Android vs IPhone as development platform

[Pratik R Patel]

Ok, this ain't a technical question, but I'll ask it anyways. As a Java developer I'm excited about Android, but there is hardly any market penetration for Android phones at the moment. I saw an article this week that said the IPhone accounts for 66% of mobile web usage. I realize that as more phones are released based on Android, it will become more popular. However, one of the things that plagued the popularity of J2ME was that the phones were very different in supported features and screen size. The IPhone is great in this regard as it's only 1 device that a developer must troubleshoot and develop against - even though it's a closed platform.
What are your thoughts regarding developing for Android w.r.t. the differences in devices that may exist in the near future. Also, how would you compare the development and deployment of apps between the Android and IPhone platforms?

[Mark L. Murphy]

What are your thoughts regarding developing for Android w.r.t. the differences in devices that may exist in the near future.

To a large degree, I think it is much ado about nothing.

It's not like every Windows PC, Mac, Linux box, Windows Mobile handset, Symbian device, etc. are all in lock-step in terms of hardware capabilities. Somehow, humankind managed to survive.

Also, how would you compare the development and deployment of apps between the Android and IPhone platforms?

I have never developed for iPhone, so I would not be able to make a fair comparison. Sorry!

[Michael Rivera]

First about this:

However, one of the things that plagued the popularity of J2ME was that the phones were very different in supported features and screen size. The IPhone is great in this regard as it's only 1 device that a developer must troubleshoot and develop against - even though it's a closed platform.

Yes that is a problem for J2ME, but in Android it is not really a problem, you just need some extra time to make another XML layout design for the said screen and there it goes!

What are your thoughts regarding developing for Android w.r.t. the differences in devices that may exist in the near future.

Android will be everywhere just like Java! , i think the differences would be the phone manufacturers and their supporting hardware if they will permit or not, and ofcourse every country carriers will be a big problem if they will permit them or not (the features android have).

Also, how would you compare the development and deployment of apps between the Android and IPhone platforms?

As what Mark said, me too haven't tried coding in iPhone, but i knew people doing it and i've seen the code structure, i guess it is more c++ programmers phone , and Android is more of a Java programmers phone!


also about the Title Thread, iPhone and Android will always be different, and they will always stay as competitors, the problem now for each of them is that Developers and End-Users have now options whether to work proprietary or work openly?

[Ed Burnette]

I did some iPhone vs. Android development comparison articles during an iPhone class I took in November. You might find them useful:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/index.php?cat=39

[Paul Michael]

Thanks for doing the comparison Ed.

We're currently starting with iPhone development and it was interesting to see how Android development compares to iPhone with the level of detail you discussed.

I agree that we should try both. But until more hardware becomes available for Android, I think I'm going to stick with iPhone for the time being.

[Michael Rivera]

If you prefer doing codes in Java then Android is the one ill pick, unless you are a Mac Lover and knew objective c then do the iPhone!

[Gerbrand van Dieijen]

Michael Rivera wrote:If you prefer doing codes in Java then Android is the one ill pick, unless you are a Mac Lover and knew objective c then do the iPhone!

'The one I'll pick' I guess you mean - an ill pick I would not choose if I want to stay healthy.

[Michael Rivera]

it is assumed you'll understand even thou i did not put the apostrophe , sorry if i'm getting laZy replying, now back to the topic!

[Paul Michael]

Michael Rivera wrote:If you prefer doing codes in Java then Android is the one ill pick, unless you are a Mac Lover and knew objective c then do the iPhone!

I don't think it's just a matter of language preference. I'd pick Java anytime over Objective-C/Cocoa Touch.

But given the (still) weak market penetration of Android phones and the ubiquity of iPhones and iPods, I'd probably have to wait some more before moving to Android.

[Michael Rivera]

@Paul sure thing to do, as for me it doesn't matter, as long as you know what your interest is and have a great faith on Android will be different and starting early is something that you'll add a big help to the android community .