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Rekna · 09-27-2008, 09:24 AM

The methodologies of Android Market and Apple App Store could not be more different. Android has taken to an extreme openness. Anyone can develop applications for Android and place their app in the market even if their app is not ready. On the other hand to develop for the Iphone one has to pay for the SDK, own a Mac to develop on, pay a yearly subscription fee, and get your application approved.

Both situations have their advantages but what is best for consumers? The openness of Android means that any application can be developed and pushed to end users even if it duplicates functionality of other applications. This leads to competition between application developers and Android developers and in the end should lead to better products. However, this openness also can lead to buggy or malicious software finding their way into the hands of end users which could damage Andriod's and the cell phone companies image.

On the other hand Apple's closed methodology should ensure that no malware gets onto Iphones. However, this is at the cost of a much slower development time and less competition in the application market. Already apple has denied applications that would compete with its own application. For example in the following article: Apple's iPhone is closed. Google's G1 is open. Which is better? - By Farhad Manjoo - Slate Magazine it mentions an application that was developed that allowed podcast streaming from an online source. Apple denied the application because it competed with their own application which only played podcasts that were synced via Itunes. In this case it is clear that the consumer loses out.

In the end it comes down to two worlds. The first is a world of complete freedom where there are no walls and you are free to do what ever you want even if that means shooting yourself in the foot. The second is a world where you can only do what big brother says you can do and you must rely on big brother to do the right thing. You are safe in this world but you cannot always do what you want.

Which world would you rather live in?

09-27-2008, 09:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Rekna Junkie	Open vs Closed The methodologies of Android Market and Apple App Store could not be more different. Android has taken to an extreme openness. Anyone can develop applications for Android and place their app in the market even if their app is not ready. On the other hand to develop for the Iphone one has to pay for the SDK, own a Mac to develop on, pay a yearly subscription fee, and get your application approved. Both situations have their advantages but what is best for consumers? The openness of Android means that any application can be developed and pushed to end users even if it duplicates functionality of other applications. This leads to competition between application developers and Android developers and in the end should lead to better products. However, this openness also can lead to buggy or malicious software finding their way into the hands of end users which could damage Andriod's and the cell phone companies image. On the other hand Apple's closed methodology should ensure that no malware gets onto Iphones. However, this is at the cost of a much slower development time and less competition in the application market. Already apple has denied applications that would compete with its own application. For example in the following article: Apple's iPhone is closed. Google's G1 is open. Which is better? - By Farhad Manjoo - Slate Magazine it mentions an application that was developed that allowed podcast streaming from an online source. Apple denied the application because it competed with their own application which only played podcasts that were synced via Itunes. In this case it is clear that the consumer loses out. In the end it comes down to two worlds. The first is a world of complete freedom where there are no walls and you are free to do what ever you want even if that means shooting yourself in the foot. The second is a world where you can only do what big brother says you can do and you must rely on big brother to do the right thing. You are safe in this world but you cannot always do what you want. Which world would you rather live in?