| Mobile usage and more specifically smartphone usage, | | | | and functionality. The T-Mobile MyTouch 3G, T-Mobile |
| represents a unique opportunity for application | | | | G1, Sprint Samsung Moment, all fall in this category. |
| developers and brand owners alike to generate new | | | | HTC's customized Android devices are also popular; |
| revenue and brand awareness. The combination of | | | | these include the HTC Hero and the Verizon Droid Eris. |
| always on 3G Internet, GPS and portability, means that | | | | App development tools |
| consumers are increasingly turning to their | | | | Native iPhone apps are built with Apple's Objective C |
| smartphones for business, shopping and leisure | | | | language using Xcode and then submitted to the "App |
| activities. Unlike open platforms such as the Internet, | | | | Store" for distribution to the general public. There are |
| smartphones are separated by a range of operating | | | | several third party tools that allow development with |
| systems, handsets and carrier support. | | | | other languages such as Actionscipt (Flash CS5), Lua, |
| Market share Trends | | | | and Javascript. The third party development tools take |
| The mobile operating systems to target are Apple's | | | | higher-level scripting languages listed above, coverts |
| iPhone OS 3.0, RIM's Blackberry 4.6+ and Google's | | | | the code into Objective C and also exports the |
| Android. These are the largest growing mobile OS | | | | finished app as a.ipa file for submission to the App |
| platforms; others such as Symbian and Windows | | | | Store. Each of these third party tools supports at least |
| Mobile are experiencing slower growth in market share | | | | several unique iPhone features such as the |
| and also suffer from platform "fragmentation", further | | | | accelerometer, multi touch input to varying degrees. |
| lowering their effective market share. Of all the | | | | Other features such as GPS location and the camera |
| competing operating systems, only the iPhone/iPod | | | | may be limited until these tools mature. |
| Touch allows for near universal application | | | | Blackberry apps can be built with the Blackberry JDE |
| development. | | | | plug-in for Eclipse using the Java language. Applications |
| The Risk of Fragmentation | | | | can also be built with the Javascript based Phonegap, |
| Software fragmentation simply put, is the incompatibility | | | | which may lower the level of developer experience |
| that arises from software that starts from a common | | | | needed to begin development. Blackberry apps can be |
| codebase and over time through updates and | | | | sold via the official app store known as Blackberry |
| revisions, forks into multiple sets of unique code. A | | | | App World or they can be sold through 3rd party |
| non-tech example would be the English language; | | | | providers such as Android is also based on Java, and |
| today there are numerous dialects of English around | | | | it too uses Eclipse IDE with the Android Development |
| the world. Some are easily recognizable, while others | | | | Tools plugin. There is no oversight by Google on the |
| are beyond comprehension without a translation. | | | | types of apps that can be built for Android, Google, |
| Fragmentation, makes it impossible to create one | | | | however does reserve the right to remove malicious |
| version of an application per platform, instead the | | | | apps. |
| developer needs to craft multiple versions, each one | | | | Types of apps to create |
| tailored to a specific device or operating system. | | | | On the iPhone, the majority of apps currently available |
| There is significant platform fragmentation with non | | | | are games; they can range from Adobe Flash games |
| Apple devices, notably the Blackberry OS, with a large | | | | ported with minimal functionality to full 3d games using |
| roster of legacy devices such as the blackberry 8100, | | | | Unity 3d. Outside of games, many iPhone apps are |
| 8700 and 8800 families. For example the Blackberry | | | | mobile extensions of websites utilizing open API's. |
| Storm 2 runs os5.0, has a touchscreen, | | | | Examples include Tweetie 2 using the Twitter API, and |
| accelerometerc and Open GL for 3d graphics. The | | | | Insight, which provides two-way syncing with |
| Blackberry Bold 9700 however, launched at the same | | | | Basecamp. These apps can be built by single person |
| time uses the traditional keyboard/ non touch screen | | | | small teams and don't need custom designed artwork |
| layout, does not include Open GL support and uses a | | | | or interfaces. Today's independent game developers |
| different screen resolution. Things are potentially worse | | | | are being obscured by large studios with 3D artists, |
| with Google's Android, due to its open source nature | | | | modelers and programmers with access to brand |
| and lack of standardized models. Each manufacturer | | | | name IP's. |
| can build a totally unique Android phone running on a | | | | The majority of non gaming apps are complex |
| variety of OS versions, ranging from Android 1.5, 1.6, | | | | widgets that communicate with 3rd party API's and |
| 2.0, 2.0.1,and 2.1. | | | | follow Apple interface guidelines reducing the need for |
| The iPhone line can be drawn into three main | | | | graphic artists.Android roughly parallels the iphone in |
| groupings; the original iPhone, the iPod Touch and the | | | | with games being the most popular downloads |
| iPhone 3GS. The vast majority of software written for | | | | followed by general interest apps. Blackberry apps are |
| the platform will run on the original iphone, except for | | | | primarily business applications such as Poynt, with |
| applications that use the compass, MMS, or GPS. The | | | | fewer games on the platform compared to Apple and |
| iPod Touch does not have a camera, so any app that | | | | Google's offerings. |
| needs a camera will not function. The iphone 3GS is | | | | Currently, technology such as augmented reality, which |
| the newest model and is becoming the baseline model | | | | overlays internet data, live camera feeds and GPS into |
| for app developers, especially those utilizing live video | | | | a seamless experience, will begin to mature in the next |
| and location based services. | | | | year and become mainstream. Apps that utilize the |
| When developing native apps for the Blackberry, the | | | | camera to read barcodes for price comparisons will |
| largest pool of compatible devices are the Blackberry | | | | also gain prominence. This article hopefully has given |
| Curve 8300, 8900 and the 8500 series, followed by | | | | you a clearer understanding of the smartphone market |
| the Bold 9000, Bold 9700 and the Blackberry Tour. | | | | and their associated ecosystems. Currently, web |
| Android OS has a large number of devices, but | | | | developers have been on the sidelines waiting for tools |
| models marketed under "with Google" can be thought | | | | to mature and leverage their web based skills. |
| of as reference phones with common specifications | | | | |