Apple’s new OS
TYD pointed out this interesting article on the impact Apple’s new OS is likely to have on some apps whose functions are now incorporated into the OS.
I recall Microsoft killing off any number of really intriguing applications by including degraded versions, with inferior capabilities, in new releases of Windows: those the Windows apps were inferior, they were also free, and the result is that the independent apps (e.g., Chameleon, a complex calendar app that did a lot more besides) folded up shop once Windows cut out most of their customer base (Outlook’s calendar function is what did it to Chameleon).
On a related note, see this post at Lifehacker on how to get Windows capabilities in your Mac OS.
It’s equally likely that Apple incorporating these features into the OS will actually INcrease sales for the 3rd-party apps. After all, most people don’t really know what “Remember the Milk” does, or even that it exists. When someone tells them it’s like the new feature in iOS 5 but better, that’s a good selling point.
There’s always bad blood about this sort of move in the nerd press. But what were they expecting? Apple made a 1.0 operating system with many features missing. Of course they planned to flesh them out in later versions. Seeing that these features were not there yet, 3rd parties decided to beat them to it. Now that Apple has gotten around to incorporating them I don’t see where they get to say it’s unfair.
In any case, the bottom line is that the most important thing Apple can do for third party developers is to grow the platform. That means new features and functionality. And with 200,000 apps available from third parties, it’s hard to see where someone’s toes don’t get stepped on. Apple is growing the platform and that’s good for the ecosphere as a whole.
scottfeldstein
9 June 2011 at 1:22 pm
The Outlook analogy is not a great one, since Outlook is not an OS component (it is part of Office)…
Matthew Wills
9 June 2011 at 2:41 pm
Both are good points. The Chameleon owner decided to chuck the software overboard immediately rather than attempt to compete—and, given the complexity of Chameleon, probably a right choice. And you’re right, Matthew: Outlook is indeed a part of Office, not the OS. Sorry about that: didn’t think it through.
LeisureGuy
9 June 2011 at 2:46 pm