Facebook Is Seeing More And More App Developers Go Android-First

Facebook is seeing a trend in Europe of app developers going "Android-first...

That's significant because for years, Apple's iOS operating system for iPhone and iPad has been the preferred first stop for any company launching an app. If an app succeeds on iOS, then only later will a company think about making a version for Android. Often months or years later, and sometimes never.

That's why Android apps tend to look and feel a bit second-rate compared to the same apps on iPhone - they often are just that. The iOS/Android split is weird because globally 80% of users are on the Android system, yet iOS and its roughly 10% of users are the top priority for developers.

So it would be dramatic for companies to reverse that trend.

Yet that is what Facebook is seeing among some companies in Europe, according to Facebook's Europe, Middle East, and Africa platform director, Julien Codorniou. Developers are beginning to sense that because more people are Android users than Apple users, they're losing money by working on the smaller iOS platform first, he told Business Insider UK.

Historically, Apple has been the preferred platform. Apple's higher-income users are often more lucrative targets for app advertisers and in-app payments and shopping. It's also simpler for developers to use, Apple has only one version of iOS running at any one time (the newest one) and the vast majority of Apple users keep their devices updated to the newest version. Android, by contrast, is "fragmented" into several different versions across hundreds of different phones - and all those versions are a headache for developers who must make a separate app tailored for each one...

But Codorniou told us Facebook has a team of evangelists encouraging Android developers to use Facebook as a way to build and promote their apps: "As of today, I have four guys from my team in Paris talking to Android developers about the greatness of Parse, Facebook login, app links, app events. It's a very important bet for us."

Wait, Android developers? Android-first, really?

"People look at the numbers," he says. "They want downloads, installs. They know that the monetization is catching up on Android. Of course iOS is the better platform when it comes to monetization, but it's easier to update your app on Android. There are many people on an Android phone. ... The world you described [in which Apple is dominant] was true a year ago, but I see that things are changing."

"The vision we have with Parse and with the platform in general is to accelerate the time to market. It should not take you six months to develop from iOS to Android."

"There is a pattern coming from Eastern Europe. The Russian developers develop on Android first because of a big audience, and it maybe being easier to develop. They liked the fact that they could submit a new version of the app every day. [With Apple, you have to get each new version of the app approved before it hits the App Store. There is no version-approval system for Android.] This is a trend that I see and I think it is going to accelerate."

Google Nexus 6 India Price and Launch Details, Hands On

Google Nexus 6 India Price and Launch Details, Hands On

Google is hosting a press event in Taipei for media where, amongst other things, the company showcased the recently announced Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices. We got a chance to spend some hands-on time with the smartphone and also got an update on the Nexus 6 price in India and the expected launch date.

Napster-Sparkus has learnt that the Google Nexus 6 will be launched in India within the price range of Rs. 44,000 and Rs. 50,000, with the 32GB model being priced at the lower end of that range and the 64GB becoming available around the top end. The Google Nexus 6, which is being manufactured by Motorola, will be available in India before December 10, with the launch date within this month also a possibility.

The Google Nexus 6 will of course be available via Google Play, and, like other Motorola smartphones, via online retailer Flipkart. Whether it would be Flipkart-exclusive like other Motorola phones is not clear at this point, with the recent completion of Motorola's acquisition by Lenovo potentially having a say on the subject.

As for the device itself, we managed to get some hands-on time with biggest Nexus smartphone yet and our initial impressions are quite positive. Before we'd seen the Nexus 6, we were apprehensive that it would be too large to use comfortably, but during the limited time that we spent with the device, the size didn't prove to be a problem. That being said, we've become used to large screen (5-inch plus) phones and if you are someone who finds a 4-inch display adequate, your mileage may of course vary.

The build quality of the Google Nexus 6 is excellent, and the display looks sharp making Android 5.0 Lollipop with its new colours really stand out. We managed to click quite a few pictures of the Google Nexus 6, and here they are for your viewing pleasure.

Lenovo Silently launches iPhone 6-Lookalike, the Sisley S90

Lenovo Silently launches iPhone 6-Lookalike, the Sisley S90

Lenovo on Tuesday has silently introduced an iPhone 6-lookalike smartphone, dubbed the Lenovo Sisley S90, in China for CNY 1,999 (approximately Rs. 20,000).

Not just sporting a similar look to the iPhone 6, the Lenovo Sisley S90 promotional images that are doing the rounds of the web are almost identical to the ones Apple is using for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. According to Gizmobic, which first sourced the images and specifications, the 5-inch Lenovo Sisley S90 is 6.9mm thick and weighs 129g, exactly same as the Apple iPhone 6.

The website reports that the dual-SIM Lenovo Sisley S90 runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat and features a 5-inch Super AMOLED HD (720x1280 pixels) display. It packs a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with Adreno 306 GPU and 1GB of RAM.

The Sisley S90 is said to sport a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 8-megapixel front facing camera. Internal storage on the handset is 16GB, but there is no information about further expandability via microSD card.

Gizmobic suggests that Sisley S90 supports TD-LTE and NFC connectivity. It is said to pack a 2,300mAh battery and will be available in Gold, Grey, Pink, and Silver colour options.

In the meanwhile, Lenovo, which recently completed its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, is all set to bring its Lenovo Vibe X2 in India on Thursday.

Notably, the Lenovo Vibe X2 was launched alongside the Vibe Z2 earlier this year at the company's IFA 2014 event.

The dual-SIM Vibe X2 features a 5-inch (1080x1920 pixels) IPS display; a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6595m processor; 2GB of RAM; 13-megapixel autofocus rear camera; 5-megapixel front camera; 32GB of inbuilt storage. 2300mAh battery, and Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box with Vibe UI 2.0.

Galaxy Note Edge Release Date Preview (November)

With the first U.S. Samsung Galaxy Note Edge release date rumored for November, we want to take a look at how the Galaxy Note Edge release date is shaping up and provide an updated timeline for those that are interested in the device that Samsung will pair with the Galaxy Note 4 in its fight against the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and others.
Two months ago, Samsung took the stage in Berlin, Germany to announce a number of new products. While the spotlight was on the rumored Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the company also announced its new Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, a device that shares many of the Galaxy Note 4′s features but comes with a curved display.
The new Galaxy Note Edge is a concept phone and one that should be intriguing to those that are looking to upgrade to a high-end smartphone. Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge specs include a Quad HD resolution, a 2.7 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 805 with 3GB of RAM, Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Samsung TouchWiz, 16MP camera with Optical Image Stabilization, massive battery, and a thin 8.3mm frame. It also comes with an S Pen stylus. However, it’s the device’s unique screen that sets it apart from the competition, including the Galaxy Note 4.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 release date is now complete in the United States and consumers have begun weighing it against top flight Android and Windows Phone smartphones. Nearly two months after it was first announced, the Galaxy Note Edge still hasn’t been released in the United States though it’s now available in two key regions.
With that in mind, and Galaxy Note Edge release date rumors continuing to swirl, we want to take an updated look at the Galaxy Note Edge release and offer a preview of November. This updated Galaxy Note Edge release date timeline zeroes in on all of the important information that consumers in the United States and around the globe need to know about as we head deeper into the fall.

Galaxy Note Edge Release Date Preview (November)

Here, we list every single region that’s confirmed as a Samsung Galaxy Note Edge release region. We expect other nations to join in as the weeks and months go on but for right now, these countries represent the only know Galaxy Note Edge markets. Remember, this is a concept smartphone and a limited release so we’re probably not going to see 140 countries get a Galaxy Note Edge release date.

Japan

Japan was the first country to introduce the Galaxy Note Edge and both KDDI and NTT DoCoMo are currently carrying the Galaxy Note Edge on shelves. However, the release is not over. While the two carriers are currently offering the black Galaxy Note Edge, the white Galaxy Note Edge still hasn’t made it to shelves

.Both carriers have confirmed early-to-mid November release dates for the white Galaxy Note Edge though we still haven’t seen either carrier confirm a specific date. Those looking to buy the Galaxy Note Edge on either one of these carrier should expect to see specific release dates confirmed in the near future. We probably won’t see a massive announcement but we expect their websites to offer the particulars soon.

Korea

Last week, Korea became the first second region to release the Galaxy Note Edge. SK Telecom and KT are both offering the black and white Galaxy Note Edge models. The carriers will charge 1,067,000 South Korean Won which amounts to over $1000 in U.S. currency. The Korean price is not indicative of the Galaxy Note Edge’s price point in the United States.
It’s not clear if other Korean carriers will join them in November though given the fact that this is a concept smartphone and a limited release, there’s a good chance that we’ll only see a few, if any, new carriers emerge.

China

China is supposedly going to be among the initial Galaxy Note Edge release markets, joining the U.S., Japan, and Korea. Samsung still hasn’t divulged any specifics which means that consumers there only have a little bit to go on as we head deeper into the month.
A Weibo post from an alleged China Mobile employee not only suggests that the carrier will be stocking the Galaxy Note Edge price but it also suggests the Galaxy Note Edge could be expensive in China.

The information, which arrived several weeks ago, indicates that China Mobile could charge 7,000 Yuan for the Galaxy Note Edge. That translates to about $1,139. Last year’s Galaxy Note 3 was 5,399 yuan. That price isn’t set in stone though we imagine that the Galaxy Note Edge will cost more than the Galaxy Note 4.
We’ve seen Galaxy Note Edge models get certifications for the Chinese market so it’s simply a matter of when at this point. And given that we’ve already seen two models arrive, we could potentially see some movement here in November.

United States

AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon all confirmed the Galaxy Note Edge for arrival back in September. Since then though, all four of them have been quiet about the release. That doesn’t mean that we haven’t see them make progress though.
The AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile Galaxy Note Edge variants all cruised thru the FCC several days ago. FCC certification is necessary before Samsung can announce any details. The hold up? The Verizon Galaxy Note Edge which has yet to make an appearance. We suspect that the filing will emerge soon though given the Galaxy Note Edge release date rumors that are swirling.

A leaked document from WPCentral proclaims November 14th as the T-Mobile Galaxy Note Edge release date. That date, which remains unconfirmed, is just two short weeks from now and two weeks out from Black Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season and one of the most important retail dates of the entire year. The other three dates have yet to leak out.
While that might be the case, we know that Samsung is making moves. All four models recently showed up on its website, a sign that the release is moving in the right direction. At this point, it looks like we’ll finally get some closure in the United States and we could see an announcement confirm all of the important details this week or next.

Canada

Nothing has changed for the Canadian market and we probably won’t see Samsung Canada get the device out in 2014.
Samsung Canada has confirmed a 2015 release date for the Galaxy Note Edge. It did not provide any specifics and simply said that the region would be behind the U.S. release date for unspecified reasons. Canada typically releases smartphones in close proximity to the United States so this release delay is extremely surprising.

We still don’t know where it will head but major carriers like Bell, TELUS, and others are a safe bet. The Galaxy Note Edge will be more limited than the Galaxy Note 4 and consumers will want to temper their expectations moving forward.

Australia

Nothing has changed here either. Australia still looks like it will find itself amongst the initial regions with a Galaxy Note Edge release date set for mid-November.
Weeks ago, Samsung Australia said that the Galaxy Note Edge release in Australia had been pushed to November 12th for unspecified reasons. The device was originally scheduled to arrive on November 5th. We haven’t seen any new developments here and it looks like Australia’s release could land around the same time as the U.S.

India

In October, Samsung confirmed a Galaxy Note Edge release for India. The company did not specify any specific details but did say that a release before the end of the year in the one the world’s biggest markets. We still haven’t see any details emerge and so it looks like this variant is still on pace for 2014. Look for more details to emerge this month.

Russia

Russian site Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru recently confirmed Samsung’s plans to release the Galaxy Note Edge in Russia before the end of the year. The website, which has been accurate with information in the past, claims that the company will release the Galaxy Note Edge in November or December. Specific release date information has yet to emerge.

As is the case with most high-end Russian smartphones, the Galaxy Note Edge is going to be extremely expensive. The Galaxy Note Edge will cost 49,990 rubles which is the equivalent to $1221 in the United States. This should have no bearing on the Galaxy Note Edge price in the United States as smartphone prices in Russia, again, tend to be much higher.
Look for more details to get confirmed in November ahead of its release.

United Kingdom

Samsung United Kingdom continues to say that it will confirm the release date at a later date. That date still hasn’t arrived. Clove UK, a reputable retailer in the United States, took it a step further though and says that the release in the UK will be delayed. We still haven’t heard anything that says otherwise unfortunately.
Weeks ago, Clove suggested that the Galaxy Note Edge would not be available in the UK and other European countries at launch. It’s still not clear how long the delay might last though the retailer has shown quite a bit of concern. Instead of waiting, Clove decided to source devices from other parts of the world in an effort to sell it on time to its customers.

Whilst we await official confirmation from Samsung, we have heard from distribution channels that the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge will not be available in the UK at launch.
When the Note Edge launches, there will not be UK stock available. It will not be available in the majority of European countries.

The retailers comments seem to leave the door open for a wider European launch and that could very well happen. We’ve seen German retailers offer the Galaxy Note Edge ahead of an announcement and so there’s a good chance it could receive a broader release. Clove UK is taking Galaxy Note Edge pre-orders ahead of the release date though they are not recommended.