Given that the most popular android smartphone is the samsung s3/s4 series which were $500+ phones at launch , your first point doesn't make a lot of sense.
You can get a 4s for free now, a 5c for $50, Apple phones are as cheap as androids.
Secondly given that less than 1% of Android users root their phone, your second point is equally off.
People choose android for a variety of reasons, very few of which have anything to do with either of your points.
Are you comparing on contract with off contract prices? Nuts.
Yes, because Nike couldn't figure out how to support their super complex (it's not), feature heavy (it isn't), computationally crippling (nope), Bluetooth software other than by throwing monkeys with typewriters at it. Why would they need to constantly update the app that ties into their expensive shoe and band product because some poor people outside of their target markets with what amounts to a pile of burner phones have an old version of Android? That's stupid.
mind giving me a copy of that super easy to code software in Java??
They need to constantly update it because they can only reach a small portion of android users by coding for like 1 version or 1 screen size.
I mean, that is if they really wanted to give out the app to android users.....
The ones who spend almost 0 money on apps and peripherals.
mind giving me a copy of that super easy to code software in Java??
They need to constantly update it because they can only reach a small portion of android users by coding for like 1 version or 1 screen size.
I mean, that is if they really wanted to give out the app to android users.....
Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it.
Quote:
The ones who spend almost 0 money on apps and peripherals.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones?
True... the Galaxy S3/S4 are the bestselling single models of Android phones. However... they only make up a small part of the total number of Android phones around the world.
I'll jump in and say that if you believe Samsung's report from earlier this year, over a 100M Galaxy S phones have been sold which is 10% of all Android activations, if you believe Google.
You go to any mobile store and you see that the Android phones are all high end phones (there's usually one cheapo model in there), but in the US the majority of people who walk out of these stores could have as easily walked out with either an iPhone or an Android for the SAME price.
I'll jump in and say that if you believe Samsung's report from earlier this year, over a 100M Galaxy S phones have been sold which is 10% of all Android activations, if you believe Google.
You go to any mobile store and you see that the Android phones are all high end phones (there's usually one cheapo model in there), but in the US the majority of people who walk out of these stores could have as easily walked out with either an iPhone or an Android for the SAME price.
You honest believe all Androids are high end? Is that why only Sammy is marking money on Android?
You honest believe all Androids are high end? Is that why only Sammy is marking money on Android?
Dude. The phones on display in carrier stores are almost entirely this year's high-end or last year's high-end, whether iOS or Android.
Of those that are Android phones, Samsung sells the most, has the best deals with carriers, and the highest priced phones so they make all the Android money.
Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones?
How do you do that??
anyway
"Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it."
I am a dev and I would know better than your imagination.
android devs have to code for all the different screen sizes and versions to reach a small portion of android users.
you don't code like
"support for s4"
"support for note3"
you have to specify the different screen sizes and version you are going to support.
covering only high end smart phones will leave out most of android market."
"When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones? "
Do you have a free app that can replace nikes app?
The point is android users don't pay for peripherals.
so releasing it for android wouldn't make sense anyway.
Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, <span style="line-height:1.4em;">for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones? </span>
<span style="line-height:1.4em;"> </span>
You seem to envision an app development world where devs work for free before they eventually die of starvation. Or will they make money from ads? This report suggests not.
In short what's hard to understand about the Android market, to me at least, is why it exists.
You also imply that apps exist on iOS because they are not available as part of the OS. This would explain only a tiny fraction of apps ( ie flashlight apps in iOS 6). The vast majority of titles are not like that, most money is made in games. Hardly an OS feature.
In future I think Android apps will be produced by service providers, banks, municipalities as services for their users and citizens - like websites now. iOS will have that, commercial apps, and ad driven apps.
I'll jump in and say that if you believe Samsung's report from earlier this year, over a 100M Galaxy S phones have been sold which is 10% of all Android activations, if you believe Google.
You go to any mobile store and you see that the Android phones are all high end phones (there's usually one cheapo model in there), but in the US the majority of people who walk out of these stores could have as easily walked out with either an iPhone or an Android for the SAME price.
I am a dev and I would know better than your imagination.
android devs have to code for all the different screen sizes and versions to reach a small portion of android users.
you don't code like
"support for s4"
"support for note3"
you have to specify the different screen sizes and version you are going to support.
covering only high end smart phones will leave out most of android market."
What? The Android developer guide only says not to code for specific screen resolutions, screen dimensions, and Android versions in upwards of 500 to 600 places. The briefest of Google searches could have told you that. Who cares if you leave out most of the Android market? Nike doesn't care about the poor people of the world, Nike wants relatively wealthy market segments that buy things. People that buy expensive flagship Android phones tend to buy other relatively expensive things, too. Why not throw them a bone and support the only phones that people spend real money on? If they bite, keep it rolling.
Quote:
Do you have a free app that can replace nikes app?
The point is android users don't pay for peripherals.
so releasing it for android wouldn't make sense anyway.
Where did that come from? Why would there be a free app alternative that interfaces with Nike's stuff? Android users as a whole, cheap garbage burners + flagships, don't buy many things compared to the iPhone group. Android users that spent top dollar on flagships do if it is available. Just because they are using android doesn't invalidate their spending $200+ dollars on a phone. Just like row after row of ugly junk iPhone cases and garbage peripherals sit on shelves unpurchased, despite the quality of the iPhone itself. Junk doesn't sell. Quality sells. But only if it is available to buy. If you put out junk, don't be surprised when it doesn't sell. You can't say, "What, I half-assed some poorly made garbage for Android phones! Those cheapskates didn't buy it! I'll stick with Apple, because that market isn't crowded or anything."
You seem to envision an app development world where devs work for free before they eventually die of starvation. Or will they make money from ads? This report suggests not.
In short what's hard to understand about the Android market, to me at least, is why it exists.
You also imply that apps exist on iOS because they are not available as part of the OS. This would explain only a tiny fraction of apps ( ie flashlight apps in iOS 6). The vast majority of titles are not like that, most money is made in games. Hardly an OS feature.
In future I think Android apps will be produced by service providers, banks, municipalities as services for their users and citizens - like websites now. iOS will have that, commercial apps, and ad driven apps.
Google shot themselves in the foot by pushing free apps to the detriment of everything else in an attempt to bolster their usage for ads, and their personal footprint. They are basically like the online newspaper industry if it was run by advertisers. It's too late to try and push $5 apps now or try to have a successful newspaper online behind a paywall. The genie is out of the bottle. Google shouldn't have pushed the going rate towards free, so now only clearly superior efforts even warrant a consideration for purchase.
I implied that if Apple made it so that you could set default apps and everyone knew it, prices would begin trending downwards. Right now, on iOS, using a particular app is a continued conscious effort. I want to do this, so I go to the app that currently does it. This leads to chasing potential better alternatives. If I have to go out for lunch every day, I might stop at a different place to give it a try (download a different app), so advertising and quality are main draws (if I wanted free, I wouldn't be going out). With Android, you've picked a place (or you get the building default) and that's where you get lunch delivered from. Until you make a conscious effort to stop the default and look for something better. The alternative needs to be cheaper and/or (more likely this since the first choice was probably free) demonstrably better, and presented to you. Much harder to happen.
iOS apps just need something a little different. A twist or hook to get buyers to give them a try. Android apps (other than popular games) need to be so good their superiority is undeniable, but still cheap since the prior "good enough" alternative was probably free from Google. Not many are willing to put in that amount of dedication. Unless you have a captive market, like Nike. It makes no sense for them to not offer an Android version since they have sole control over the interface for their wares, no one can offer an alternative.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99).
Why would the ability to set default apps make someone no longer need 3 different note taking apps? The reason for someone to have more than one note taking app is that no one app meets all of that person's requirements.
Where did that come from? Why would there be a free app alternative that interfaces with Nike's stuff? Android users as a whole, cheap garbage burners + flagships, don't buy many things compared to the iPhone group. Android users that spent top dollar on flagships do if it is available. Just because they are using android doesn't invalidate their spending $200+ dollars on a phone. Just like row after row of ugly junk iPhone cases and garbage peripherals sit on shelves unpurchased, despite the quality of the iPhone itself. Junk doesn't sell. Quality sells. But only if it is available to buy. If you put out junk, don't be surprised when it doesn't sell. You can't say, "What, I half-assed some poorly made garbage for Android phones! Those cheapskates didn't buy it! I'll stick with Apple, because that market isn't crowded or anything."
by coding for only high end phones, you are coding for well under 10% of android market.
10% of 80% is 0.08%.
They might as well code for 20% of the market with much less problems.
Would you mind sharing your source(s) for that figure?
Actually, 10% of 80% is 8%.
my bad.
I don't think it takes sherlock holmes to find out that if there are thousands of whitebox droids and low end crap droids in the market, the top 3 doesn't come close to sales of the next say, 1997 phones/tablets.
my bad.
I don't think it takes sherlock holmes to find out that if there are thousands of whitebox droids and low end crap droids in the market, the top 3 doesn't come close to sales of the next say, 1997 phones/tablets.
and the android market share isn't 80%.
it's 80% only in smart phones.
If backing up your figures is so "elementary" please do so instead of throwing out more questionable figures without backing them up.
Comments
Are you comparing on contract with off contract prices? Nuts.
Yes, because Nike couldn't figure out how to support their super complex (it's not), feature heavy (it isn't), computationally crippling (nope), Bluetooth software other than by throwing monkeys with typewriters at it. Why would they need to constantly update the app that ties into their expensive shoe and band product because some poor people outside of their target markets with what amounts to a pile of burner phones have an old version of Android? That's stupid.
mind giving me a copy of that super easy to code software in Java??
They need to constantly update it because they can only reach a small portion of android users by coding for like 1 version or 1 screen size.
I mean, that is if they really wanted to give out the app to android users.....
The ones who spend almost 0 money on apps and peripherals.
mind giving me a copy of that super easy to code software in Java??
They need to constantly update it because they can only reach a small portion of android users by coding for like 1 version or 1 screen size.
I mean, that is if they really wanted to give out the app to android users.....
Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones?
Are you comparing on contract with off contract prices? Nuts.
Vast majority of US is on contract. Walk into any carrier and you will get a 4S or 5c for the same price as any android phone.
Which is irrelevant to my rebuttal of your point.
Are you comparing off contract Android prices to on contract iPhone prices.
I'll jump in here.
True... the Galaxy S3/S4 are the bestselling single models of Android phones. However... they only make up a small part of the total number of Android phones around the world.
I'll jump in and say that if you believe Samsung's report from earlier this year, over a 100M Galaxy S phones have been sold which is 10% of all Android activations, if you believe Google.
You go to any mobile store and you see that the Android phones are all high end phones (there's usually one cheapo model in there), but in the US the majority of people who walk out of these stores could have as easily walked out with either an iPhone or an Android for the SAME price.
You honest believe all Androids are high end? Is that why only Sammy is marking money on Android?
You honest believe all Androids are high end? Is that why only Sammy is marking money on Android?
Dude. The phones on display in carrier stores are almost entirely this year's high-end or last year's high-end, whether iOS or Android.
Of those that are Android phones, Samsung sells the most, has the best deals with carriers, and the highest priced phones so they make all the Android money.
Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones?
How do you do that??
anyway
"Only Apple devs code for specific resolutions and screen sizes. Any Android dev that coded for versions and specific screen sizes instead of API levels and the basic densities/resolutions is an idiot with an app that probably sucks since they can't follow directions well or read for comprehension. They only need to reach a small portion of Android owners. The ones that spent real money (read: more than or equal to what it would cost to get the good iPhone) and can't use Nike's product by Nike's choice! Assuming that most Android owners have cheap burner dumbphones, they should only target Samsung flagships, HTC flagships, and maybe throw Google a bone with Nexus support. That would cover almost the entirety of the Android phone buyers that spent iPhone class money or more to even get a phone. If you wouldn't spend money to buy a phone, you probably wouldn't spend money to buy expensive shoes. Makes sense. Not that much work to support what? 10 phones (even if you did it individually like a dumb-ass) compared to stupidly trying to support every specific free phone of 3 or more years ago. Must be a non-stupid reason they wouldn't do it."
I am a dev and I would know better than your imagination.
android devs have to code for all the different screen sizes and versions to reach a small portion of android users.
you don't code like
"support for s4"
"support for note3"
you have to specify the different screen sizes and version you are going to support.
covering only high end smart phones will leave out most of android market."
"When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99). When manufacturers make quality peripherals that people can actually buy, for the Android phones that people spent iPhone money on, they get purchased. When lifeProof finally got around to making their S3 and S4 cases available after 2 years of people bugging them, they immediately sold out and continue to sell out. How many messages did Mophie get about making cases for flagship Android phones? "
Do you have a free app that can replace nikes app?
The point is android users don't pay for peripherals.
so releasing it for android wouldn't make sense anyway.
You seem to envision an app development world where devs work for free before they eventually die of starvation. Or will they make money from ads? This report suggests not.
In short what's hard to understand about the Android market, to me at least, is why it exists.
You also imply that apps exist on iOS because they are not available as part of the OS. This would explain only a tiny fraction of apps ( ie flashlight apps in iOS 6). The vast majority of titles are not like that, most money is made in games. Hardly an OS feature.
In future I think Android apps will be produced by service providers, banks, municipalities as services for their users and citizens - like websites now. iOS will have that, commercial apps, and ad driven apps.
I'll jump in and say that if you believe Samsung's report from earlier this year, over a 100M Galaxy S phones have been sold which is 10% of all Android activations, if you believe Google.
You go to any mobile store and you see that the Android phones are all high end phones (there's usually one cheapo model in there), but in the US the majority of people who walk out of these stores could have as easily walked out with either an iPhone or an Android for the SAME price.
don't make me laugh.
they probably said 100 million samsung phones.
How do you do that??
anyway
"[SNIP]
I am a dev and I would know better than your imagination.
android devs have to code for all the different screen sizes and versions to reach a small portion of android users.
you don't code like
"support for s4"
"support for note3"
you have to specify the different screen sizes and version you are going to support.
covering only high end smart phones will leave out most of android market."
What? The Android developer guide only says not to code for specific screen resolutions, screen dimensions, and Android versions in upwards of 500 to 600 places. The briefest of Google searches could have told you that. Who cares if you leave out most of the Android market? Nike doesn't care about the poor people of the world, Nike wants relatively wealthy market segments that buy things. People that buy expensive flagship Android phones tend to buy other relatively expensive things, too. Why not throw them a bone and support the only phones that people spend real money on? If they bite, keep it rolling.
Quote:
The point is android users don't pay for peripherals.
so releasing it for android wouldn't make sense anyway.
Where did that come from? Why would there be a free app alternative that interfaces with Nike's stuff? Android users as a whole, cheap garbage burners + flagships, don't buy many things compared to the iPhone group. Android users that spent top dollar on flagships do if it is available. Just because they are using android doesn't invalidate their spending $200+ dollars on a phone. Just like row after row of ugly junk iPhone cases and garbage peripherals sit on shelves unpurchased, despite the quality of the iPhone itself. Junk doesn't sell. Quality sells. But only if it is available to buy. If you put out junk, don't be surprised when it doesn't sell. You can't say, "What, I half-assed some poorly made garbage for Android phones! Those cheapskates didn't buy it! I'll stick with Apple, because that market isn't crowded or anything."
You seem to envision an app development world where devs work for free before they eventually die of starvation. Or will they make money from ads? This report suggests not.
In short what's hard to understand about the Android market, to me at least, is why it exists.
You also imply that apps exist on iOS because they are not available as part of the OS. This would explain only a tiny fraction of apps ( ie flashlight apps in iOS 6). The vast majority of titles are not like that, most money is made in games. Hardly an OS feature.
In future I think Android apps will be produced by service providers, banks, municipalities as services for their users and citizens - like websites now. iOS will have that, commercial apps, and ad driven apps.
Google shot themselves in the foot by pushing free apps to the detriment of everything else in an attempt to bolster their usage for ads, and their personal footprint. They are basically like the online newspaper industry if it was run by advertisers. It's too late to try and push $5 apps now or try to have a successful newspaper online behind a paywall. The genie is out of the bottle. Google shouldn't have pushed the going rate towards free, so now only clearly superior efforts even warrant a consideration for purchase.
I implied that if Apple made it so that you could set default apps and everyone knew it, prices would begin trending downwards. Right now, on iOS, using a particular app is a continued conscious effort. I want to do this, so I go to the app that currently does it. This leads to chasing potential better alternatives. If I have to go out for lunch every day, I might stop at a different place to give it a try (download a different app), so advertising and quality are main draws (if I wanted free, I wouldn't be going out). With Android, you've picked a place (or you get the building default) and that's where you get lunch delivered from. Until you make a conscious effort to stop the default and look for something better. The alternative needs to be cheaper and/or (more likely this since the first choice was probably free) demonstrably better, and presented to you. Much harder to happen.
iOS apps just need something a little different. A twist or hook to get buyers to give them a try. Android apps (other than popular games) need to be so good their superiority is undeniable, but still cheap since the prior "good enough" alternative was probably free from Google. Not many are willing to put in that amount of dedication. Unless you have a captive market, like Nike. It makes no sense for them to not offer an Android version since they have sole control over the interface for their wares, no one can offer an alternative.
When the free app meets your needs well enough, why buy a different one? The underlying OS differences drive the purchasing. If iOS gets the ability to share to and default to use whatever app you want at an OS level, app purchases will drop way off on iOS, too (IMO). Probably why it will never happen. Apple loves that you app chase. You wouldn't need 4 different twitter clients or 3 different note taking apps if you just had one that did everything you wanted (and on Android it would probably be free or $.99).
Why would the ability to set default apps make someone no longer need 3 different note taking apps? The reason for someone to have more than one note taking app is that no one app meets all of that person's requirements.
Where did that come from? Why would there be a free app alternative that interfaces with Nike's stuff? Android users as a whole, cheap garbage burners + flagships, don't buy many things compared to the iPhone group. Android users that spent top dollar on flagships do if it is available. Just because they are using android doesn't invalidate their spending $200+ dollars on a phone. Just like row after row of ugly junk iPhone cases and garbage peripherals sit on shelves unpurchased, despite the quality of the iPhone itself. Junk doesn't sell. Quality sells. But only if it is available to buy. If you put out junk, don't be surprised when it doesn't sell. You can't say, "What, I half-assed some poorly made garbage for Android phones! Those cheapskates didn't buy it! I'll stick with Apple, because that market isn't crowded or anything."
by coding for only high end phones, you are coding for well under 10% of android market.
10% of 80% is 0.08%.
They might as well code for 20% of the market with much less problems.
Actually, 10% of 80% is 8%.
Would you mind sharing your source(s) for that figure?
Actually, 10% of 80% is 8%.
my bad.
I don't think it takes sherlock holmes to find out that if there are thousands of whitebox droids and low end crap droids in the market, the top 3 doesn't come close to sales of the next say, 1997 phones/tablets.
and the android market share isn't 80%.
it's 80% only in smart phones.
If backing up your figures is so "elementary" please do so instead of throwing out more questionable figures without backing them up.
Ok.
let us agree on some facts.
The number of low end phones in android are a lot more than the high end phone.
by a lot I mean a whole lot like 1000s
given the number that I don't have, I think it is safe to assume that sales of about 10 high end phones is not much compared to the rest.