5 ms·

Ya.. that is definitely the takeaway. If you address all platforms, your market is suddenly both under served and absolutely huge.

SunboX 13y ago
That's the key of Firefox OS. Use well known technology and try to go into these markets.
- pjmlp 13y ago
  My problem with Firefox OS is that they don't add any value over what is already possible in modern mobile OS. All of them have a web browser of some sort.
  - SunboX 13y ago
    It's not about what is possible todo, it's about replacing feature phones in developing markets. They can't effort "cheap" androids, neither iphones. And if they get the money for an "cheap" android they don't have money for the development equipment.
    - pjmlp 13y ago
      My old cheap feature phone had a good enough browser already.
      - testernew 13y ago
        Ok
      - JetSpiegel 13y ago
        I think so, but having a little more RAM can't hurt. I can't even load up 2 HN pages at the same time.
        pjmlp 13y ago
        Do you also read both at the same time?
        JetSpiegel 13y ago
        No, it's just convenience. :) Caching 2 pages in RAM also means instant undo when I open the story link.
    - SunboX 13y ago
      "Firefox OS - Answering global challenges" slides by Christian Heilmann: http://www.slideshare.net/cheilmann/developerweek http://www.slideshare.net/cheilmann/developerweek
      - waps 13y ago
        I think this is a pipe dream. Cheapest android cellphone is only $35 [1]. That is only possible because they're leftover stock of a phone that was produced using leftover stock of an ex-android phone chipset. [1] http://dx.com/s/android%2bphone?PriceSort=up&category=511 http://dx.com/s/android%2bphone?PriceSort=up&category=511
    - testernew 13y ago
      Yes
  - diydsp 13y ago
    Thinking about what is technically possible has been very limiting for me. The value proposition of Firefox OS is that apps will run on all phones, unlike the current iOS vs. Java schism. Of course it is likely to have other issues, but don't limit yourself to saying what is possible... think about the cost to actually deploy that possibility.
    - tim333 13y ago
      I'm not sure I really see that. Firefox os apps are basically html5/javascript and you can run that on Android and iOS at the moment using phonegap and the like. The advantage of a Firefox phone over a cheap Android seems a bit marginal although it is proper open source which may matter to some people.
netcan 13y ago
One such "platform" is made up of the 80% of android phones that are cheap and basic with small data plans and limited access to slow wifi. The anecdotes from the 80s & 90s when annual PC sales for any given year were a substantial portion of the overall PCs in use at the time are interesting. The realization that software could be written for the newest machine and it would run everywhere soon enough is not directly applicable to the smartphone market. I think that out of collective habit, many apps assume that building for this year's flagship models is the best course. It may be, but it effectively means your market is much smaller, especially for free, network effect apps. These apps and their ecosystems rise and fall fast. Tablets & smartphones are spreading downmarket with devices being sold today @ 10% of the first androids. A $50 phone won't run everything, but it will run some things - useful things.
- josephlord 13y ago
  Are these going to be Google Android or AOSP based? Is there a clear baseline to target and distribution strategy to cover this mass of devices?
- alien3d 13y ago
  i m using lenovo a 269i android 2.3.6 .it does do lot of thing for 50 phone.i no need high end graphic card.it just a phone which i can call. whatsapp and gps.enough for me.
- corresation 13y ago
  the 80% of android phones that are cheap and basic with small data plans and limited access to slow wifi Ignoring the fictional statistics, the cheap devices (e.g. Xiaomi) in countries like China still tend to be surprisingly powerful, and you hardly need to design down to them. And it's a rare app, beyond something like video conferencing, that puts any real burden on connectivity.
  - stefan_kendall 13y ago
    You absolutely need to "design down" if you want to support all of android. Go build an app with a reasonable number of users and you'll learn this the hard way.
JoeAltmaier 13y ago
Market isn't warm bodies, its money. Cash. Margins. How much is this app making off of each guy in India/Africa/China? I'm guessing, very little. So be very, very careful about trying to 'serve' that demographic.

SunboX 13y ago

That's the key of Firefox OS. Use well known technology and try to go into these markets.

pjmlp 13y ago
My problem with Firefox OS is that they don't add any value over what is already possible in modern mobile OS. All of them have a web browser of some sort.
- SunboX 13y ago
  It's not about what is possible todo, it's about replacing feature phones in developing markets. They can't effort "cheap" androids, neither iphones. And if they get the money for an "cheap" android they don't have money for the development equipment.
  - pjmlp 13y ago
    My old cheap feature phone had a good enough browser already.
    - testernew 13y ago
      Ok
    - JetSpiegel 13y ago
      I think so, but having a little more RAM can't hurt. I can't even load up 2 HN pages at the same time.
      - pjmlp 13y ago
        Do you also read both at the same time?
        JetSpiegel 13y ago
        No, it's just convenience. :) Caching 2 pages in RAM also means instant undo when I open the story link.
  - SunboX 13y ago
    "Firefox OS - Answering global challenges" slides by Christian Heilmann: http://www.slideshare.net/cheilmann/developerweek http://www.slideshare.net/cheilmann/developerweek
    - waps 13y ago
      I think this is a pipe dream. Cheapest android cellphone is only $35 [1]. That is only possible because they're leftover stock of a phone that was produced using leftover stock of an ex-android phone chipset. [1] http://dx.com/s/android%2bphone?PriceSort=up&category=511 http://dx.com/s/android%2bphone?PriceSort=up&category=511
  - testernew 13y ago
    Yes
- diydsp 13y ago
  Thinking about what is technically possible has been very limiting for me. The value proposition of Firefox OS is that apps will run on all phones, unlike the current iOS vs. Java schism. Of course it is likely to have other issues, but don't limit yourself to saying what is possible... think about the cost to actually deploy that possibility.
  - tim333 13y ago
    I'm not sure I really see that. Firefox os apps are basically html5/javascript and you can run that on Android and iOS at the moment using phonegap and the like. The advantage of a Firefox phone over a cheap Android seems a bit marginal although it is proper open source which may matter to some people.

netcan 13y ago

One such "platform" is made up of the 80% of android phones that are cheap and basic with small data plans and limited access to slow wifi. The anecdotes from the 80s & 90s when annual PC sales for any given year were a substantial portion of the overall PCs in use at the time are interesting. The realization that software could be written for the newest machine and it would run everywhere soon enough is not directly applicable to the smartphone market. I think that out of collective habit, many apps assume that building for this year's flagship models is the best course. It may be, but it effectively means your market is much smaller, especially for free, network effect apps. These apps and their ecosystems rise and fall fast. Tablets & smartphones are spreading downmarket with devices being sold today @ 10% of the first androids. A $50 phone won't run everything, but it will run some things - useful things.

josephlord 13y ago
Are these going to be Google Android or AOSP based? Is there a clear baseline to target and distribution strategy to cover this mass of devices?
alien3d 13y ago
i m using lenovo a 269i android 2.3.6 .it does do lot of thing for 50 phone.i no need high end graphic card.it just a phone which i can call. whatsapp and gps.enough for me.
corresation 13y ago
the 80% of android phones that are cheap and basic with small data plans and limited access to slow wifi Ignoring the fictional statistics, the cheap devices (e.g. Xiaomi) in countries like China still tend to be surprisingly powerful, and you hardly need to design down to them. And it's a rare app, beyond something like video conferencing, that puts any real burden on connectivity.
- stefan_kendall 13y ago
  You absolutely need to "design down" if you want to support all of android. Go build an app with a reasonable number of users and you'll learn this the hard way.

JoeAltmaier 13y ago

Market isn't warm bodies, its money. Cash. Margins. How much is this app making off of each guy in India/Africa/China? I'm guessing, very little. So be very, very careful about trying to 'serve' that demographic.