Blackberry user loyalty very much in question. Two in five Blackberry users are thinking about switching when their contracts come up, and not just to iPhone — Android is also poised to take away users. About 90 percent of Android and iPhone users say they plan to stay put.
Is anyone really surprised about this? Microsoft is going to only allow apps for Windows Phone 7 Series to be offered through their app store, and is going to have an approval process. They claim theirs won’t be as arcane as Apple’s, however. While some developers are crying foul, the success of Apple’s store has underscored the importance of having some sort of gatekeeper for apps, and making sure that apps are of sufficient quality and utility. Hopefully they will also do a better job than Android at promoting their marketplace.
On Android, Myspace is the number one social networking app. Seems that the facebook client on Android doesn’t measure up to the slickness of their Blackberry and iPhone versions.
Apparently 80 million Farmville users is not enough.Facebook games head Gareth Davis thinks that the ‘Mario’ of social gaming is still out there waiting to be discovered.
Uh-oh. More App Store approval drama. Really, though, there’s a lot of shovelware on the App Store, and asking developers to at least tryisn’t so heinous. Templated apps aren’t all bad, but if you are going to just hook up some RSS feeds, why not just use Dashcode to make a web app and avoid Apple’s approval process entirely?
The wi-fi only iPad may be a back door to drive sales of MiFi devices at Verizon and Sprint. So far prices aren’t so hot, compared to AT&T’s new no-contract plan; even though the wi-fi iPad is $130 cheaper, these plans more than make up the difference, and all require contracts.
You’re doing it wrong. I can see AT&T hedging their bets by offering an Android phone, but removing Google search and locking the phone down pretty much misses the point, doesn’t it? Even Verizon got this one right by letting their Android phones be.
We know Android is going to be significant, but when? Android’s growth is still building, doubling over the last quarter. Is it inevitable, or will there be a ceiling, as fragmentation and carrier interference (see above) take the luster off of the open-source OS?
Verizon’s upcoming Motorola Droid phone has gotten a lot of buzz, and the usual chorus of “this is going to be an iPhone killer” has started. The phone has a very compelling feature set, but people should keep a few things in mind:
- Verizon has been trying to release ‘iPhone killer’ phones since the iPhone was first announced. They’ve released a number of LG touchscreen phones, each with a different incomprehensible interface, and tied to Verizon’s on-deck store.
- One of the more compelling things about the iPhone is its build quality — the touchscreen feels really responsive, and the phone feels solid in your hand. So many of the phones that are trying to compete with it still feel plastic-y and cheap.
- It’s the user interface and ease of use that makes the iPhone a first-class device, and such a game-changer. Also, as frustrating as it is, Apple’s trajectory to today’s App Store has done a lot to ensure the consistancy of that user experience. A wide-open store of apps and the ability to customize away some very thoughtful UI decisions would have diluted the strength of the product.
- Every mobile device is a set of compromises. So, what’s the Droid compromising on? That big screen suggests battery life will be the biggest compromise.
I can’t wait to actually get my hands on a Droid phone and see what Motorola has done. They’ve made a large investment in Android, hiring dozens of programmers, so here’s hoping that their gamble is going to pay off in a flurry of good phones.
