Do you think developers are running out of good ideas

[shaky777]

well at least for me, it seems like we are running out of developers or developers are running out of good ideas for apps, because for every 10 apps three are some how useful and only is one is useful. i used to go on the market at least 30 times a day(yeah i know, that's crazy), now i'm probably down to 3 or 4 times a day, so just give me your take on this and have fun...

[unseen]

I think as time progresses we will see an increased amount of helpful/productive apps. Also, when developers can start charging for their apps we will probably see great apps being put out.

[Stanovoy]

There hasn't been much movement in the Market for the past several days. So I'm guessing all the obvious (and often useless) app ideas have be exploited enough that most devs don't want to work on them anymore. From now on, we should be seeing more useful apps and a general decrease in the amount of apps released each day. It's not normal to check the Market as frequently as we all have during the past 2 weeks. That was only prompted by the freshness of the G1 and the explosion of apps at the beginning. As time goes on, I am sure everything will become more in line with what we have been seeing with the iPhone. Checking the Market once every few days should be sufficient.

[pathogen]

No they're not running out of ideas alot of stuff is comming down the pipes but isn't ready for prime time.

[calador]

Also, let's not forget this little blurb from the Android developers' blog (http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2008/10/android-market-now-available-for-users.html):

"Starting in early Q1, developers will also be able to distribute paid apps in addition to free apps. Developers will get 70% of the revenue from each purchase; the remaining amount goes to carriers and billing settlement fees—Google does not take a percentage. We believe this revenue model creates a fair and positive experience for users, developers, and carriers."

So there's definitely more to come (-: Maybe not all free, but this is just the beginning ...

[USAMAKE]

yeah, not too many good apps or games in the market but i think they are two resons why i think developers are trying too hard to incorporate all the fetures of the G1 into the apps an an so making bad apps that dont work or dont serve any real perpose also i think the good developers want to wait a charge for there apps to make some money it takes a team to make a good app. i personally probably wont pay for anything unless is dirt cheap but some people might

[Robocop]

What about all the "essential apps" that are still missing? Still no flash support, stereo bluetooth, a better dialer, picture message saver, app downloader that places apps on the sd card, etc. Just on principle alone, we shouldn't have to wait to pay for these apps that should have come standard on a smart phone. All of these better hit the Market before paid apps are allowed in.

[G-won]

Running out of good ideas? bwahahahahaha... with all of us being VERY VOCAL of our desires for this platform I would find that hard to believe.

Rather it's not a lack of support, but more like...

(A) it requiring A LOT of time and effort to get some of these things ported to Android (complete multimedia solution, flash support that works, admin tools, etc.)

...and what Calador pointed to which is

(B) Alot of these apps being stuff we'd have to pay for. I THINK I heard of there being a Core media player in the works for us hungry android folks wanting better video & audio support and Shapewriter would also be an ideal on screen keyboard solution that we could work with... however I also have heard hints of both being apps we'd have to pay for along with some mention of a Exchange solution in the works for Jan. which also might be a paid solution. So once Market opens up with a payment option we'll probably start seeing more of our favs :(

[VGPOP]

well at least for me, it seems like we are running out of developers or developers are running out of good ideas for apps, because for every 10 apps three are some how useful and only is one is useful. i used to go on the market at least 30 times a day(yeah i know, that's crazy), now i'm probably down to 3 or 4 times a day, so just give me your take on this and have fun...

The ideas are not great when you don't get paid, don't you think?

In January, we will start seeing great applications, bug free, that we all have to start paying.

[71CH]

It's all about the paid apps. Good ones will come out.

[McParty]

Hey... wait until they can start charging! LOL.

[pllb]

So you're saying only the good applications will be paid ones? I'm sorry but that's just wrong. By that means Android is a fail since it's based on Linux (free) And what about all the great free applications available?

[cohoman]

I'm a long time Windows Mobile apps developer, and here's my two cents:

Most mobile device developers use C or C++ for their main programming language, so having to switch to Java can be a hurdle for some developers.

The Android APIs are very new, and will take some time for developers to understand it's full potential. In addition, Google change some of the API calls between the original beta releases and SDK 1.0, so that can cause some delay.

I think you'll see more and more good apps (free and commercial) over the next 6 months. Also, as more Android developer books appear that will cause more novice developers to create useful apps.

Being a developer, I want to get paid for my time and effort. It's what pays my bills and feeds my family, so I can't just create freeware apps because Android is open-source and people feel they are entitled to free applications. I plan to create both free and shareware apps as that seems to be a good compromise.

Come January, I bet you'll see lots of great apps appearing. Most of them will probably not be free. But, they will probably be sold at a nominal cost ($10-$15 range).

I've got a long list of ideas for Android apps. Some, are based on the popular apps currently available for the Windows Mobile devices. Other ideas are entirely new, taking advantage of the great features of the Android OS (e.g., GPS capability, Mapping, Web content, etc).

cohoman

[FSUftbllfan]

Yeah, when I originally was looking into the G1 I was excited about the free apps and was one of the ones that continued to say that they need to stay free, but the more I think about it, the more I want the charged apps to come out because they'll hopefully be much better. I am looking forward to Q1 of 2009.

[G-won]

So you're saying only the good applications will be paid ones? I'm sorry but that's just wrong. By that means Android is a fail since it's based on Linux (free) And what about all the great free applications available?

Well... even though Linux itself is free, there are applications that you'd have to pay for on it lol.

Besides... if someone has the urge to create a great FREE app then it'll eventually come out. I'm guessing that it'll take even LONGER for someone to do a great FREE app for this phone since someone with that much skill & patience to make a great app would probably be doing it as a "eh whenever I have the time" type of project and would probably have a crapload of other projects to begin with.

[Gateau Noel]

you know what would be a good idea for an app? TO FIX EVERYTHING THAT IS INITIALLY WRONG WITH THE PHONE! texting,mms,email,virtual keyboard just one package that fixes everything thats wrong or blatantly missing, for 49.95 done

[DesignDawg]

you know what would be a good idea for an app? TO FIX EVERYTHING THAT IS INITIALLY WRONG WITH THE PHONE! texting,mms,email,virtual keyboard just one package that fixes everything thats wrong or blatantly missing, for 49.95 done

You don't even have one. You are so cool you sent yours back. What do you care at this point?

[ayo991]

you know what would be a good idea for an app? TO FIX EVERYTHING THAT IS INITIALLY WRONG WITH THE PHONE! texting,mms,email,virtual keyboard just one package that fixes everything thats wrong or blatantly missing, for 49.95 done

But, he did make a great point. Fix the problems. Worry about the cool stuff later.

[Gateau Noel]

im doing homework and watching the forum, but you are right! lol

[LatinMessiah]

I wish I knew how to program so I can write my own apps. :cool:

[cohoman]

That's probably what you'll see come January. All the deficiencies and stuff you don't like will be repackaged into better 3rd-party apps. The only limitations will be bugs in the OS or APIs, where workarounds for those issues may not be found.

cohoman

you know what would be a good idea for an app? TO FIX EVERYTHING THAT IS INITIALLY WRONG WITH THE PHONE! texting,mms,email,virtual keyboard just one package that fixes everything thats wrong or blatantly missing, for 49.95 done

[MrGibbage]

According to this article at NPR, there are currently over 6,000 apps written for the iPhone.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96763207
Right now I would estimate we have a little over a hundred. The iPhone has been out for how many years? And the G1 has been out for almost a month. So, be patient.

I agree that once developers can start making money for the apps, that's when we'll start seeing some cool apps. They need to eat too.

[GasBot]

I wish I knew how to program so I can write my own apps. :cool:
And release them all for free right? ;)

[VGPOP]

According to this article at NPR, there are currently over 6,000 apps written for the iPhone.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96763207
Right now I would estimate we have a little over a hundred. The iPhone has been out for how many years? And the G1 has been out for almost a month. So, be patient.

I agree that once developers can start making money for the apps, that's when we'll start seeing some cool apps. They need to eat too.

How many of those are free? and how many are paid applications?

By the way, what' the range when buying an application?

Do you pay ONCE or you pay a monthly fee for them?

[*susan*]

I agree that most of the good apps aren't going to be released until the developers can get paid for their work, as well they should. I personally wish this 3 months of all apps being free was done and over so we can start getting the really good apps that will help me manage my busy life. I have no problem for paying for a useful, well written application.

[MrGibbage]

I asked a friend of mine that has an iPhone if there are a lot of free apps out there and he felt that there were. Like maybe half, but it's hard to tell.

[paranoidandroid]

According to this article at NPR, there are currently over 6,000 apps written for the iPhone.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96763207
Right now I would estimate we have a little over a hundred. The iPhone has been out for how many years? And the G1 has been out for almost a month. So, be patient.

I agree that once developers can start making money for the apps, that's when we'll start seeing some cool apps. They need to eat too.

The iPhone has been out for 1 year 4 months, but it has been only receiving apps for 4 months. So in 4 months the iPhone has had 6000 apps created for it. Im getting worried for android

On July 11th 2008 the iPhone app store was launched. It had over 250 apps at launch, with games including Super Monkey Ball. And from July to November it has over 6000, thats just 4 months.

[she a g e e]

But, he did make a great point. Fix the problems. Worry about the cool stuff later.

Lol, alot of those problems are irrelevant to the android market. Google has to step up on most of those things.

The iPhone has been out for 1 year 4 months, but it has been only receiving apps for 4 months. So in 4 months the iPhone has had 6000 apps created for it. Im getting worried for android

On July 11th 2008 the iPhone app store was launched. It had over 250 apps at launch, with games including Super Monkey Ball. And from July to November it has over 6000, thats just 4 months.

You forget to take into consideration that the iPhone is APPLE. Apple is a steroid media freak, all the money and partnerships, all the linking between their products- there's a reason that they have crazier apps. The g1 is a new contender, with apps being designed by smaller developers, not big ass companies cashing in the cash cow. So wait until they can get paid, because that's when the companies will start putting stuff out.

Someone on here talked about how its wrong that because this is linux our stuff should be free. Developers don't owe us **** if we don't pay them. That's like asking everyone to do us favors, because "linux is free, so our apps should be too." Developers aren't living underground who live and breath programming, most if not all do other things, and to pull away from doing those other things wouldn't be productive if they weren't compensated for it.

Grow up people. Even disneyworld charges you for magic.

[GasBot]

Grow up people. Even disneyworld charges you for magic.

Wow! I really like that quote. Very well said and coming from a developer. Thank you! :D

[rushmore]

paranoidandroid,

The iPhone is not constrained to Java. The SDK's allow direct CPU access though not complete. Just enough to make some surprisingly good games and media apps. Android may not even get Coreplayer unless the Java and GStream requirements are removed. Their forum says they are looking at it, but an email reply suggest they are holding off until the SDK is more friendly to codec development. The "Android coming soon" was posted on their site prior to discovering codecs also require the Java layer.


Java is both a blessing and the problem for Android. Phone carriers and some software authors do not like its constraints and are staying away- at least until Android is open beyond a Java container.

There have been some good apps, but Java may result in diminished utility as far as app development. There is only so many games you can play in a sandbox.

Other issue is being forced to install on the phone- another software company concern.