Smartphones & Tablets Vying For Attention
As many of you know, TeleBEEM is now based in Seattle. And it’s impossible to go out and network with people without often meeting someone who works for Microsoft. As soon as they learn about TeleBEEM, the first question I hear is, “Any apps for Windows phones?” Over time, I’ve developed a standard response: “As soon as Windows phone reaches 10% of the smartphone market share, we will.” And by comScore’s latest research, Microsoft is no where near 10%.
Since TeleBEEM is a small company, we have to pick and choose what products to develop, and what devices to develop for. In an ideal world, we would develop every good idea into an app for every device. But we can’t do that. So we’re stuck waiting for the third “horse” in this two horse race to emerge. We may even develop for BlackBerry again if those devices regain traction in the market.
All we want to do is create great products for as many people as possible, but we also need to balance that with making sure our resources get spread so thin supporting so many platforms that all of our products suffer. But if it makes sense for TeleBEEM products to be on new platforms, we’ll do our best to pull it off.
So long, BlackBerry
When we first started TeleBEEM in 2009, our first product was 900+ Human Voice Ringtones & Notifications for BlackBerry. So it’s with great displeasure that we are no longer developing for the BlackBerry platform. And although our products for the phones are still available on some channels, our ringtone products are no longer available through BlackBerry App World.
BlackBerry used to be our bread and butter, our favorite platform to use and also to develop for. But things change, leadership in the technology industries change, and we have decided that the BlackBerry platform is no longer attractive from a developer’s perspective. The BlackBerry platform has lost a lot of market share to Android and iPhone in a very short amount of time, and the market we want to reach no longer uses BlackBerry.
We had been teeter on our decision to pull out for some time, but a couple of weeks ago we received message from Research In Motion (BlackBerry’s owner) that pushed us in our current direction. All of our ringtone products were instantly pulled from App World, as RIM had acquired ringtone company rington.es and was now in the ringtone business. No warning, no appeals process, no response from the company. After nearly three years of development and commitment to the platform, we were cut out in an instant. Even Apple, at the height of its success, allows competition to its own products by competing companies.
With BlackBerry’s decline, you would think the company would want to keep as many developers as possible, especially developers with proven track records for generating income for the company. Instead, they have helped us make a decision that was a long time coming. BlackBerry hasn’t been relevant to our business in nearly six months, but now it is also irrelevant.
We are now focusing on making great products for Android, iOS, and maybe something new… stay tuned.
Why I Won’t Return My iPhone 4S
Recently, I had purchased and soon returned a Galaxy Nexus phone. I have since bought an iPhone 4S, and although it has its shortcomings, I won’t be returning it any time soon. First, here are some of the shortcomings I’ve perceived with the iPhone, coming to the device from a couple of years of Android use.
- Volume controls. The volume controls are confusing on the iPhone. I can’t tell when I’m raising the volume on the ringer versus the notifications or on games. I just don’t quite get the logic of how the volume rocker affects what app and when.
- No custom notifications. TeleBEEM has had great success with our Human Voice Ringtones & Notifications apps on BlackBerry and Android. This is because the app allows the user to set custom ringtones and notifications on those phones. However, on the iPhone you’re stuck with a couple dozen built in sounds, and you can’t add your own. This is a bit annoying.
- Lack of navigation buttons. I really miss Android’s navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes you need more than just the home button, and a back button, menu button, and search button would be useul.
- No Flash. Adobe Flash and the iPhone have never co-existed.
- No built-in map app with voice turn by turn directions. This is one of Android’s biggest selling points, and I miss this dearly.
Now, why I think the iPhone 4S was a wise choice.
- Tons of apps. As of this writing, the iPhone has over 400,000 apps available. Many are not that great, but many more are amazing. Most cool tech start-ups begin with an iPhone app instead of an Android app.
- Standardized interface. Android is highly customizable, but this means that all Android phones look different, have different interfaces, and all work a bit differently. I can pick up any i Device and I will know how to use it.
- My friends mostly have iPhones. This means that I can ask friends for suggestions on apps, and for tips on how to get the most out of my phone. If I have a question about something, a dozen friends will probably have an answer. Using Face Time and iMessage is also fun and cost-efficient.
- It just works. The phone does what it needs to do, and it rarely fails.
Despite its shortcomings, right now I do prefer the iPhone to Android. I think that over time, both types of phones will be more similar than different, and this will be good news for consumers.
Why I returned my Galaxy Nexus
I really wanted to like the new Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)… I really did. I longed for it before it was even officially announced. Everyday in November and December, I searched Google for “Galaxy Nexus” to see if Verizon Wireless had announced a release date yet. Finally, it was announced on December 14, and I had it in my hands on December 16th. But today, it was reset and returned to Verizon Wireless. Here’s why…
The software
Ice Cream Sandwich is new… the Nexus is the first phone to have it. I was excited to play with it, to see if TeleBEEM’s Android apps were compatible with it (they all are)… but it is still not where it could be. The operating system has a lot to do with the user experience, and the OS here seemed worse than my old Droid Incredible (which I have gone back to while my next new phone ships). The Incredible has HTC’s Sense UI, which is spectacular… the best skin on the market. But the Nexus had none. It was plain. Only one clock widget. Basic elements I liked about the Incredible were gone.
Speaking of software, most of my apps didn’t work out of the box, which is to be expected with a new phone. But you would think that developers would get their act together after a week or two. Some did… the big names in apps had new compatible versions within a few days. But many of my smaller, most loved apps just didn’t get updated. Now famously, my both of my favorite workout apps, JogTracker and AllSport GPS, each crashed at different times during workouts (First JogTracker ruined a couple of runs, and then after switching to AllSport, it died on me too). As a developer, I work hard to make sure my apps work with most phones, but if the phone itself refuses to play nice, there is little you can do. Now both of my fvaorite exercise apps are running happily on the Incredible again.
The size
In America, it seems that bigger is always better. Not so with cell phones. I’m a regular size guy with regular hands but fat fingers. The Nexus was just too big. It got so bad, I had to put all of my favorite app icons on the right side of the screen or else I couldn’t reach them! In my view, a 3.5″ screen is perfect – for normal hands and for battery life (a bigger screen means more juice!)
The accessories
There are few… mostly from Verizon. This is actually something that plagues most Androids… they are all so different, that manufacturers don’t commit to building cases for every phone. With the iPhone or a BlackBerry you can go online and find a hundred different cases. Most Android phones only get one or two good cases… maybe three if it’s really popular.
The support
Since the phone is so new, there is little support outside of Verizon. You can visit blogs but most still don’t know what they’re doing. With millions upon millions of iPhone or BlackBerry users, there is bound to be someone who knows how to do the most obscure task on the phone.
The camera
All of my low light pictures came out grainy, even with the flash. The camera is just horrible.
In conclusion… ultimately, there is a price to pay for cutting edge. I was taken in by specs and the excitement of a new operating system, and I was let down. I paid the $35 restocking fee and got something a little more proven.
The Mobile Gold Rush
We recently wrote about how the mobile app business is growing.
Related to this news, it comes as no surprise that Apple and Android have the biggest app stores – Apple with about 500,000 apps (about 140,000 specifically for the iPad), and about 250,000 for Android. Both stores seem to be growing, which means more choice for consumers, but also too much to browse through.
This rush of new apps is partly the media’s fault. Some services like Dropbox get millions of downloads, while others get very few. The media focuses on the Dropboxes of the world and ignores the apps with few downloads, making it seem like it’s easy to make an app and have it succeed. The truth is, it’s hard work to make a quality app that people will want to download and use, let alone one that people are willing to pay for. I wonder just how many app companies are making money, and how many invested into getting an app made and are making nothing. It’s certainly a gold rush mentality out there right now – a few are getting rich, many people who provide development and marketing services for apps are getting rich, and millions of small developers are losing money.
At TeleBEEM, we can’t complain. Our revenue is growing, and we’re pretty happy. But we aren’t growing at the explosive rate that a lot of venture-backed companies are. But we are small, nimble, and we create quality products that people want.
To continue with the gold rush analogy, we are a part of the gold rush, but we see ourselves as the little guy who pawned some stuff to buy some tools, work hard, and earn a living – if we get rich, then that’s ok too, but we don’t expect it, and we’re better for it because it hasn’t happened yet!
The Legacy of Steve Jobs
Earlier this month, Steve Jobs, the founder and mastermind of Apple, passed away. He was still young, with a lot more to contribute to the world of high tech, but it seems that his legacy will live on.
Steve Jobs will likely be remembered as that person who put a portable touch screen computer into the hands of millions of people, but there are perhaps things that won’t be remember as much. Here are some things that Mr. Jobs won’t be remembered for, but should.
- Providing a tightly designed customer experience across all products. Love it or hate it, all of Apple’s products are meant to work together seamlessly. Why could this possibly be a bad thing? Because your entire experience is controlled by one company – one app store, one music app, one way to sync contacts, etc. Simple, yes. Open,
- Being overly protective and secretive in all dealings. Was Steve Jobs innovative? Yes. Did he like for others to be innovative too? Not so much. This is evident by Apple’s secretive nature with its products before launch, and with Apple’s policy to sue anyone who even thinks of being inspired by a design that Apple popularized. Prime examples are – the touch screen mobile phone, app stores, etc. How can you own a concept that is so common and naturally useful in people’s lives?
- Resilience over adversity. Steve Jobs started a company and then lost the reigns. As revenge, he would start two new companies, one that created products enjoyed by millions (Pixar), and one that would help him regain his spot at his original company (Next). Steve never gave up, and he made Apple the most valuable company in the world. He also never surrendered his fight with cancer, and would die trying his hardest to beat it.
Love him or hate him, Steve Jobs was visionary – in tech and in business. He made products that a lot of people love, and that a lot of people love to hate. That passion, above all, is why Steve Jobs will be remembered.
Mobile Update – iOS and Android dominate in the US
According to a new study by comScore:
84.5 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in August, up 10 percent from the preceding three month period. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 43.7 percent market share, up 5.6 percentage points from the prior three-month period. Apple strengthened its #2 position, growing 0.7 percentage points to 27.3 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 19.7 percent share, followed by Microsoft (5.7 percent) and Symbian (1.8 percent).
Related to this news, it comes as no surprise that Apple and Android have the biggest app stores – Apple with about 500,000 apps (about 140,000 specifically for the iPad), and about 250,000 for Android. Both stores seem to be growing, which means more choice for consumers, but also too much to browse through.
Why We Think You Need Vaulto
Vaulto is a new service we officially launched a few weeks ago (it has been in beta since mid-summer). We’re really hyped about it, and we hope consumers and small businesses will be as well. You just never know when a disaster might strike, and it’s good having peace of mind that your important documents are protected. Here are some reasons we’re really excited about Vaulto:
- Upload scanned documents from the website, or use the iPhone/iPad or Android apps to photograph and upload your documents directly from your phone.
- Access your files from anywhere with internet access, from any device.
- Even if the worst possible scenario does happen (hurricane, tornado, earthquake, fire, terrorism), your files are protected thanks to redundant servers spread out across the US.
- Not only is your data safe from outages, but also safe from theft thanks to our SSL encryption system.
These are just some of the reasons we think you’ll love Vaulto. It’s like insurance for your important documents.
AT&T / T-Mobile Merger Not Happening?
News reports recently indicated that the merger between AT&T and T-Mobile may not be happening afterall. It now seems that the deal has really gone south, as the Department of Justice opened an investigation into the matter, and now T-Mobile says they are entitled to a ‘break-up fee’ to the tune of $3 billion. Yikes!
We’ve always believed that it’s better for consumers to have more carriers competing for their business. With more competition, consumers get better prices, better service, and a better overall experience. We are all for a better consumer experience!
iPad 2 is hot, but facing competition
According to a new study, the iPad platform will be losing a great deal of market share to rivals in the coming years. In fact, since the iPad is facing competition from Android tablets and other platforms, the iPad’s market share will be at around 47% by 2015.
In the United States, the Android platform has already overtaken the iPhone in market share, and many see this as history repeating itself. However, there are some differences in the phone race and the tablet race.
- The iPhone was stuck on the AT&T network during its crucial years. Apple must have underestimated how quickly rivals would show up on the scene, and so it signed a long exclusivity contract with AT&T. By the time the iPhone came to Verizon Wireless, Android devices were hugely popular on all other carriers. It will be an uphill battle for the iPhone from now on, but this isn’t the case for the iPad, which is carrier-indifferent, and that can be bought by anyone on any network.
- The iPad has a clear advantage when it comes to consistency on the platform. Just like the Mac computers that Apple makes, the iPad’s hardware and software is made by the same company and in few (in this case, one) configuration. This makes development easier, and it makes the user experience more enjoyable as well. The Android tablets are made by a slew of manufacturers, with different screen resolutions and sizes, and with inconsistent system specs. This has made it more difficult for small developers like TeleBEEM to jump right in to the Android tablet market.
Of course the allure of the Android tablets is the platform’s openness. Many developers rejoice at the fact that at least three major distributors exist for the Android platform – the official Android Market, the Amazon App Store, and MobiHand. With Apple, you are forced to use iTunes and Apple’s own app store as your only source. This lack of competition gives Apple a lot of control over pricing and restrictions, which could leave developers with a bad taste in their mouths and have them head to other platforms.
With all of this said, it seems that the iPad platform will be dominant for at least the next few years. No matter where these competitive tablet wars end up, TeleBEEM will be there with our apps!
