Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, speaking at Le Web conference in Paris, said today that he believed that developers would prioritise Android over iOS in the next six months.
Responding to question from a developer in the audience, who was concerned about iOS versions of apps appearing before their Android counterparts, Schmidt said: ‘My prediction is that six months from now you’ll say the opposite.’
Citing the next version of Android, known as Ice Cream Sandwich as the reason for developers finding Android more attractive, Schmidt told his audience: ‘Ultimately, application vendors are driven by volume, and volume is favored by the open approach Google is taking. There are so many manufacturers working to deliver Android phones globally.’
That comment contradicts the accepted wisdom that developers, rather than being driven by volume are driven by the opportunity to make money and that iPhone and iPad owners are more likely to pay for apps than those who own Android devices. ‘Whether you like Android or not, you will support that platform, and maybe you’ll even deliver it first,’ Schmidt added.
Ice Cream Sandwich is currently only available on Samsung’s Galsxy Nexus phone.
