Jan 02 2011
∞
“ Apple will be the number one platform for a long time from a developer perspective, they have gotten so many things right. And they know what they are doing and they call the shots. Android is growing, but it’s also growing complexity at the same time. Device fragmentation not the issue, but rather the fragmentation of the ecosystem. So many different shops, so many different models. The carriers messing with the experience again. Open but not really open, a very Google centric ecosystem. And paid content just doesn’t work on Android…. Nobody else will be able to build what Apple has built, there just isn’t that kind of market power out there.That doesn’t mean that model is superior, it’s just important to understand that Apple is Apple and Google is Google. Different.
—
Peter Vesterbacka, Creator of Angry Birds
My take aways from this quote:
- Apple provides a platform and leadership that developers may not like, or even agree with, but respect. And, respect enough to confidently base their businesses around, If you’re deciding between starting on the iPhone or Android I would follow his advice and pick the iPhone.
- What Apple has built could have only come from Apple. Its in their DNA. Its who they are at the molecular level. Copy cats will fail.
- In its current instantiation, Android is trying to copy Apple, and the cracks are already beginning to appear in the foundations of the ecosystem. I think we’re going to see Android take some major shifts in direction over the coming months. One that I will be paying particular attention to is the inevitable collision of Android and Chrome OS.
- Android needs clear leadership to succeed. Not just a corporate front man or developer relations managers, it needs a real leader. Someone who has a clear voice and direction for where the project is headed and can rally support for it without major concessions.
- Complexity is never a word you want associated with a consumer product. And, the android experience is still complex. I’ve played around with Android devices on and off since they first hit the market. I want to love them. I want to see a real rival to the iOS. But after test driving the device for 10 to 15 min, I’m thrilled to hand it back to the owner. From a user perspective, Android reminds me of the worst Christmas present I ever got. As a 10 year old, I hounded my parent for months leading up to Christmas for a specific BMX bike- a Diamond Back. I clipped out pictures, I called shops so they would know which had the bike in stock and I clearly spelled out the specific bike I wanted on my Christmas list that year. I woke that Christmas morning and rushed to the tree to see my new wheels. There was just one problem. In the spot my brand new Diamond Back was supposed to be placed, there sat a cheap ‘ole Huffy with a chocolate bar seat. Sure, technically it was a BMX bike but it was a huge disappointing step down from the bike I had wanted. Android is the Huffy to the iOS Diamond Back.
- Battling over who is more open is a losing strategy. In the end, openness is only as important as the user experience it enables.
Regardless of who wins this battle, consumers will win the war. One clear result of all this will be the transformation of every handset in every pocket to a modern, smart handset. We’re already starting to see a massive shift as entrepreneurs focus on these handsets first and traditional computing experiences second. I think that’s an exciting shift and we’re very interested in looking at services tuned to these modern mobile environments.
(via brycedotvc)
