There is an interesting article on the BBC News site today on the growth of the Android Market, and more specifically the growth of pay for apps and people making a living from them.
Apple have the headstart, but now Android phones are outselling iPhones, and the Android Market is getting some real numbers behind it.
But which platform should budding developers go for?
Apple currently has the biggest audience, but there are real restrictions involved – you now have to at least compile the app on a Mac, so to build an app you have to have at least access to a Mac. You also have the restrictions Apple place on their store, which means Apple can refuse, or subsequently withdraw your app.
Google on the other hand appears not to produce the same level of revenues at the moment, but is much more open. As long as an App works it will be listed, and not only can you use any computer to develop, Google even provides a kit for amateurs to have a go (see App Inventor)
So which platform will triumph in the long term?
Link – Rory blog
To my mind, the key sign of Google advancing will be when more corporations start publishing Apps for Android and iPhone simultaneous – or even Android first. At the moment there are far more Apps by big business (lets take Argos and Next as examples), that still don’t have an Android equivalent.