The New York Times recently covered the iPhone App Store, discussing the App Store’s raging success and Apple’s ‘necessary evil’ of a rejection process. Our good friend Rene over at the iPhone Blog calls the App Store an out and out success (which we agree with) but still calls out Apple for fleeing to the New York Times to deliver its message regarding the controversies (which we also agree with).
As we know, Android and Google have decided on an entirely different method of the application process, as in there isn’t one. Developers make the app for Android. Developers submit the app to Android Market. The app for Android is available. There’s also the added benefit of being able to deliver applications to multiple handsets on multiple carriers. Here’s Eric Chu discussing Android Market:
“We’re doing everything we can to open the device to both developers and consumers,” says Eric Chu, group manager of the Android platform at Google. “That is a critical part of what we think makes Android unique: applications are no longer limited to a single device.”
Mr. Chu said the growing number of Android-powered phones available on multiple wireless carriers increases the financial opportunity for developers. “Last year at this time, we only had one device,” he says. “The volume is going up at a tremendous pace, and the developer ecosystem is seeing that.”
Obviously, with different handsets means different screen resolutions and form factors which app developers will have to account for. It’s not all peachy when it comes to Android but we’d rather have the problem be solved by developers than a problem created by the company.
What do you guys think?
[nytimes]