Comments on: Apple might not get social, but Facebook doesn’t get mobile apps

By: Sheryl

Sheryl — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 04:23:31 +0000

The current facebook app in the appstore is the mobile site in a wrapper already. Their mobile site still manages to be a lot better than the app though, so maybe this is a good thing.

By: Lance Damon Bliss

Lance Damon Bliss — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:34:32 +0000

Well said, and informative. Good input and I agree with you that both web apps and native apps have their place. Everyone likes something different. Let the consumer decide.
lance damon bliss
7slocal

By: janssen

janssen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:24:45 +0000

Great analysis. Completely agree with the psychology of free vs. pay applications with online consumers. Performance and richness of content within HTML5 will be the keys to Facebook’s success.

By: David Chu

David Chu — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:02:23 +0000

Mica. I’m not sure how you are coming to your assumptions. Every good Android and iOS app developer I know is backed up with work. Are there a lot of hobbyists who aren’t making money? Yes. But that happens to any market where there is a low barrier of entry. How many YouTube users are able to make a living off of their YouTube ads? How many bloggers?

I also think you may have the misconception that it is easier to develop web apps. For most projects, the cost of development is higher because you have to account for more variables. Whats the screen size? What mobile browser? Is it touch screen?

It’s like when you use HTML in email marketing. You have to account for the differences in how different mail clients will render it.

I don’t see why both web apps and native apps can’t win. They both have their place. The critical thing is whether or not the customer will prefer this method for your app. Basing your decisions on ideology and not on the customer can take you down the wrong road.

By: James Katt

James Katt — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:36:16 +0000

The only thing that matter is this: Will Developers MAKE ANY MONEY on Facebook?

The one thing clear about apps on iOS devices is that THEY MAKE MONEY. iOS Native Apps MAKE MONEY.

Web Apps don’t make money. People expect them TO BE FREE. Thus only Android users, who also expect their apps to be free, will want Web Apps.

If they can’t make money on Facebook Web Apps as opposed to iOS Native Apps, then developers simply won’t go to Facebook.

By: Booby

Booby — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:52:50 +0000

I agree Nick – Apple is clearly being dragged kicking and screaming into the cloud. I love their hardware and OS, but rely on Google for most software.

By: Bobby

Bobby — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:44:42 +0000

As wireless broadband becomes more ubiquitous, speeds increase and HTML5 continues to improve, the need for locally installed apps (on any device) will decrease; much like SaaS continues to erode the need for locally installed software. End-user software that has specific OS dependency will eventually fade into oblivion, in my opinion. Apple is only hastening this transition with it’s App pricing practices.

The walled garden approach that Apple adheres to is good for Apple in the short run, but, I believe, will ultimately prove to have been a flawed philosophy. I personally think Google is much better positioned on the software front (their crappy customer service aside). I love Apple’s hardware and have a lot of respect for their OS – so I am not an Apple hater.

By: Stefano Rumi

Stefano Rumi — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:37:57 +0000

Your CEO seemed quite embarassed when he stated Flash works on mobile devices and uncle Mossberg said “not true”…

http://allthingsd.com/video/?video_id=7425A8A1-9A90-4024-A44C-2E25A6ED03ED

Gets funny at 1’40″.

Stefano

By: Nick Turner

Nick Turner — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:05:47 +0000

Dude, Tim, you’re tilting at windmills. “iFad” – you really think iPad HISTORICAL sales are some type of freakish blip? Android and Apple Apps – how many gajilions of downloads do you need to see (a.k.a. consumers providing market feedback on what they like) before saying “huh, maybe there’s something to this?”. The Web (and mobile extensions thereof) has succeeded because it is constantly evolving and based on market forces, ultimately practical. Obviously, there is something to the mobile/App model, and to decry success based on technology orthodoxy is… well, anti-Web.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:38:41 +0000

Native mobile apps are a temporary stop-gap measure towards the mobile web- that’s why Facebook doesn’t waste its resources building an app for the crappy iFad(e). Also obviously, Apple doesn’t get the web,
with its also crappy iCloud, the fail Mobile Me 2