Palm lets loose the Pre SDK: how it can still beat the iPhone at its own game
The Palm Pre has just gotten an infusion of awesome: “after a successful early access program,” Palm is making the Mojo Software Development Kit available to all interested app developers. This sure is going to stir some excitement among the development community as well as Pre’s existing (and potential) users.
It’s all about the ecosystem
As Apple’s App Store has demonstrated, boy does the ecosystem matter! iPhone/iPod Touch apps now serve as conversation starters for complete strangers! Users provide valuable feedback to app developers, who work hard to improve their apps and delight users. And that is power: for developers, for Apple, and for users. Now that its Mojo SDK is widely available, Palm is giving Pre developers the ability to empower users of the device, much in the same way Apple has done. In reality, Palm may have several advantages over Apple in this space. One advantage is already being capitalized on by Palm: the company is taking the community-oriented approach, having already created forums for its developers and invited them to share information and insights about developing with the SDK. This is in high contrast to the tight-lipped stance Apple initially took, prohibiting developers from discussing the act of coding using the SDK. In this regard, developing for the Pre should be a much more collaborative processes than it was for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Once new applications can be submitted to the App Catalog (this fall), Palm can further play on its greater degree of “openness” by having a less stringent (read: moronic) application submission process. For Apple, approving submitted applications is a dark spot in the App Store’s otherwise very bright reputation. Palm can gain developer’s respect (as well as attract new developers) by being open about the exact criteria to have an app approved. Read more »
Posted in Business, Decisions, Featured, Palm, Pre
