Is Android Tablet APP selection is really more than Windows RT/8?

[Patric.Z]

Every single review about surface/windows RT has limited app selection as a CON and saying the tablet app is no comparison with iOS and Android. They group Android and iOS together, make it looks like Android tablets have the same app selections as iPAD. While I agree that iOS is way ahead of RT at this moment (both quantity and quality), I doubt that Android really have that much advantage over RT in terms of tablet app selection. My knowledge is a bit dated, but last time I used my Nexus 7 (late 2012), the tablet optimized apps was very limited. Most of the apps I used were phone apps enlarged. I understand that theoretically, Android apps should be rescaled based on resolution and screen size, but still, using up-scaled phone apps on a tablet is not a great experience. However, since phone apps do work (even not optimized), I believe developers have less incentive to make a tablet version. If data from Metrostorescanner.com is to be believed, Windows 8 store has 124,437 windows apps as of now. I believe over 90% is compatible with Windows RT. So unless tablet apps grown significantly on android in the last 10 months (I don?t know honestly), I seriously doubt that Android has more tablets optimized than RT. Also, a lot of the functions of the android apps (especially system tools) are baked into windows system, i.e. task managers/ file managers/Network drives/network utilities etc. In fact, many Android apps are trying to mimic windows system tools.

Simply put, in terms of app selection, I don?t think Android has that many advantages over RT as described in every single review. I have never seen any reviewer shares similar thoughts on the app selection issue. What do you guys think?

 

[Jealy666]

Simply put. Yes.

I run Windows 8 on my PC, own a Surface 2 - answer to your question = yes, android has more apps.


However, your angle on necessity of those apps is correct. It's all down to the user - see what you would use a tablet for then ask / do research on if there's either an app for it, if it's built in or if there's another way to go about it. I've found that a lot of apps are unnecessary because of the full-fletched browser.

 

[techiez]

well I think even though android may not hv tablet oprimized apps in large number as ios, but rscaled apps are just about fine, atleast they are functional i believe its better than not having at all as in RT.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Every single review about surface/windows RT has limited app selection as a CON and saying the tablet app is no comparison with iOS and Android. They group Android and iOS together, make it looks like Android tablets have the same app selections as iPAD. While I agree that iOS is way ahead of RT at this moment (both quantity and quality), I doubt that Android really have that much advantage over RT in terms of tablet app selection. My knowledge is a bit dated, but last time I used my Nexus 7 (late 2012), the tablet optimized apps was very limited. Most of the apps I used were phone apps enlarged. I understand that theoretically, Android apps should be rescaled based on resolution and screen size, but still, using up-scaled phone apps on a tablet is not a great experience. However, since phone apps do work (even not optimized), I believe developers have less incentive to make a tablet version. If data from Metrostorescanner.com is to be believed, Windows 8 store has 124,437 windows apps as of now. I believe over 90% is compatible with Windows RT. So unless tablet apps grown significantly on android in the last 10 months (I don’t know honestly), I seriously doubt that Android has more tablets optimized than RT. Also, a lot of the functions of the android apps (especially system tools) are baked into windows system, i.e. task managers/ file managers/Network drives/network utilities etc. In fact, many Android apps are trying to mimic windows system tools.

Simply put, in terms of app selection, I don’t think Android has that many advantages over RT as described in every single review. I have never seen any reviewer shares similar thoughts on the app selection issue. What do you guys think?

As an owner and user of devices for all 3 operating systems (iOS, Android, WinRT), it is my opinion that RT is at a great disadvantage over iOS and Android with regard to apps. The issue of tablet optimized apps for Android is a minor one. It's not like iOS where iPads magnify the app screen to fill the iPad. Android is much smoother and more seamless than that. Non-tablet optimized Android apps simply don't make efficient use of the larger screen... a symptom that I find to be true of ALL modern UI apps of RT.

I do not find using non-tablet optimized apps to be a visual distraction on an Android tablet. Besides, I'd much rather have a non-optimized version of an app than to have no app at all (which is often the case with RT).

 

[Patric.Z]

Thanks for all ur responses. I totally agree that not optimized is better than none and Android does have more apps if includes phone apps. But I think what I am trying to say is the difference between the 2 platforms is not as big as people make it seem to be. I can argue that with Metro IE, many websites are more usable with RT and therefore lots of the things people have to use apps to do on android can be done in the websites, so lots of the apps are not completely not available on RT as most likely there will be web version. Its just not optimized as tablet apps for touch and notifications. So what are really missing are just some very specific apps as RT has most if not all system utility apps covered and IE has lots of the websites covered. Again, what I am saying is the apps situation is not as bad as the tech blogs make it seems to be. Yes, difference between iOS is huge as there are many niche apps in Apple app store, but the difference between RT and Android is far from what people believed, besides games. Both are not optimized as iOS.

 

[Riverrunner88]

As an owner and user of devices for all 3 operating systems (iOS, Android, WinRT), it is my opinion that RT is at a great disadvantage over iOS and Android with regard to apps. The issue of tablet optimized apps for Android is a minor one. It's not like iOS where iPads magnify the app screen to fill the iPad. Android is much smoother and more seamless than that. Non-tablet optimized Android apps simply don't make efficient use of the larger screen... a symptom that I find to be true of ALL modern UI apps of RT.

I do not find using non-tablet optimized apps to be a visual distraction on an Android tablet. Besides, I'd much rather have a non-optimized version of an app than to have no app at all (which is often the case with RT).

Exactly why I bought a Nexus 7 and not a Surface RT.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Thanks for all ur responses. I totally agree that not optimized is better than none and Android does have more apps if includes phone apps. But I think what I am trying to say is the difference between the 2 platforms is not as big as people make it seem to be. I can argue that with Metro IE, many websites are more usable with RT and therefore lots of the things people have to use apps to do on android can be done in the websites, so lots of the apps are not completely not available on RT as most likely there will be web version. Its just not optimized as tablet apps for touch and notifications. So what are really missing are just some very specific apps as RT has most if not all system utility apps covered and IE has lots of the websites covered. Again, what I am saying is the apps situation is not as bad as the tech blogs make it seems to be. Yes, difference between iOS is huge as there are many niche apps in Apple app store, but the difference between RT and Android is far from what people believed, besides games. Both are not optimized as iOS.

No, the difference between the 2 platforms IS as big as some of us make it seem to be.

Metro IE is indeed usable for visiting websites that would normally be appified. But that is only a small fraction of the apps on the market. And not all full versions of sites are usable on a touch screen device. The side effect of using Metro IE for those sites rather than apps is that those sites end up as tabs in Metro IE whereas apps appear in the task manager. So swapping between Twitter, Facebook, and Notepad requires swapping from Notepad to IE, then bringing up the tabs and selecting Twitter (or Facebook). Inconsistent, inefficient, kludgey. Tapping on a website tile will launch a duplicate tab for that site if the site is already loaded in IE.

Difference between Android and RT is HUGE... it really is. It's reality, and we need to deal with it. This coming from a fan of the Surface RT.

 

[Patric.Z]

All your points are valid and I agree. I am not saying RT as it is is better than Android or lack of apps is not a problem. I know this is a problem. What I am saying is the problem is far from what people make it seems to be. I say its not as big because I think the purposes of apps are for people to complete certain tasks or do certain tasks easier, watch videos/read books/communications/games etc or use a non mobile optimized websites in many cases. There are really not that many tasks that people can do on Android but not doable on RT even though it might take more efforts (use non optimized websites/low quality apps vs optimized ones). But the same argument can be used against Android as well. There are many things that I can do on RT and quite difficult on Android. So if the same things can be done on RT why make it sound like RT is a handicapped OS by simply saying it lacks of app? Yes, there's no Spotify, but you can use the website, it's totally usable. Yes, there's no certain bank apps, but the I haven't seen a bank websites are not usable on RT. Simply saying RT doesn't have a Spotify app/bank apps etc. without noting that the services is still available on the platform is exaggerating the issue, don't you think so?

As for the pinned website behaviors, they actually behave a little different than you described. You tab a live tile and open the website in a new tab, when you switch to other apps, and tab the same live tile on the start screen again, it will bring you back the opened IE tab instead of launching a duplicate of the same website.

I understand everyone has a different needs on apps and services and difference ways to the tablet. In my personal use case, I just haven't not noticed anything I could do on Android that I am not able to do on RT. In fact, enjoy using RT, especially with surface 2, a lot more. There are so much more I can do out of box over Android / iOS, which in most cases are conveniently ignored by most tech blogs. Anyway, I guess we can agree to disagree lol

 

[chezm]

The APP selection for Android is a lot more than Windows, theres no doubt. HOWEVER, how many of those apps you will use is the real question. I've got a Nexus 7 with 10 apps installed, half of which are available on Windows...and most of the other stuff i use web based functionality. With that said, my Nexus 7 is used for a few mins every month as most of my stuff can be done on my phone or computer...i'd sell it but it was a gift.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

As for the pinned website behaviors, they actually behave a little different than you described. You tab a live tile and open the website in a new tab, when you switch to other apps, and tab the same live tile on the start screen again, it will bring you back the opened IE tab instead of launching a duplicate of the same website.

I just checked again on my Surface RT running 8.1. I tap a live tile and the website is opened in a new tab. I switch to another app, go to the Start screen, when I tap on that live tile again, a new duplicate tab is opened in the browser. Maybe there are different methods for creating a live tile shortcut for a website that cause different behaviors.

 

[crash1989]

my answer form experience .. Yes ...
I go to the games> racing section for example .. apart from a tiny few games the land is too barren. 115,000 sounds good, but there are a lot of crappy apps right now.

I still think there is a long way to go.

 

[crash1989]

Corona SDK is coming Q1 next year so expect a lot of apps to be ported over . Corona developers are many in number

 

[Patric.Z]

That's interesting. Were those tiles created in windows 8 or 8.1? On my surface, when I tab a website's tile, it always bring me back to the existing tab. If I was on a different tab in IE before returning to the start screen, when I tab the tile on start screen again, it will oepn IE an switch to the correct tab.