Comment by codingthewheel | Hacker News Reader

Comment by codingthewheel | Hacker News Reader

I recently switched from an iPhone to an Android and haven't looked back, even though I still see the iPhone as a best-in-class device. The best Android phones are just a few percentage points shy of the iPhone in usability, and the availability of Flash for Android alone makes up for that, IMHO. Even though I have a healthy dislike for Flash.

Add to that the fact that you can get an app written and deployed for Android in a fraction of the time it would take you on the iPhone...

- Because you're not required to use horrid tools like Objective C

- Because there are no imperious App Store overlords deciding the fate of your app's life or approval

- Because you don't need to make a several-thousands-of-dollars investment in Apple hardware and software

...and I think it's likely that Android will eclipse iPhone, not just in numbers of handsets (many orders of magnitude more coming for Android), but in mindshare, pop culture relevance, developer sentiment, and every other thing.

The iPhone will always be the phone that launched the smartphone revolution, and Apple and Steve Jobs have been well rewarded for it. Android to me represents the democritization of the iPhone, and the democritization of designer tech has always been the bane of Steve Jobs. Put another way: iOS devices are going to seem much less compelling when they've been copied, perfected, rebranded, and sold for half the price. It's Mac vs. PC all over again.

Question: what makes Objective-C horrible? I quite like the way it manages to remain moderately performant while also giving many of the benefits of dynamic languages. (Personally, I find Java horribly restrictive, but that's a separate discussion.)

Also: "several thousands of dollars" is incorrect. The minimum is about $1,000 for a Mac Mini (perfectly good for most development) and two testing iPod touches, but you might even have some of those to start with. (And that's all assuming you don't get anything used/refurbished/etc, which is another reasonably-sized discount.)

Just a friendly reminder to whoever downvoted me: you're really not supposed to downvote on HN for differences of opinion. I understand a lot of people have a lot invested in Apple, but having used and developed for both devices, this is my best, somewhat educated but possibly incorrect, guess as to the future of these platforms. And none of this is really new. So rather than anonymously downvoting, why don't you venture an opinion of your own?

I didn't downvote you, but having read your comment I imagine some of the motivations of those who did were:

- 'Horrid tools like Objective-C' is a value statement made without justification.

- 'Imperious App Store overlords' sounds rather like a straw man.

- 'several-thousands-of-dollars investment in Apple hardware and software' is inaccurate.

The problem in general with iOS vs Android is that is has indeed become like Mac vs PC, in that individuals who have decided on their allegiance feel the need to promote their chosen platform in comments, often through (probably unintentional) exaggeration. I'm not being patronising here, I'm quite sure I do the same.

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