in play and intermissions, people usually whip out their phones--I know because I can look down and over their shoulders. Again, I see about 20 iPhones, a Symbian phone here and there, and the occasional RAZR.



    Am I missing something here? Who has an Android phone?



    I think the big "Android is beating iPhone" headlines we see all have this in common:

    1) they're comparing a platform (Android) to a device (iPhone). Apples and oranges, and the pundits know it. But it makes good headlines The real comparison is Android vs iOS (all devices) or iPhone against any single Android-based phone. Apple wins all in a valid comparison.

    2) they're reporting current sales, not overall saturation (which is what you're seeing at a ball game.)

    3) They're describing multiple carriers (Android) vs single carrier (iPhone/AT&T.) That all changes in a month or 2. Look at Europe to get a better idea of how iOS does against Android when they're on equal footing. (Spoiler... iOS stomps Android.)
  • Reply 22 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox View Post


    Which is to say 51% developing for iOS vs 23% for Android. At some point we're going to have to start talking about platforms instead of devices, or risk making no sense at all, particularly as Apple is even now converging their mobile OS across form factors.



    Do we break out figures for "netbook" developers vs. "laptop" developers?



    SheesH! They call this analysis?



    With apologies to my dear departed mama:



    You get to slice the pie [chart] any [crazy] way you want -- I get to pick the first piece!



    .
  • Reply 23 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    Since iPhone developers are by default iPad developers since the apps both run on the same OS, isn't this report a little skewed?



    A little?



    .
  • Reply 24 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cbswe View Post


    not really. the iPad is capable of running iPhone apps in a similar manner to how OS X used to run OS Classic apps.



    That's true -- as far as it goes.



    Many developers have reworked their iPhone apps to be universal apps. This allows a single code base to exploit the advantages of both devices.



    Some iPhone apps (Koi Pond, for example), were originally written in such a way as to present very well without modification.



    Some iPhone apps, however, must be significantly redesigned for the iPad -- so there are likely 2 separate versions.



    Finally, some apps that are practical on an iPad, would not be practical on an iPhone (and maybe not for a smaller tablet).



    .
  • Reply 25 of 98
    Just remember, the iPhone is only on AT&T...



    We will see the 2nd flood when the device moves over to Verizon
  • Reply 26 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    Did you miss Chart B? Showed a very different story.



    Err... the 53% already developing for iOS wont pick it as a New platform!



    .
  • Reply 27 of 98
    r00fusr00fus Posts: 245member
    The real story is, despite being on more carriers and across more manufacturers, and being "open", Android Apps still pale compared to iOS, several years running.



    "Studies" like this one that twist facts to present a hack analysis and the other "Android outsells iPhone in US" only show the weakness of Apple's competition (for now).



    That Google has yet to make a real dent in Apple's "killer feature" for iOS devices is noteworthy... though once the Open Handset Alliance allows Android Market to exist on non-3G-capable devices, the numbers may change.



    For now, Apple is the clear App leader.
  • Reply 28 of 98
    Isn't it possible that these numbers also reflect the fact that there are so many apps already developed for iOS, and many developers will spend the latter part of '10 and most of '11 catching up on Android?



    Verizon = gamechanger
  • Reply 29 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GQB View Post


    I think the big "Android is beating iPhone" headlines we see all have this in common:

    1) they're comparing a platform (Android) to a device (iPhone). Apples and oranges, and the pundits know it. But it makes good headlines The real comparison is Android vs iOS (all devices) or iPhone against any single Android-based phone. Apple wins all in a valid comparison.

    2) they're reporting current sales, not overall saturation (which is what you're seeing at a ball game.)

    3) They're describing multiple carriers (Android) vs single carrier (iPhone/AT&T.) That all changes in a month or 2. Look at Europe to get a better idea of how iOS does against Android when they're on equal footing. (Spoiler... iOS stomps Android.)





    Apple Snags Second Place Among Global Smartphone Manufacturers









    http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2010...manufacturers/

    .
  • Reply 30 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    Since iPhone developers are by default iPad developers since the apps both run on the same OS, isn't this report a little skewed?



    Don't you know, you can only count a full OS for those other guys, Apple must count each product. It would not be fair to list those other guys by product because their piece of the pie would be so small it wouldn't show up. So they have to add up the totals of all 94 competing Android devices and pit them all together against the iPhone and the iPad seperatly. It's only fair, those other guys need some love to. They also can not even count the iPod Touch it just isn't fair to even consider that cheating device, they just ignore it.
  • Reply 31 of 98
    hirohiro Posts: 2,663member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    Did you miss Chart B? Showed a very different story.



    When most of the developers are already doing iOS development you can't add much percentage-wise
  • Reply 32 of 98
    While I don’t have a reason to dismiss this research as inaccurate I doubt it holds any value. Here’s why:



    1. “Developers ranked the reach of a platform as their top consideration when choosing what they will develop for”. If you look at the biggest developers they don’t commit themselves to a single platform. First they release to the platform of their choice (shown in the graph) then a bit later they release a port to the next platform of choice (missing from the graph) and so on. In this case the product is released on several platforms, but this data is missing from the research.



    2. iPad and iPhone could be considered as two different platforms if not for the apps that come out optimized for both of them. Those apps add error margin as well though admittedly they stay within iOS realm.



    3. It is not stated what size of companies were sampled for the data. I assume they were big names and small independent developers bundled together in one research. Biggest mistake ever; it makes graphs pretty useless. Take one independent developer: chances are (s)he is committed to a single platform, and data is accurate. Now add some big house, like Gameloft. The platform of their choice is iPhone. However, at the same time they release games for every other platform listed, in large quantities. Their contribution to the least important platform is still bigger than what many independent devs provide to the same platform.



    Hence, the biggest error: they count developers, NOT the projects, and they put those to one platform only. Thus, the data is useless.
  • Reply 33 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FormerARSgm View Post


    Isn't it possible that these numbers also reflect the fact that there are so many apps already developed for iOS, and many developers will spend the latter part of '10 and most of '11 catching up on Android?



    Best post yet.



    The App Store is becoming a victim of its own success; there truly IS an app for that. When you have an idea for an app & do a little market research, it's just a bit frustrating to find pages of apps that already do the same thing for little or free. Really, why bother?



    IMO the smartphone market is still young and anybody's game long-term.
  • Reply 34 of 98
    steve-jsteve-j Posts: 320member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox View Post


    Which is to say 51% developing for iOS vs 23% for Android. At some point we're going to have to start talking about platforms instead of devices, or risk making no sense at all, particularly as Apple is even now converging their mobile OS across form factors.



    ?





    But as of now, iOS is fragmented into different branches for the different devices.
  • Reply 35 of 98
    steve-jsteve-j Posts: 320member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DESuserIGN View Post


    So which one of the scores of Android devices has single-handedly edged out the iPad in developer interest?



    It doesn't matter. That would be irrelevant.
  • Reply 36 of 98
    steve-jsteve-j Posts: 320member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macinthe408 View Post


    Am I missing something here? Who has an Android phone?



    Apparently, you don'[t know an average cross-section of phone buyers. The fact is that Android phones outsell the iPhone.
  • Reply 37 of 98
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gustav View Post


    True enough, although it doesn't make the apps fit the screen, there is still a border in 2x mode. However, the point is still valid - running an iPhone app on the iPad is not making full use of the form factor of the device.



    Sure, don't disagree, but Classic isn't really a point of reference here.
  • Reply 38 of 98
    steve-jsteve-j Posts: 320member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GQB View Post


    1) they're comparing a platform (Android) to a device (iPhone). Apples and oranges, and the pundits know it. But it makes good headlines The real comparison is Android vs iOS (all devices) or iPhone against any single Android-based phone. Apple wins all in a valid comparison.





    How about all the phones running Android vs. all the phones running iOS? Is that a fair comparison?







    The Wall Street Journal seems to think so:



    "According to market research firm NPD Group, devices with the Android operating system accounted for 44% of new smartphones sold to U.S. consumers in the third quarter. Apple iPhone?s came in second place with 23%."
  • Reply 39 of 98
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gustav View Post


    I really hope iPhone developers don't just think they can stretch the content area out and it's suddenly an iPad app. While the coding is largely the same, the UI design is markedly different.



    Arcade style games aside, iPad developers should concentrate on developing a "full-size" UI where the large screen is conducive to full size content areas, popup views, etc. that work on a larger screen. iPhone developers should concentrate on how the user can quickly access all of the apps content on a small screen - a lot more prioritizing and presentation of features is required.



    The important thing, viz-a-viz the original article, is not comparing iPhone and iPad versions, but rather that iOS developers can easily work both devices--they already know the "code." How well they adapt their app to each device is another matter. The article made it sound like iPad developers were some coompletely different kind of beast from iPhone developers--that iPhone developers shouldn't be counted in with them.
  • Reply 40 of 98
    Google's Android platform has taken the lead in the US smartphone market. Finally.
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