motorola and a pay market

**constellanation** · 10-29-2008, 09:52 AM

first question when developers can charge for their apps, how much (if any do you think the quality will improve?) not saying there's not good ones now, but hypothetically?

second, fast forward to motorola (or any other manufacturer/carriers) release of their android phone, they've had teams of talented people developing things for their phone, will we non-motorola/other carrier android users be able to take advantage of their doings, or will it be "the walled garden" mentality of the past?

discuss.

**McParty** · 10-29-2008, 09:55 AM

I would assume some apps may be manufacturer (sp) specific while some will work on any android phone. As for price and quality... I don't know if there is a limit as to what they can charge but I do believe there will be more quality apps from developers when they can charge (and more bad ones too).

**constellanation** · 10-29-2008, 09:58 AM

god your right there will be more bad ones, just what I want to buy a flashlight app. when there are already a million free ones already that I don't want.

perhaps somebody can make an app that only shows us good apps?

**Darrell** · 10-29-2008, 10:21 AM

The whole point of android is that the same apps will work on other Android phones. Like McParty said some will be operator specific (theres a t-mobile hotspot locator app at the moment for instance) and eventualy the latest most up to date apps will be to big/fast to run on the G1, just as PC games and apps wont run on an old PC. I for one want lots of phones out really soon, to increase the user base which will increase the production of Apps.

**constellanation** · 10-29-2008, 10:28 AM

i understand the basis of the android operating system, but say motorola makes a wicked video player with the ability to read flash (whatever just making something up here) it comes preinstalled on all motorola phones running android and is never put on the market. Or does motorola say hey guys we made this great program and we know you want to run it on your htc, you can have/purchase it from us.

thats what I mean by the walled garden thing, and if they do the firsts option, this really is no better then the iphone os, right?

**SanctiAnderii** · 10-29-2008, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by constellanation

i understand the basis of the android operating system, but say motorola makes a wicked video player with the ability to read flash (whatever just making something up here) it comes preinstalled on all motorola phones running android and is never put on the market. Or does motorola say hey guys we made this great program and we know you want to run it on your htc, you can have/purchase it from us.

thats what I mean by the walled garden thing, and if they do the firsts option, this really is no better then the iphone os, right?

How is it no better than the iPhone OS? In my opinion, it's just something very different.

In my opinion, the situation where "some phones will have the ability to do 'X' and some will not" is a very likely one. I would assume that on any high-end Android phone, that it would be able to run any Android app. Other than that, it would really depend on the manufacturer and the carrier and what they decide to put in there. For example, when Sprint comes out with an Android phone, it will definitely have the Sprint Music Store (probably alongside the Amazon Music Store) and it will definitely have the Sprint TV, Sprint Radio, Sprint Navigation (that turn by turn is awesome btw), and other Sprint exclusives.

So when it comes down to it, yes, there will always be phones that will be more capable than the older one. That's probably why I'll hold off on buying an Android until next year or something.

**fenrir121** · 11-15-2008, 02:21 AM

If your phone can run the OS, it will be able to run the applications, regardless of manufacturer. They could try to run the hardware numbers to verify manufacturer or something, but these are not impossible to trick, and as long as the same API's are there it will be possible to finagle the software in. You may not have the right services -- like the T-Hotspots deal -- or you may not have the specific hardware to support app functions -- I don't know, Bluetooth or something -- but if Android will run on the phone, so will the app.

As for the Motorola Flash player scenario: although that is not impossible, opensource software tries to limit this type of technology hoarding by allowing the same access to the system that a big guy like Motorola has, to the little guy programmers. So, while Motorola could develop and release a tech on all their phones, the proof of concept combined with a bit of reverse engineering by the community will be able to give users the same product for free, and subvert the monopoly of the big guys. It may take a bit longer for especially revolutionary technology, but it could also be tackled by the community before the big guys, and make it impossible to dominate teh market with a for-pay product, and either is just as likely. That is teh true beauty of open source.