NYTimes on Palm's App Deficit

Posted By: Ryan Kairer Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:40:12 AM

The New York Times has published an article today that takes a look at Palm's current disadvantage in the smartphone apps market. The report highlights the attractive design and appeal of the Pre, but focuses on one of its biggest weakness: the lack of a vibrant third party developer marketplace. It goes on to sum of the current situation with Palm working behind the scenes with a select group of companies while it hammers out the details of its SDK, which is due sometime in late summer.

The payment system for the Palm app store — important if the company wants to charge for certain programs — is still under construction. And most crucially, Palm has yet to open its software development kit, the main set of tools needed to write apps, to most of the thousands of developers who have expressed an interest in creating programs for the Pre.

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This was newspaper article worthy?

pmjoe @ 6/24/2009 11:31:27 AM #

No SDK available = no apps available.

What more is there to say?

If there was an SDK, I'd be much more excited about the platform, since Palm doesn't appear to be following Apple's draconian app publication model.

RE: This was newspaper article worthy?

jca666us @ 6/24/2009 4:33:28 PM #

We don't know that yet, do we?

RE: This was newspaper article worthy?

pmjoe @ 6/25/2009 4:04:25 AM #

Don't know what? Palm's SDK is only available to a select few. I believe Palm has said that developers are not required to use their app store to distribute apps. I have communicated with and know many developers who are at best uncomfortable with Apple's policy for managing which apps are accepted to their app store (including myself), some to the point where they've refused to do iPhone development work due to the inability to guarantee the app they were developing could be published. Who would want to put countless hours into an app you could never make public, or worst case as a consultant to get sued by the company you're working for because the app you developed was rejected by Apple.

If you can publish your own apps, then none of this is an issue.

What exactly are you saying we don't know yet?

RE: This was newspaper article worthy?

SeldomVisitor @ 6/25/2009 4:43:44 AM #

Do not make the mistake of stating that:

== "Palm Pre apps can be downloaded from anywhere"

is the equivalent of:

== "Palm Pre apps do not need pre-approval by Palm"

Do you understand?

RE: This was newspaper article worthy?

nastebu @ 6/25/2009 7:01:54 AM #

Especially given Palm's recent history of adopting Apple tactics, it wouldn't be at all surprising if they kept tighter control over what runs on the Pre.

And really, why shouldn't they? For all the complaints about Apple's application vetting, the iPhone App store is so far and away the most successful mobile application distribution system ever.

RE: This was newspaper article worthy?

CFreymarc @ 6/25/2009 11:27:42 AM #

Its the Old Gray Lady. What you expect? I'm amazed that NYT is still in the business. My guess is they still print out of pride and not profits.

I find it a bit disturbing that Palm is selecting to go the old boys way to choose initial third party developers instead of throwing out the SDK and have the apps show up as in the Oklahoma Land Rush. Guess you could call these early Pre partners "Sooner developers."

But yes, the classic emulator does let thousands of apps get out there on the Pre. Love to see how the Tealware apps (my favorite suite) work in this mode.

Classic apps aplenty

Brent @ 6/25/2009 6:12:58 AM #

How can so many articles be moaning about the lack of apps for the Pre when there are thousands of PalmOS apps that have been around since before anybody had even heard of an iphone, that will likely run just fine under the Classic Emulator on the Pre. Apparently if you dont have an app catalog full of apps that make fart noises, or simulate a beer on your phone, then your phone is a flop.

RE: Classic apps aplenty

CFreymarc @ 6/25/2009 11:30:25 AM #

The iPhone has become a iconic Gen-Y device up there with the Hula Hoop for the baby boomers. The Pre doesn't know what it is yet trying to carve a market between the iPhone and Blackberrry. Good luck guys! Still waiting to see that Pre marketing plan presented this year.