For all those that feel like Android is left out, try being a Blackberry user.

(Yes, there are still people like me who have needs that BB meets better than iOS/Droid.)

You might want to consider RIM's chances of survival and whether it makes sense to transition to ios/droid.

I've always thought the app phenomenon on iOS is sort of the definition of fragmentation. Having to open a separate app every time you want to do something else. And how on earth am I supposed to figure out which apps to download when there are 650,000 of them? Once I get my Galaxy S3 I'm hoping to use it more like a portable laptop. I probably have 15 apps on my iPhone that I can do away with once I have a nice large 4.8" screen to browse the web on.

Good luck with that when you have no internet connection.

Also, Android devices are not all the same and there can be variations in hardware that the software won't work with all hardware from different manufacturers. All phones can be fragmented, but Android more so. Apple supports devices usually back two models (e.g. iOS 5.1 works on iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S.) There's no support for "Jelly Bean 4.1" even on recent devices. Apple is fragmented also in that the latest software leaves off features on older hardware, but other things continue to work.

As far as Android users not updating it's often not a choice they have to update when their device is not able to be updated with the most recent version of the OS software.

Uh....

If they want my/our business, they can cater to the tools that we use. Currently there are a whole lot of Android users. Those happy with the paid apps from businesses selling consumer products have just drunk too much kool aid.

Your take is spot on. 5-6 devices, 4-6 variants of operating system vs 600+ devices and God knows how many OS forks.

Don't believe it? Check this out: http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/11/thi...id-looks-like/

Uh.......

If you want to avail yourself of their products you should expect to PAY FOR IT. That you don't want to is the reason developers create iOS apps and not android apps. There just ain't no money in android apps compared to iOS. THAT was the point of my post. Pay up, or lose out. You seem to have made your choice, stop complaining about it.

Welcome to what it was like to be a Symbian user - for years the largest installed base of smartphones worldwide (and still number 2), but companies would build apps for Windows Phone before they did for Symbian. I guess that's what happens when you don't have any buzz in Silicon Valley.

(I have the SPG app for BB, and it's hopeless.)

The apps I'd be replacing with a web browser all access web content. The apps would be just as useless without an internet connection. Not that I expect to run into that problem on Verizon's network.

I feel your pain.

PS And I really enjoy my 32gb PlayBook.

The OP listed ios apps that are free and mostly serve as ways to make it easier for people to buy a company's products. Why would anyone pay for those apps?

JetBlue, SPG, etc. are hiring developers to develop apps and are giving those apps away in order to increase the revenue and profitability of JetBlue, Starwood, etc. Users are not paying developers for these apps. Instead of using the apps, people could go to the companies' web sites, but that's not as convenient.

I think you're missing the point.

If I want to play a funky game, then I can choose from free and paid ones. But, if I am buying goods and services, the company should be paying for the development of that App.

IF your assertion that Android developers can't make money is true, it is certainly not the consumers fault. It's the failure of both the developers and the companies who they cater their products to. If a company will generate a certain amount of revenue from an App, then the developer should be paid a fee for their work.

If Coca Cola wants me to buy soda, Levi's wants me to buy jeans, or Expedia wants me to buy airfare, they can pay for their own bloody application developments.

(I don't expect a reply, just making my point.)

I'm thinking this was a bigger problem in 2010 than 2012. Every single one of my 4-5 primary airlines and 3 hotel chains - with one notable exception - have an Android app. (Starwood being that notable exception.)

I don't think there's a grand conspiracy here. I think it's some of the simple reasons listed above: iOS had a head start, app developers started there, and now finally - for the most part - iOS and Android are the two biggies that get most apps.

The other systems like Windows Mobile, RIM, Palm's OS, etc....those are the guys that are hosed.

Although I do love this notion that iOS users are more gullible than the rest of the population...

No more gullible than Mercedes or BMW owners, when Ford is just as available.