Seybold's take: Applications for the iPad

[1]I am not one who believes that the iPad [2] will be a huge success, but I do believe it will be successful in its own right. The iPad simply is not in the same class as the iPhone. Still, there are opportunities for developers to provide content by way of the iPad and make money doing so, as long as they do not view the iPad as simply a larger iPhone.

While many developers are likely to simply adapt their existing iPhone apps for the larger iPad screen, I believe the iPad will be used differently because unlike the iPhone, most customers will not carry their iPad with them all of the time. This means that many of the applications that have become hits on the iPhone will not find the same success on the iPad. Rather, what is needed is a newer set of applications that take full advantage of the new screen real estate while providing services that make the iPad a success as an occasional-use device.

The primary functional difference I see between the two devices is that the iPhone is an unconscious-carry device that is always with us and the iPad is a conscious-carry device that we won't always take with us. This means that there must be a different thought process used in the development of the applications if they are to propel the iPad toward success.

For starters, many iPad users will not opt for a full wide-area wireless broadband subscription. Instead, they will use it for communications when near a Wi-Fi hotspot or subscribe to an occasional-use wide-area broadband plan. Applications that assume full wireless connectivity anytime the iPad is on will not be as well received as applications that are developed for occasional use. Many iPhone apps are constantly updating the information they provide, but iPad applications that require a constant or almost-constant connection will not be as functional.

Streaming content needs to be able to be downloaded and stored on the iPad so that viewing is not limited to periods of connectivity, which means that memory management will be a key to the success of a variety of applications. Because of its graphical user interface, along with the other attributes of the iPad, it will have to be managed better than other ebook readers, for example. On my Kindle, I don't spend much time purging my read books or transferring them to a memory card because the text version of a book takes up a lot less room than more robust graphical representations of the same book. I believe that iPad applications should download and store material I want to use or read in the future.

Likewise, real-time updates that are a developer's friend on the iPhone will need to be modified so that requests for updates occur only during periods of connectivity. Further, due to the amount of data usage required for graphic images, customers should be able to limit the number of updates, and it should be very clear to them how much of their memory has been used and how it can be cleaned up and recycled.

In a recent FCC blog [3], several officials expressed their concern that the iPad could lead to further data congestion on the AT&T network. Much of this concern has to do with streaming content such as movies and videos. iPhone users are already viewing many videos and other content in real time. Perhaps a better solution will be to download content to the iPad for later viewing. This could be accomplished by providing compression-based downloads that would enable the content to be stored. Yes, there are some issues with copyrights and ownership, but they could be addressed by preventing the video from be copied, providing for automatic erasure after X number of viewings, or a variety of other methods.

[4]I believe that the success of the iPad will be determined by the applications that are developed to run on it. Apple invented a new platform, and like the iPhone, it is an elegant platform. Also like the iPhone, the applications for the platform will make or break the device. There is a several-month lead time before the iPad becomes available in stores, and smart developers will use this time to plan their offerings and to make sure what they are offering iPad customers is not simply a revamped iPhone application.

Because the iPad will not be an always-on, always-connected device, applications will have to recognize that fact and compensate for this difference between the two platforms. The screen size will appeal to those who want to watch more video content, play games on a larger screen, and access their own information when the device is in use. It will be interesting to see how the developer community responds to the iPad and if developers come to understand the differences between it and the iPhone quickly, or if it will take some time to learn that these platforms are different and that the content provided to each should be different.

Andrew M. Seybold is an authority on technology and trends shaping the world of wireless mobility. A respected analyst, consultant, commentator, author and active participant in industry trade organizations, his views have influenced strategies and shaped initiatives for telecom, mobile computing and wireless industry leaders worldwide. www.andrewseybold.com [5]. Don't miss the Andrew Seybold Wireless University on Monday, March 22, 2010, at CTIA Wireless 2010, Las Vegas, Nev [6].