HTC Sense customers may soon be able to download apps enhanced just for their mobile phone models. HTC announced Thursday it will soon launch the HTC OpenSense software development kit, which aids developers in creating apps created specifically to interact with HTC’s Sense software.
HTC Sense is the company’s custom graphical user interface, built atop the Google android platform. Because HTC is competing with other manufacturers like Straight talk samsung and Sony Ericsson - all three of which deliver phones using the Google android platform - Sense’s custom interface serves in order to differentiate HTC mobile phones from other devices.
Rather than having the stock Android interface, for example, the actual company’s hardware comes with HTC’s version of many common applications. On an HTC telephone, Twitter is relabeled as “Peep.” Menu screens are available preloaded with such things as an HTC-branded media participant, and calendar as well as contacts apps.
“As the actual devices become more and much more alike, manufacturers is going to do anything they can in order to differentiate themselves,” Gartner study analyst Ken Dulaney told " cable ".com.
The OpenSense SDK looks promising. HTC repetitions say developers can create apps which utilize the stylus pen for HTC’s new Flyer pill device, as well as the stereoscopic 3-D display. If HTC fishing lures more developers in to creating apps which interact with Sense, that means more content targeted at for HTC devices - which, consequently, gives potential customers much more reasons to purchase HTC-made products.
Software developers are the lifeblood of mobile platforms. Without them, locations like Apple’s App Store or the Android Marketplace would be devoid of content. Thus it makes sense, as they say, for smartphone producers to court developers, sketching them to a specific platform.
HTC’s approach of welcoming programmers to signal apps for its smartphones is a stark comparison to Motorola’s relationship along with developers. On the same day that HTC made it's dev-friendly announcement, rival producer Motorola had a couple of less-encouraging comments regarding the applications coming from the Android developer community.
At a technology conference Thursday, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha deflected questions on battery life of his company’s items, placing the blame about the apps rather than the hardware.
“For power consumption and CPU use, individuals apps are not examined,” said Jha, referring to Android’s “open” plan of not vetting programs submitted to its Marketplace. Google removes applications that violate its developer distribution agreement, but no system of evaluating an app’s power efficiency exists on the Market’s side. Jha went on to express that 70 percent of Motorola’s device returns tend to be because of applications affecting performance.
Whether or not Jha’s comments are accurate, it’s a dangerous move for a company head to pass the buck to quality issues related to applications on the Android Marketplace. Apps, of course, provided by the developer community.
A Motorola representative did not immediately react to a request for comment.
Jha took the opportunity to make a plug for Motorola’s personal custom graphical interface, Motoblur. Jha said Motoblur development is actually advancing to the point where it may warn users how much battery a given app will use. Depending on how a lot power there is remaining on the phone, you’ll then be able to decide whether you want to run the actual app.
Two businesses, with two completely different approaches to drawing attention to the graphical interface, and two very different effects on developers.
On a tech blog, commenter Daniel McDermott’s viewpoint summed up the response to Jha: “It’s crazy to think Moto would pass on the blame of their crappy skin on to other 3rd party devs when they can’t even get their own mobile phones right.”
