How can RIM fix its app shortcomings?

RIM is severely behind other platforms when it comes to app development, and I don't feel as if they are doing enough to solve the problem. Actually, I don't even know if they recognize it as a problem if you looked at those CrackBerry interviews with RIM higher-ups.

BB App Problems:
1. Almost every app has a better performing, cheaper version on Apple or Google.
2. The app selection on those two platforms is much better than BB. Yes, there are lots of useless apps but I think it's worth that risk. We only have one legitimate sports score app for the BB (ScoreMobile). We only have one or two YouTube viewers because the browser can't handle it. I'm willing to sift through silly $0.99 apps if it means better selection in other areas.
3. Memory is a serious concern. Most current devices will not handle OS 6.0 and there are huge memory leaks on many apps. This is a big risk because you're betting on people re-upping with RIM...whose loyalty is lower right now compared to the other two big competitors.
4. Too many devices, screen sizes, touch/non-touch makes it difficult for developers.


Possible Solutions?

1. Let developers take full advantage of RIM's push capabilities. On other platforms you have a lot of crap running in the background. Let all apps take advantage of what RIM's first-party apps can do with the OS. I believe they are already on this track with "SuperApps"?

2. Assure developers on screen sizes, and standardize them. All bolds/curves will have one resolution. All Storms another. And then the pearl. That's it. Every other BB follows that model, including the Slider and anything else that may come up.

3. Figure out apps on the SD card. This is what your users want. Find a way. You can make it secure. This will enable OS 6.0 to run on all current devices (or give them just the webkit)...give users a taste so they will sign up for another 2 years.

4. Lower app minimum to $1, not $3. Overall sales will increase and again...you want more, because letting in crappy apps means better apps will follow.

Thoughts???

Originally Posted by jetman1287

RIM is severely behind other platforms when it comes to app development, and I don't feel as if they are doing enough to solve the problem. Actually, I don't even know if they recognize it as a problem if you looked at those CrackBerry interviews with RIM higher-ups.

BB App Problems:
1. Almost every app has a better performing, cheaper version on Apple or Google.
2. The app selection on those two platforms is much better than BB. Yes, there are lots of useless apps but I think it's worth that risk. We only have one legitimate sports score app for the BB (ScoreMobile). We only have one or two YouTube viewers because the browser can't handle it. I'm willing to sift through silly $0.99 apps if it means better selection in other areas.
3. Memory is a serious concern. Most current devices will not handle OS 6.0 and there are huge memory leaks on many apps. This is a big risk because you're betting on people re-upping with RIM...whose loyalty is lower right now compared to the other two big competitors.
4. Too many devices, screen sizes, touch/non-touch makes it difficult for developers.


Possible Solutions?

1. Let developers take full advantage of RIM's push capabilities. On other platforms you have a lot of crap running in the background. Let all apps take advantage of what RIM's first-party apps can do with the OS. I believe they are already on this track with "SuperApps"?

2. Assure developers on screen sizes, and standardize them. All bolds/curves will have one resolution. All Storms another. And then the pearl. That's it. Every other BB follows that model, including the Slider and anything else that may come up.

3. Figure out apps on the SD card. This is what your users want. Find a way. You can make it secure. This will enable OS 6.0 to run on all current devices (or give them just the webkit)...give users a taste so they will sign up for another 2 years.

4. Lower app minimum to $1, not $3. Overall sales will increase and again...you want more, because letting in crappy apps means better apps will follow.

Thoughts???

price is set by developers, yes there is the minimum price mark, but thats the only influcence RIM have as to cost, if people want to sell at $0.99 there is the CB store

app selection is developers, not RIM

screen sizes are a PITA agreed, however by saying to agree to a standardised size, would that not stifle the move towards a bigger res screen?

i can see why people want apps to go to mem card, but dont see it happening, purely becuase if someone releases a 4Mb app, people complain, even if its only for a 256Mb device (normally 110 free after OS).
i think the best potential soloution to that side is to make some the the assets an app uses web based, kinda webOS style i guess, this would need web conectivity though.

and ii think to say `allow poor apps and good will follow` would seriously damage the credibility of devs, as people would just say `i got an app on BB and its pants` (think 20,000 iFart apps lol)

Originally Posted by daveastra

price is set by developers, yes there is the minimum price mark, but thats the only influcence RIM have as to cost, if people want to sell at $0.99 there is the CB store

app selection is developers, not RIM

screen sizes are a PITA agreed, however by saying to agree to a standardised size, would that not stifle the move towards a bigger res screen?

i can see why people want apps to go to mem card, but dont see it happening, purely becuase if someone releases a 4Mb app, people complain, even if its only for a 256Mb device (normally 110 free after OS).
i think the best potential soloution to that side is to make some the the assets an app uses web based, kinda webOS style i guess, this would need web conectivity though.

and ii think to say `allow poor apps and good will follow` would seriously damage the credibility of devs, as people would just say `i got an app on BB and its pants` (think 20,000 iFart apps lol)

% of BB users on the CrackBerry store compared to...% of BB users who have App World -- far and away different.

Screen sizes are tough...Android has found a way to manage it though...not sure how...

I generally want to allow all apps, and even if 80% are useless I think that's okay.

Originally Posted by jetman1287

..... even if 80% are useless I think that's okay.

I would absolutely disagree with this.

The LAST THING I want to do is to wade through a bunch of garbage applications in order to discern the good ones.

RIM has almost nothing to do with any of these points. Don't blame RIM for apps that 3rd parties create.

As for devices and screen sizes, it's a cake walk. I'm a software developer, come to my world and try to tackle those issues on all the flavors of PC's and OS's that are out there. Think RIM devices are bad? Think again.

Originally Posted by jetman1287

4. Too many devices, screen sizes, touch/non-touch makes it difficult for developers.

This right here is what's linked I believe to the apps costing a bit more than
on other platforms. If the developer makes these things for those, it's a lot
of work. The developer is going to feel that he/she should be compensated.
As well they should.

I think I remember a while back reading something on here about how RIM
was going to let the 3rd party developers use API's for PUSH.

Ok, so will app prices increase now the iPhone 4G is here? It's a different screen size after all.

You can blame RIM for third party developers - ie, why are they all on Apple/Android and NOT RIM?

Sorting out the crap is easy - "Sort by Popularity/Rating/etc"

IMO, many of the apps on BB are crap anyway...useless bloatware that lags...the point being if you add 10,000 apps, even cheap $1 games, you're going to get quality ones that rise to the top.

Originally Posted by jetman1287

IMO, many of the apps on BB are crap anyway...useless bloatware that lags...the point being if you add 10,000 apps, even cheap $1 games, you're going to get quality ones that rise to the top.

Sort of, and there has been a problem brewing in the app community over this for a while now. You search for something you want and get 10, 000 results. Which to choose? It gets confusing especially for the average user.

Sometimes less choice is a nice thing in the grand scheme of things.

Originally Posted by Radius

Sort of, and there has been a problem brewing in the app community over this for a while now. You search for something you want and get 10, 000 results. Which to choose? It gets confusing especially for the average user.

Sometimes less choice is a nice thing in the grand scheme of things.

I think less choice is hurting the BB here...

When I say BB apps are crap, I mean the hardware/OS does not support smooth performance.

Crap Apple/Android apps refer to the 15th iteration of the same game. They all run pretty well. You would not see a 2-star Android app at the top of the charts like you do BB.

ASSUMING the OS picks up (BIG if), more apps = more choices for competition = all win, even if there is the shortcoming of 10 crappy versions of the same game (which will get sorted out thru downloads/user reviews anyway).

Originally Posted by jetman1287

I think less choice is hurting the BB here...

When I say BB apps are crap, I mean the hardware/OS does not support smooth performance.

Crap Apple/Android apps refer to the 15th iteration of the same game. They all run pretty well. You would not see a 2-star Android app at the top of the charts like you do BB.

ASSUMING the OS picks up (BIG if), more apps = more choices for competition = all win, even if there is the shortcoming of 10 crappy versions of the same game (which will get sorted out thru downloads/user reviews anyway).

The OS is ranked as one of the most used in the world, Apple isn't even near them yet. It's not an if, it's a fact.

Originally Posted by Radius

Ok, so will app prices increase now the iPhone 4G is here? It's a different screen size after all.

They'll have to make an app for two screen sizes. And only ONE OS.
Not a bunch of different platforms.

Originally Posted by The_Maestro

They'll have to make an app for two screen sizes. And only ONE OS.
Not a bunch of different platforms.

First of all I'm not sure what you mean by platform unless you are referring to the different models of phones? I haven't done much app development for the BB as it's Java. And I really can't stand Java.

Originally Posted by Radius

First of all I'm not sure what you mean by platform unless you are referring to the different models of phones? I haven't done much app development for the BB as it's Java. And I really can't stand Java.

4.6.0.
4.6.1
4.7.0
4.7.1
5.0.0

Now imagine if you can't stand Java. Imagine how they feel.

Originally Posted by jetman1287

RIM is severely behind other platforms when it comes to app development, and I don't feel as if they are doing enough to solve the problem. Actually, I don't even know if they recognize it as a problem if you looked at those CrackBerry interviews with RIM higher-ups.

BB App Problems:
1. Almost every app has a better performing, cheaper version on Apple or Google.
2. The app selection on those two platforms is much better than BB. Yes, there are lots of useless apps but I think it's worth that risk. We only have one legitimate sports score app for the BB (ScoreMobile). We only have one or two YouTube viewers because the browser can't handle it. I'm willing to sift through silly $0.99 apps if it means better selection in other areas.
3. Memory is a serious concern. Most current devices will not handle OS 6.0 and there are huge memory leaks on many apps. This is a big risk because you're betting on people re-upping with RIM...whose loyalty is lower right now compared to the other two big competitors.
4. Too many devices, screen sizes, touch/non-touch makes it difficult for developers.


Possible Solutions?

1. Let developers take full advantage of RIM's push capabilities. On other platforms you have a lot of crap running in the background. Let all apps take advantage of what RIM's first-party apps can do with the OS. I believe they are already on this track with "SuperApps"?

2. Assure developers on screen sizes, and standardize them. All bolds/curves will have one resolution. All Storms another. And then the pearl. That's it. Every other BB follows that model, including the Slider and anything else that may come up.

3. Figure out apps on the SD card. This is what your users want. Find a way. You can make it secure. This will enable OS 6.0 to run on all current devices (or give them just the webkit)...give users a taste so they will sign up for another 2 years.

4. Lower app minimum to $1, not $3. Overall sales will increase and again...you want more, because letting in crappy apps means better apps will follow.

Thoughts???

I fully agree, they need to fix the App store, and give better listing options, the top free, only shows about 25, give me some sorting options like the top 50 downloaded free, or top 100. or top new apps, or newest apps listed