Mobile Application Developers Optimistic for 2011
iPhone for Verizon Expects to have a Positive Impact on the Mobile Application Industry
Verizon Wireless recently announced that in February of 2011, they will be introducing the Apple iPhone as a Smartphone device for their consumers. In the past, it was AT&T who had a monopoly over the iPhone but once Apple’s contract had expired with AT&T, they decided to branch out and allow Verizon to offer the iPhone as one of their Smartphone devices. Now that the Apple iPhone is available on another major cell phone carrier, many Mobile Application Developers are starting to discuss how that will potentially effect mobile device application development and also the growing competition that Apple has been facing from Google and their Android Marketplace.
Mobile Application Developers were thrilled when Verizon announced that they will start carrying the iPhone under another big-name provider like Verizon. In the past Mobile Application Developers felt there were some limitations on mobile application development and the iPhone due to the fact that the iPhone was only available on AT&T and non-AT&T mobile application users really did not have a motive for developing a mobile application for AT&T if they could not reap the benefits of using the application themselves. Now that Verizon will also be carrying the iPhone, many more mobile application developers have stated that they will be intrigued with the possibility of developing additional mobile apps for the iPhone and the iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace.
The introduction of the iPhone on the Verizon network also gives optimism for Apple and their iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace that it will continue to grow at a rapid pace and not level off as some had predicted. Apple’s iTunes Mobile Application Marketplace has been facing a lot of competition from Google and their Android Mobile Application Marketplace which took the mobile application industry by storm in 2010 with an influx of mobile applications; but Apple Mobile Application experts are hoping that Apple will once again regain a sole lead in the mobile application industry now that the iPhone is also available on the Verizon Network.
One potential challenge that Mobile Application Developers may face with the introduction of the iPhone on the Verizon network is the fact that Verizon runs on the older CDMA Network (unlike AT&T that runs on the “4G LTE” network) which will prevent iPhone users from accessing mobile applications while simultaneously talking on their iPhone. Apple CEO Tom Cook claims that this issue will be fixed in the future and that the reason they did not fix it before releasing the iPhone on the Verizon network was because of the fact that consumer wanted the iPhone NOW and the demand was too great to wait.
Apple has once again caused a major stir on the mobile industry with the announcement of the iPhone to Verizon. At the same time, the landscape of mobile application development is expected to expand now that Verizon users can have access to the millions of mobile applications available on the iPhone. While AT&T is expected to face greater competition with Verizon, Mobile Application Developers are surely expected to take advantage of Apple’s expansion to Verizon and this will surely continue to give the Mobile Application Development industry more steam going forward.