Google's Android O/S To Surpass Apple's?

[engine]

Google's Android O/S To Surpass Apple's? [mercurynews.com]

A majority of developers believe Google's Android operating system -- not Apple's iOS -- will be the dominant platform in the future to power everything from smartphones to touch-screen refrigerators, according to a survey released today.

While independent software writers are enthusiastic about creating apps for Apple's iOS mobile operating system, and see it as the most financially viable platform now, they view Android as the long-term winner in terms of market share.

Seventy-two percent of developers say Android "is best positioned to power a large number and variety of connected devices in the future" -- while only 25 percent said iOS will rule the new device world, according to a survey of nearly 2,400 app developers from around the world conducted by Mountain View-based Appcelerator, which makes software development tools, and research firm IDC.

Nearly 56 percent of developers said they favored Android's long-term outlook as a platform for them to make money, while 37 percent picked iOS, the Apple mobile operating system that runs the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad tablet.

[g1smd]

People overlook the fact that Nokia shifts the largest number of Smartphones... and they use the Symbian OS.

But what's the future for Nokia, especially with an ex-Microsoft employee now at the helm?

Windows Mobile on Nokia phones? No thanks.

[Sierra_Dad]

They need to put in a disclaimer there that developers don't know squat about those questions. I'm saying that as an Android developer.

As a developer, I think a useful study would *tell* me the answer to those questions, not ask me. I don't exactly have a huge budget for market research.

That said, companies who are paid to do market predictions (though they don't offer refunds if they are wrong) have predicted strong market share for Android in smartphones. The tablet market, though, is unproven. It has been shown that people can provide cheaper Android tablets than the iPad. Better? That remains to be seen. And I haven't seen much penetration of the iPod market by Android.

The money making part is also unproven. Android users haven't shown the same willingness to pay for apps that the iOS users have. Android users, for the most part, wouldn't pay .99 for a farting app, they'd search extensively for an open source or pirated version instead. ;)