I have both Android and iDevices and I have to say that I usually don't bother with Android apps unless they are from Google and/or some app that is common to all platforms. There is a dearth of quality apps on Android, which is the primary reason why people are not willing to pay for Android content.
On the other hand I am more then willing to pay $0.99 for an iDevice app, even something just to try out as generally speaking I have had more satisfaction with iTunes apps then Play apps.
I think it just makes sense that as there are more Android devices out there eventually the download numbers will skew in their direction, I mean, there have always been more Windows Apps then Mac Apps, but honestly I think Google needs to so something "significant" to improve the quality of development on the Android platform, like maybe come out with their own dev environment and language.
I watch various companies that produce their own app on TV from time to time and notice that a lot of them list iOS, but no other platform. HGTV, CNBC, as well as various mfg of products like Meridian, Mackie, Yamaha, Roland, Alesis (others) in the music/audio industry all seem to support iOS, but not Windows RT or Android. I think that the Google Android platform is really meant for kids customizing the GUI, playing games, and other non-essential non-business related applications. What surprises me is if the Android market is so big, one would think that their app downloads would show the same or similar difference in downloads but it doesn't. I have yet to see an app that is a "must have" that isn't available on iOS that's only available on Android.
In terms of quality of development? Here's what I think is the difference. An individual is generally not going to develop a high quality app vs a REAL company due to the lack of resources. Every once in a while an individual might develop a great app on their own, but it's not as likely. The other problem developing for the Android platform are the different screen sizes and resolutions and lack of standardization of what processors they are using.
Apple has only a few models to choose from and they only release so many different models each year, so it's a LOT easier to test the apps on all of the different iDevices than the different Android devices to take advantage.
I think that once iOS 7 comes out, we'll see a LOT of new apps come out and a whole new set of circumstances.
I'm wondering how things are going to work out with the transition from 32 Bit to 64 Bit apps is going to happen. Apple has already done that transition with OS X and they did it so seamlessly compared to Microsoft, i wonder how Google going to deal with that, if they are going to have problems migrating.
To me, the turn off for Android is that it just seems to be a dysfunctional method of a platform and it just seems like a shotgun approach rather than having focus and vision. I still won't take the platform seriously since I can't walk into a store and see every single product sold have the latest OS on it.
What's funny is the S4 phone is the latest, just released product and it's now running an outdated OS since 4.3 just got announced a couple of days ago. Last year's S3 is supposed to start getting 4.2.2 which was released back in Feb.
I'm surprised people even want a platform so dysfunctional as that, but I guess people ignore the fact that these are computers, and best practices would suggest only selling hardware that runs the latest OS, and make sure you products always get that latest OS until the hardware can't support it. I would be embarrassed to work for a company that sold Android devices and the product didn't run the latest OS. SHEAR embarrassment. So, right off the bat. I won't take the Android platform seriously.
