Developers as always put their time and effort where there’s money to be made. To that end, news and numbers of note to mobile developers today:
iPhone Developers Like Android Too
According to a survey of attendees at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, almost half of the iOS developers also supported development on Android-based platforms as well.
The survey was fielded by investment firm Piper Jaffray, and released today. Well known Apple analyst Gene Munster reported that of 45 developers polled, 22 also did work on Android. Among those Apple-heavy developers, 36 percent indicated they also create applications for BlackBerry, while 13 percent support Windows Phone 7.
Interestingly, only 7 percent of the developers polled said they also write apps for Apple’s Mac platform, a big change from four years ago when 100% of iOS developers said they were also Mac developers. What’s changed in that time is the emergence of iOS native apps and tooling.
Apple Worth More Than Microsoft, HP and Dell – Combined
Here’s shocking number: Apple’s market cap is almost as high as the combined market capitalizations of three of its biggest PC era rivals: Microsoft, HP and Dell.
Apple is now valued at US$301 billion which is slightly less than the $302 billion of Microsoft ($200 billion), HP ($72.8 billion) and Dell ($29.3 billion) combined.
IDC: Windows to Surpass iOS by 2015
Research firm IDC is making the bold claim that Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 will surpass Apple’s iPhone in market share within three years. The hard-to-believe numbers: iOS will drop from an 18.2 percent market share to 16.9 percent, while Android will jump from a market share of 38.9 percent 43.8 percent; and Windows Phone will grow from 3.8 percent to a whopping 20.3 percent. Microsoft’s new partner Nokia will certainly help, but….
Samsung Rides Android Past Nokia
For the first time in 15 years, Nokia is about to lose its smartphone market share title to…..Samsung, according to analysts at Nomura. Apple will also push past Nokia in smartphone hardware sales, the firm said.
