App Developers: Apple iOS leads, but Android close behind

[wuyanks]

Today, Google boasted that there are now over 65,000 apps on the Android Market, and that over 160,000 Android handsets are sold every day. These numbers may be astonishing, considering that as early as November 2009, you could've counted the number of Android apps on two hands (kidding... but back then, there were only 10,000 apps). Also, note that there are currently over 224,000 apps available in the Apple App Store. So, in the eyes of app developers where does Android stand today? How does Android compare to the other mobile OSes? Appcelerator attempts to answer these tough questions. From June 15-17, Appcelerator conducted an anonymous Mobile Development Survey of 2,733 of its 51,000+ developers, in order to determine developer's perceptions of the top six mobile platforms: Apple iOS, Google Android, Blackberry RIM, Nokia Symbian/Maemo, Palm WebOS, and Microsoft Phone 7.

Appcelerator is a software company that specializes in cross-platform developing (between mobile and desktop) with its newest Titanium software suite. Appcelerator works with developers of all the major mobile platforms, and thus should be unbiased in their results.

So how does Android fare, compared to the likes of Apple's iOS and Microsoft Phone 7? In a few words, surprising well.

First, how much raw interest is there to develop for Android vs iOS and other platforms? Apple iOS (90%) slightly edges out Google Android (81%) in interest. The interest in developing for Microsoft Phone 7 and Blackberry RIM are much lower (34% and 27% respectively). This shows that although developers may prefer to write apps for Apple's iOS, there is a deep and growing interest in Android.

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Secondly, what OS is favored by developers in the longterm? Surprisingly here, Android jumps ahead of Apple iOS by a 14% margin (54% for Android, to 40% for iOS). Android also is perceived to have the "most capabilities as an OS" and the "most open mobile platform". This is indeed a moral victory for Android enthusiasts, as Android is certainly being perceived much differently than it had been in the past, and has now become a serious contender in the mobile world. However, Apple still leads as having the largest and most secure App Store, as well as having a greater near-term outlook.

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So, with iOS and FroYo just arriving, and Windows Phone 7 on the horizon, what are your views on the future of mobile development? Let us know!

source Appcelerator
Full-length Mobile Developer Survey here

 

[Bimmerjo]

Android will pwn. that is my view on the future of mobile development.

 

[Tanknspank]

Android will pwn. that is my view on the future of mobile development.

I second this

 

[justin82]

i think that android in about a year will be where apple is. with the amount of phones that will have the android market and the carriers that will carry these phones such as T-mobile, AT&T , Sprint, and of course Verizon. that devs are going to realize that they could reach a far more people if they go to android with apple they have to go to one carrier and reach one type of phone (no physical keyboard option etc..). But this also makes it easy for devs to devolop apps.. you dont have to worry will this work on droid,inc,eris etc.. The only thing that i can see a problem with android future is IF the Iphone comes to verizon.. I for one will stick with android..but will most users ???
you have to figure the people who mod/hack there phones are in the minority.. Maybe not on this forum but worldwide..

 

[kristoff125]

iPhone 4 sold 600k or so preorders, in the time between preorders and the actual sale of the phone, android was pushing 160k / day, android > iOS4.

 

[Frankiebonez]

I genuinely feel that the Android market will surpass. An open source based off of Linux is the PERFECT market for the mobile app market. Its just a matter of time, and now with real phones coming out and Android 2.2 really getting the final bugs of the Android 2.x OS, its just a waiting game.

Glad I jumped on board!

 

[kristoff125]

Once gingerbread comes out more people will be attracted to android, the updated UI will do a lot for the OS.

 

[Bimmerjo]

Once gingerbread comes out more people will be attracted to android, the updated UI will do a lot for the OS.

I honestly hope there is a way to turn off many of those features.... Seeing some of the demo video's its too....... iPhone-ish.

 

[zMd113]

As long as they're good apps, don't make junk just for the sake of catching up and surpassing Apple.

 

[Polndsprin]

I concure. The last thing I need is more concrete gauging apps to flod the market.

 

[kristoff125]

Once gingerbread comes out more people will be attracted to android, the updated UI will do a lot for the OS.

I honestly hope there is a way to turn off many of those features.... Seeing some of the demo video's its too....... iPhone-ish.

Where is the video of gingerbread?

 

[solution]

So I had a job interview today and one of the managers was showing off his new Iphone4. He was retina display this and IOS4 that. The he says "Man, the multitasking is great on IOS4... well, there's some apps u can't multitask" I had to fight every urge not to chuckle during my interview lol.

 

[brando56894]

A guy here at my job (a patron at the university pc lab i work at) looked at me and said "what kind of phone is that?" when I said "the droid" he scoffed and was like "i guess you know what side im on!" and showed me his G4 and was bragging about the retina display also it does look nice but its not amazing. The amazing screen doesnt make up for the complete lack to (total) customization that our android devices have.

 

[kristoff125]

A guy here at my job (a patron at the university pc lab i work at) looked at me and said "what kind of phone is that?" when I said "the droid" he scoffed and was like "i guess you know what side im on!" and showed me his G4 and was bragging about the retina display also it does look nice but its not amazing. The amazing screen doesnt make up for the complete lack to (total) customization that our android devices have.

Did you show him what multitasking means?

 

[wonderyak]

A guy here at my job (a patron at the university pc lab i work at) looked at me and said "what kind of phone is that?" when I said "the droid" he scoffed and was like "i guess you know what side im on!" and showed me his G4 and was bragging about the retina display also it does look nice but its not amazing. The amazing screen doesnt make up for the complete lack to (total) customization that our android devices have.

Its funny to tell iphone 4 people that Steve Jobs must have liked the Droid so much he copied the IPS LCD and Gorilla Glass.

The display on the droid is just a tad less ppi than the iphone 4.

Also maybe people don't use it much, but the external speaker on the droid is really nice.