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Even if it is not universally important, it is very good for projects like: http://www.pcworld.com/article/229284/the_250_case_that_turns_your_ipad_into_a_lapt

by chj 14y ago

Even if it is not universally important, it is very good for projects like: http://www.pcworld.com/article/229284/the_250_case_that_turns_your_ipad_into_a_laptop_almost.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/229284/the_250_case_that_turn... As a platform provider, why bother work on an app that thousands of developers can do better, and not work on a missing feature that can enable further innovation? We are not talking about a Siri level of feature, we are talking of a trivial platform feature that basically a decent engineer in Apple should be able to do it in a week, testing included.

nl 14y ago
As a platform provider, why bother work on an app that thousands of developers can do better, and not work on a missing feature that can enable further innovation? I'm not sure if you want to hear the answer to that or not. It's economics & platform strategy. Ping was created to attempt to increase the stickiness of the iTunes platform, to appease the record labels (who wanted an alternative to MySpace) and to bring Apple closer to Facebook. All of those things were major strategic goals for Apple at the time. Making the iPad something more like a laptop when the MacBook Air already exists? The only way your "bug" will get traction within Apple is if someone decides that is a goal of the iOS platform. That might happen, but pulling an Apple engineer for a whole week off other projects to work on it seems unlikely to happen without fairly major executive sponsorship.
- chj 14y ago
  There are tons of cases where iPad could be better off with a keyboard, especially for productivity apps. Come on, android has full keyboard support from day one.
  - untog 14y ago
    And what percentage of users actually use the full keyboard support? I mean, with Android tablets we're asking "what is a low percent of a tiny number of people", but still. Being able to use an external keyboard with your phone/tablet is a very, very niche activity.
    - 51Cards 14y ago
      Tons... look at the ASUS Transformer and Slider. Devices like that can't exist in iOS properly.
  - nl 14y ago
    You don't need to convince me (like I said, I have a Asus Transformer). I'm merely pointing out that it isn't likely to be a priority for Apple.

by chj 14y ago

nl 14y ago

As a platform provider, why bother work on an app that thousands of developers can do better, and not work on a missing feature that can enable further innovation? I'm not sure if you want to hear the answer to that or not. It's economics & platform strategy. Ping was created to attempt to increase the stickiness of the iTunes platform, to appease the record labels (who wanted an alternative to MySpace) and to bring Apple closer to Facebook. All of those things were major strategic goals for Apple at the time. Making the iPad something more like a laptop when the MacBook Air already exists? The only way your "bug" will get traction within Apple is if someone decides that is a goal of the iOS platform. That might happen, but pulling an Apple engineer for a whole week off other projects to work on it seems unlikely to happen without fairly major executive sponsorship.

chj 14y ago
There are tons of cases where iPad could be better off with a keyboard, especially for productivity apps. Come on, android has full keyboard support from day one.
- untog 14y ago
  And what percentage of users actually use the full keyboard support? I mean, with Android tablets we're asking "what is a low percent of a tiny number of people", but still. Being able to use an external keyboard with your phone/tablet is a very, very niche activity.
  - 51Cards 14y ago
    Tons... look at the ASUS Transformer and Slider. Devices like that can't exist in iOS properly.
- nl 14y ago
  You don't need to convince me (like I said, I have a Asus Transformer). I'm merely pointing out that it isn't likely to be a priority for Apple.