Can't help but think the Vesper guys wished they had waited until next year.
Fertile Ground
171–180 of 219 posts
Re: Fertile Ground
#172Earlier quoted context omitted.
It took two weeks to hit 45% when iOS 6 was released. http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/1005_ios... Wow-level context: Jelly-bean is out about eight months and is at 28 some-odd percent. http://hothardware.com/News/Android-Jelly-Bean-Penetration-U...
> Jelly-bean is out about eight months and is at 28 some-odd percent. That clearly shows that Android users are happy with the current release and see no need to switch to a newer version because core features are missing completely, as is the case with iOS.
I can't tell if you're being sarcastic. In case you're not, I've been an Android user for years now, and that is most certainly not what it shows. The vast majority of people can't upgrade to Jelly-bean, because their device, manufacturers, or carriers don't support it or won't release the update for their particular phone. For example, the Droid Bionic was on Gingerbread with no way to upgrade (without rooting) until October 2012 [1]. And the upgrade was for Ice Cream Sandwich which was already 12 months old by that time (and Jelly-bean, the next version after ICS, had already been out for 3 months by that time) [2].
[1] http://www.droid-life.com/2012/10/23/droid-bionic-ice-cream-...
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history#Android...
Re: Fertile Ground
#173I don't think this is going to play out this way. Look to other operating systems that evolved their UI in similar fashion and a few of their dominant software players over the years: Windows-Office, Quickbooks, Quicken, IE/Chrome/Firefox/Netscape (which have shifted favor over years, but not because of UI changes in the OS) Mac OS (X and classic)-Adobe PS, Illustrator, ProTools, Office UI changes, even major ones, h…
There were some notable changes in the Classic-to-X change. Quark XPress replaced by InDesign, BBEdit replaced by TextMate. Probably a few others, too.
Adobe's tools stood unchanged in the X switch, in no small part because they got X versions out pretty quickly that felt relatively at home. Quark, IIRC, took forever to make an X version, so Adobe was able to bring out an X page layout app and eat their lunch. Of course, it didn't hurt that everyone pretty much loathed XPress, especially its heaviest users...
Re: Fertile Ground
#174Yay change for change's sake. This is exactly the wrong attitude in my opinion. How does it help users to all of a sudden have most apps feel ancient? Is it really something to be proud of? That for the next year we'll be working on replacing existing utilities so that they feel "right" and "fresh" instead of doing what we should be doing: thinking of actual new software that is worthwhile to write. I've been saying…
"Why be you, when you can be new."
Re: Fertile Ground
#175Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a very a good point. As a major Apple fan I completely agree with you. After looking over the iOS changes I see absolutely nothing that is more "revolutionary" than what we have now in iOS6, or even what Android and Windows Phone offers. At best, it looks like iOS7 is nothing more than a mix of Android and Windows Phone plus a few extra UI elements. I am not a big fan of Marco's obsession with drama but I do…
I'm also an Apple fan. I love my Macbook Pro Retina, it's the best computer I've ever owned. Being a fan of a company shouldn't blind you to their missteps when they happen though. It shouldn't lead to unfair application of criticism.
You're absolutely right. Much of the caterwauling hasn't been fair though. This isn't a final release we are discussing. It a beta. It's a redesign that has been on the boards for less than 7 months, and it looks that way. Does it need more work? Yes, absolutely. I don't thing a single engineer or designe at Apple is sitting back in their chair and thinking "job done". What it is is an interesting direction. Accusations of 'missteps' are off the mark. It's difficult to have a sensible discussion as the signal-to-noise in any Apple discussion is just awful. Criticism is good, however most are utterly incapable of doing so constructively, which is plainly bad.
Re: Fertile Ground
#176Earlier quoted context omitted.
And the OS is specifically built to handle that. Layouts are't done in visual pixels, but in density-independent units. The layout engine itself is designed to accommodate different display sizes and aspect ratios. The entire OS is built around a capabilities system that is designed to make it run on devices that may or may not have a camera or trackpad or whatnot. Android fragmentation is about the availability of A…
Well, my personal experience is that things break on different Android devices for various and sundry reasons despite the existence of dp. If apps run on the iOS simulator you rarely find issues on an actual device except performance issues. But you'd better test on the Note 2, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Tab, Nexus 7, HTC Desire C, LG Elite, ...
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Re: Fertile Ground
#177Earlier quoted context omitted.
And the OS is specifically built to handle that. Layouts are't done in visual pixels, but in density-independent units. The layout engine itself is designed to accommodate different display sizes and aspect ratios. The entire OS is built around a capabilities system that is designed to make it run on devices that may or may not have a camera or trackpad or whatnot. Android fragmentation is about the availability of A…
Well, my personal experience is that things break on different Android devices for various and sundry reasons despite the existence of dp. If apps run on the iOS simulator you rarely find issues on an actual device except performance issues. But you'd better test on the Note 2, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Tab, Nexus 7, HTC Desire C, LG Elite, ...
I haven't found device fragmentation to be much of an issue in practice in Android development. Admittedly the apps I've written so far haven't really been pushing the envelope but aside from some hassles with older Kindles I haven't had to spend that much time on device-specific bugs. Not much more, in fact, than I've had to spend getting apps that run fine on iPhone 4+ working on the 3GS.
It's even less of an issue if you can afford to target only 4.0 and above, which is an increasingly reasonable choice for a lot of apps.
Re: Fertile Ground
#178Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think Marco is saying this is good from an independent ios developers perspective, not necessarily from a users perspective. As somebody who makes his living as an independent app developer, I'm sure he's thrilled about this. Its undeniably an opportunity for independent developers who don't have to maintain an existing app. Whether its good for users or the ecosystem in general is a totally different discussion.
Indeed. One of the things Marco is glossing over is how the iOS 7 overhaul makes iOS development riskier: - Will I (and the apps I'm planning) be able to adapt to the UI changes smoothly or not? - How are these changes going to play out on the iPad? - Does Apple have any other foundation-shifting changes planned before iOS 7 comes out? - Will these changes impact user behavior? - And so on. From the perspective of an…
Who is everyone else?
Re: Fertile Ground
#179Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't like the idea that four years is a prohibitively long time for a device that I spend hundreds of dollars on.
The reality is that you're in a vanishingly small minority. And I'm not hand-waving that notion either. I write apps and I've seen device usage numbers for a number of apps across a number of verticals - 3GS usage really is a vanishingly low number, well below 1%. Devs don't have anything against old phones, we don't care how often you give Apple your money. If enough people still used the 3GS, we'd support the 3GS.…
And Apple didn't become the most valuable company in the world by not playing to the consumer-driven culture, making sure there is a good reason for people to drop hundreds (or thousands) each year on updated smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Re: Fertile Ground
#180Earlier quoted context omitted.
Indeed. One of the things Marco is glossing over is how the iOS 7 overhaul makes iOS development riskier: - Will I (and the apps I'm planning) be able to adapt to the UI changes smoothly or not? - How are these changes going to play out on the iPad? - Does Apple have any other foundation-shifting changes planned before iOS 7 comes out? - Will these changes impact user behavior? - And so on. From the perspective of an…
Who is everyone else?
Anyone who isn't an independent developer starting out (i.e. those with existing apps and larger organizations who perhaps have other apps that will require additional work just to maintain their current state.)