Mobile is the future. Despite App Store integration in OS X Lion and Apple’s increased excitement about the Mac, the number of iOS developers also working on Mac applications has dwindled to single digits.
Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster Monday told investors a survey of 45 iOS developers attending WWDC found while all write for the iOS platform, just 7 percent develop for the Mac.
This is a sharp reversal from the 2008 WWDC, when Munster found 50 percent of developers attending the conference produced Mac apps. (Of course, in 2008, there was no iPad nor App Store and iOS was still in beta.)
The survey also found 47 percent of developers produce apps for Android (up from 0 percent in 2008), with 36 percent for RIM’s BlackBerry and 13 percent for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7. No developer surveyed believes BlackBerry, WebOS or Nokia’s Symbian have a future.
Despite complaints about Apple’s “strict limitations” and the App Store’s fickle approval process, every developer questioned by the analyst said they prefer iOS for quick development and clear monetization.
We can understand their perspective… but we wonder if this won’t change when Lion drops. What do you think? Can Lion lure developers back to the Mac, or does iOS give developers the sort of platform purity that they never knew they needed until Apple gave it to them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.
22 responses to “Just 7% of iOS Developers Are Still Interested In The Mac”
Asking 45 people is hardly satistically significant! Ask 450, and maybe I’ll pay attention.
Well, more money for people looking to Mac. I’ve first-hand experienced how much competition there is on the iOS.
I am surprised to see such a low percentage of desktop developers. While it is clear mobile has been getting all the love from Apple (and consumers) lately, desktops are still very important. I am writing this on my MacBook Pro, not my iPad because I am at work. Applications or Apps both need an atmosphere conducive to growth. I hope OS X Lion brings that to the table since I would like some of my Apps to sync with my Applications.
Well, more money for us looking at Mac for development. I’ve first hand experienced how much competition there is on iOS.
A survey of 45 developers, how representative of all iOS developers (of which there are >50,000).
Why can’t like…iOS Apps runs on Lion? Can someone answer me? Or has Apple figuring it out right now…
Yea, and if you asked 45 Mac devs if they are developing for iOS I bet only 7% do.
Mr. Munster must have ditched class on the day(s) they were teaching about how to conduct a survey at the fine college that he assumably attended.
Regarding this survey, this here is what statisticians, scientists, engineers, psychologists, lawyers call “invalid”. Why did he survey iOS developers about applications for a completely different platform, the Mac and then print a bogus article? It would have been just as pertinent to survey them about Windows8, or Linux application development!
He could ask several millions, and it would still be completely meaningless! He is asking the wrong sample group.
Just 45… You need at least 1000 or 10000 to make a survey reputable.
Headline like this will attract attention, but let’s get real. Of course developers see opportunity in Android. They have so far to go … then when it comes to making some money … Apple is the name of the game. The survey being quoted must be funded by competition, because it is pure FUD in my opinion. FWIW