Microsoft’s chief software architect Ray Ozzie was discussing smartphones at Microsoft’s Professional Developers Conference earlier. Apparently, we just don’t get what’s important and what’s not in the smartphone battle, because according to him, apps don’t matter one bit.
All the apps that count will be ported to every one of them. It’s a completely different situation from the PC market, where software’s built to run on a Windows or a Mac. Mobile apps require very little development, so it’s much easier to bring them onto every platform.
Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie. You’re just jealous that the Windows Mobile Market doesn’t have enough fart apps, aren’t you?[Venture Beat via Brian X. Chen]
spiderlama
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 12:48 PM“Mobile apps require very little development”
Maybe he is referring to his own companies apps.
Wok
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:00 PMI kinda agree.
Most apps I use are on every platform.
Most also are just “websites” so… and ofthen relatively they do require less development simply because they don’t have as much functionality.
Still, it’s a big selling point and a large part of why the iPhone is still in my pocket…
matt
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:13 PMapp STORES don’t make your phone special.
should just be like the PC arena, just get an app from anywhere.
he’s full of shit btw with that mac pc thing. I say it would be HARDER to port between different mobile platforms than Mac and PC (and linux) ESPECIALLY if they are all using there own Fricking language! (C#, objC, (which is c++ backwards compatible atleast) webOS, java…).
HE IS RIGHT THO. apps shouldn’t make the phone! you shouldn’t go “ima gonna get an iphone cause its the only one with fart app 2.0!” it should be defined by its hardware. “ima gonna get an iphone cause I like augmented reality, and its the only one that lets you record and process video in real time.” for example.
Nick Broughall
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:50 PMBut I really like fart app 2.0… :)
moggyx
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:39 PMWow, really think people are missing his point. I think he is just simply saying apps do not define a platform. If there is financial gain to be made, people will port them to any other platform.
The other factor to consider in all this is that HTML5, JavaFX and Silverlight are providing the foundations for cross platform development.
Kieran Cummings
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 5:21 PMThis is total BS. If apps don’t make the platform, then why did the newton fail where the iphone/itouch dominated? Why is windows mobile all driven around it’s app store? Why is nokia, what was once the biggest phone companies, bending to apple’s model?
To me, comments like this just reinforce that windows mobile has been, and always will be, behind other phone/pda OSs. It’s kind of like saying a car isn’t about the electrics, but the motor. Sure, you can say that, but we all know it’s bullshit. Without electrics a car won’t run well, let alone like a modern car.
matt
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 6:18 PMlol, I just realized how hypocritical of Microsoft it was to say this when their major marketing push for the Xbox is how it has more and higher rated games! :D
boc
Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 2:07 PM“Apps don’t make your phone special.”
These aren’t even his words. It’s the title of the news post.
“All the apps that count will be ported to every one of them.”
This is true. Aside from games, most useful apps have been or are being ported to the various mobile platforms.
“It’s a completely different situation from the PC market, where software’s built to run on a Windows or a Mac.”
This is relatively true. Developing for Windows, Mac, and Linux, can be difficult.
“Mobile apps require very little development, so it’s much easier to bring them onto every platform.”
This is true. Most (not all) mobile applications are quite simple. Just look at the growth of mobile apps and you can see they’re quick to churn out.
So what has he said that is so wrong here? Not forgetting he’s speaking to developers and not consumers.
So how about hating Microsoft when they actually say and do something stupid rather than hating because you can’t be bothered thinking.