I, along with many others, want to use those apps because in most cases they offer a much better experience than the corresponding websites. Android users like to dismiss lack of quality tablet apps as "not essential" and "not a big deal", yet they salivate every time a major app is released for Android tablets. This shows that they do actually care, and with good reason. OEMs need to push software development through partnerships with major app developers so that every new "flagship" Android tablet comes out with an optimized "killer" new app. Android has grown a whole lot, to become a thing of its own, rather than merely an iOS wannabe. Let's hope the software follows suit.
Aren't you hiding something? The truth is that often you can't view those web sites properly because they use Flash which is not available on iOS devices. So HAVE to use an app in this case. And this is one of the reasons ESPN and others had to make special apps for iOS.
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Which is why iPad owns the tablet market hands down. The competition just doesn't get it and may never get it.
That's what they used to say about iPhone. But you are actually not that well informed. "hands down" does not apply here anymore. Last quarter Android tablets reached market share of more than 40% (with iPad dropping below 60%). Give it two more quarters and the situation will look the same way it does for phones.