Mark, Your last line shows exactly why I wrote my original comment that way.
I'm aware the ecosystem is larger than the public application distribution systems (such as Market), but the success of app distribution systems will enable a diverse ecosystem to thrive which will benefit us all, whereas their failures will drive users away. You only need to look at Symbian for an example of how limited 3rd party apps hamper the ecosystem. Searching amazon.co.uk for "Symbian development" gets 78 results. Search for "iPhone development" you gets 89. Searching for Symbian training then iPhone training on Google paints a similar picture. Although the "phone" Symbian OS is five years older, and it's EPOC heritage goes back over a decade, it's ecosystem is limited, and all that is without free apps and a primary app distribution system which is akin to the wild west. So yes, without the success of app distribution systems there may be an ecosystem, but the chances of many companies being able to survive within it is small. Al. -- * Written an Android App? - List it at http://andappstore.com/ * ====== Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's subsidiaries. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mark Murphy Sent: 16 June 2009 14:05 To: [email protected] Subject: [android-discuss] Re: "Apple iPhone Developers Mostly Don't Make Much Money" > Technically speaking. > In reality, Google's weight is behind the Market so that's where > people go first, second and third. What a pity the Market is so > ineffective in presenting dev's products. You have a disturbingly narrow view of the Android ecosystem. Since when are off-the-shelf applications purchased and bought for by end users the *only* part of the ecosystem? According to you, none of these are part of the ecosystem: -- Developers creating software for inclusion by device manufacturers -- The device manufacturers themselves -- Developers creating in-house software -- Mobile carriers -- Consultants/contractors creating bespoke/custom software -- Peripheral manufacturers -- Firms selling Web services leveraged by developers (e.g., ads, analytics) -- Schmoes like me who write books and deliver training -- and so on The Android Market is undoubtedly weak. Embarrassingly so. I'm not quibbling that point *at all*. And I would not have commented if Mr. Sutton would have written: "Only time will tell whether the Android Market will be able support companies, but at the moment it's not looking too good." But instead he wrote: "Only time will tell whether the Android ecosystem will be able support companies, but at the moment it's not looking too good." Android Market != Android ecosystem -- Mark Murphy (a Commons Guy) http://commonsware.com _The Busy Coder's Guide to Android Development_ Version 2.0 Available! --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
