What is it about Google with their OS updates anyway?
I mean, I'm sure it's a complicated process, but why aren't they copying Apple's approach to letting anyone update the OS on their device and releasing it through some sort of app store?
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iOS Continues to Hold Significant Lead over Android in Developer Interest
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What is it about Google with their OS updates anyway?
I mean, I'm sure it's a complicated process, but why aren't they copying Apple's approach to letting anyone update the OS on their device and releasing it through some sort of app store?
Google doesn't control the update. They create the O/S, but they don't control who gets what updates. The updates are carrier and device driven. Again, with one exception, the Nexus line is controlled by Google, but the carriers have a slight say as well, but not the device manufacturer. Lots of loopholes to go through just to push an update to a phone for Android.
Most of what you said is correct. The device manufacturers absolutely have some control, they are the ones that have to use resources to test and implement the updates, along with the carrier. It is a very real cost for the device manufacturers.
Yup. It's not like iOS where each update gives you some neat new thing and OMG THIS IS THE BEST UPGRADE EVER. Android updates are generally under the hood improvements, which aren't as immediately noticeable, but actually that much more important when it comes right down to it.
ICS is a little different in that not only fixes a bunch of bugs, but also improves the smoothness and layout of the UI. It is THE best version of Android, the one Google can be most proud of. Yet only a fraction of the userbase can get it.
It's this issue I consider the biggest disadvantage to owning Android. The chain of command you mentioned is way, way, way too complicated. OS updates should be easy to apply and immediately available to anyone that can use it.
Course that's not to say things are perfect in Apple land. Like I have an iPhone 4 running iOS 5. WHY THE HELL DON'T I HAVE SIRI?
Yeah, it's pretty dumb. People get way too tribal over their phones. I haven't played with Android all that much myself, but what I've seen hasn't been much worse than iOS, and in some cases it's a little better. I'd actually go so far to say ICS is a little better of a tablet OS than iOS is. The only reason I chose the iPad 3 over the Transformer Prime was because of the wider app selection and the :arm waving: rreeetttiinnnnnaa diiissspppplllaaayyy (which is really nice, you gotta admit).
The case where the device manufacturer doesn't have control is the Nexus line. Reason is that Google owns that line based on design specs from the manufacturer. It's considered pure Google, un-bloated, vanilla android.
lol, thanks for the good laugh, I am not laughing with you, but rather at you. Keep living in the vacuum, obviously real world is not suitable for your kind.
I see your point. I don't use Safari, I use Atomic which basically launched with or before the iPad 1st Gen and that has all kinds of options to choose without leaving the App. Then, I don't change my signature that often that it would actually bother me to go to the settings. There other things I don't like about the Mail App like a missing spam filter, for example... but your argument was "minor changes" you have to do. There are a lot of "minor changes" on any device you cannot do within an app on all kind of devices. If you don't do them on a daily basis, as you state, then how is it that annoying? Apparently, you know how to do them and the fact that you do shows it ws intuitive enough, or not? But you weren't writing about the Apps (Safari, Mail), you were arguing that the iOS is the problem. Actually, a lot of the things you mention, the App can configure for you if it is programmed to do so when you first start it (e.g. notifications, etc.) and blaming iOS for it, I don't know...
I wouldn't necessarily put a ton of blame on the system, more so the psychology of it all. It's nice that all of my system preferences are in one place, but at the same time it sucks that I have to leave the app to make a change.
So there are way more Android phones out there but more developers are interested in iOS?
I think this is some evidence to point to the superior product
I imagine that the main reason would more likely focus on how iOS has less fragmentation, which makes it easier to develop for.
According to AppBrain Flurry and Google Analytics are roughly at parity. That is market share not growth or new apps. Not that knowing that really helps unless someone has comparable stats for iOS.
http://www.appbrain.com/stats/libraries/dev
I imagine the main reason would more likely focus on where they made more money.
Or where they have resources available to them. There's no one answer to the question - not that you were stating there was one.
This should quiet those that think Apple's 30% is way too much. In the retail distribution market, 30% is very reasonable.
You are just confused by the nature of the open source. Google develops OS and publishes the source code. Then phone manufacturers copy it, make their own versions (Samsung, HTC and even Apple - copying notifications etc.) and release them to end users. So, iPhone owners get their OS updates from iPhone manufacturer and Galaxy S owners get their OS updates Galaxy S manufacturer. You do not compain when Apple is late with re-releasing the latest Android features, right?
Quote from Fortune:
"Apple developers have made more than $3.4 billion since 2011, compared with less than $240 million for Google developers."
I think it's pretty clear which is superior.
It doesn't. That's why the files are hosted on the google's AOSP site. Again, the Nexus line is the only android phone line that is not dictated by the manufacturer. Just Google and the provider. Google themselves push the update with provider approval.
I think we will find common ground if we agree on that the native apps from Apple, that is Mail, Safari, and some others, need a good overhaul. Apple should learn from Blizzard: They took a good look at all the addons from fans to World of Warcraft and later incorporated them as options into the game. Same here: If Safari is not consumer friendly enough and a large number uses 3rd party apps to have it easier, maybe they should incorporate some of the things these apps do (and have a policy to reimburse devs of 3rd party apps for finding good solutions... or even buy their app rights for a fair ammount).
Well I cant confirm if they are solid facts as you'd need a whole bunch of iOS/Android devs to share their income data, but for me, I've got around 10 apps on the iOS App Store, and only 4 apps on the Google Play Store.
On iOS some of my apps are paid, the free ones are iAd supported.
On Android, they are all paid.
If I take an example of one app that I've released on both app stores, they are both priced at $0.99 USD. The Android version gets more downloads (and thus makes more money).
Basically, for me I've found there to be a larger Android audience for the types of apps I make.
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It would be physically impossible for apple to simply 'download a copy of android' and 'copy across' the notifications. Apple had to make that from scratch, not copy code from Android. Obviously notification center is a blatant copy of the Android notification system, but there is no way in hell it will be using the same code.
Ok, what am I missing...
According to the chart, Android has gained in the last 2 quarters and iOS has lost.
According to the chart, Android has gained in the last 2 quarters and iOS has lost.
As an Android user my biggest issue with Apple has nothing to do with apps, the quality of the Apps or even the price of such Apps. My issues are all hardware based. Try using a 3.5 inch display after using a 4.65 inch for 7 months and a 4.3 inch for 1 year. That's like watching movies on a 50 inch 1080p TV and then downgrading to a 32 inch 720p set. It's near impossible to enjoy the experience once you've been spoiled by a large display. I buy Android Apps and there are plenty of free apps that improve the experience. People on these Apple forums want to believe that the Android app store is a total fragmented disaster but a good majority of you never used an Android device for a long period of time. If you stay away from crappy Android phones you won't have a crappy experience. I for one own an iPad 3 and I like the Android play store better than the Apple store. Dont get me wrong. The iPad is number one when it comes to overall experience but it feels like I'm going to get robbed when I'm in the Apple store.
But a few weeks ago I thought that if Apple released a larger iPhone I would have a change of heart but at only 4 inches it might not be enough. 4 inch Android phones were the standard over 2 years ago. And knowing Apple their going to keep this new display/form factor for 2 to 3 years. At this stage I can live with fragmentation if OEMs continue to make better phones every year. I just have to upgrade on a yearly basis but thats no different then what iPhone buyers do anyway.
But a few weeks ago I thought that if Apple released a larger iPhone I would have a change of heart but at only 4 inches it might not be enough. 4 inch Android phones were the standard over 2 years ago. And knowing Apple their going to keep this new display/form factor for 2 to 3 years. At this stage I can live with fragmentation if OEMs continue to make better phones every year. I just have to upgrade on a yearly basis but thats no different then what iPhone buyers do anyway.
Afaik there are 2 Galaxy Nexus variants. One gets updates direct from Google (yakju) and the other from Samsung (yakjuxw).
http://atlocalhost.wordpress.com/20...y-nexus-maguro-shipped-with-yakjuxw-firmware/
Kinda like the situation with the Xoom and the way Xooms have not received ICS except for the US and CA.