Mobile Device Bigotry
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How many times have you seen something that says to "Scan this QR code to download our wonderful new app to your phone" only to find out that they support only the iPhone and Android? I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920) and I love it. We just received our coupon book from Costco in the mail today, and right on the cover it advertises their "Streamlined Savings No more clipping coupons!" You open it up and they show you two important items:
- Master Bar Code
- Scan here to download the Costco app
Now, the Master Bar Code lets the cashier know that you actually received a book so the register may automatically apply any coupons from the book to qualifying items in your purchase. Nifty. no need to isolate the coupon to get the savings. (My local Costco got to pilot the program so we've been doing it for a couple of years, but now it's all official). It's the second item that bothers me. You see, when you scan the code it takes you to a web page that gives you links to the Apple App Store and Google play. That's it. Nothing else. So basically, Costco's opinion is apparently that only owners of iPhones and Androids want to be able to use the code from their phones. Well, OBVIOUSLY us Windows Phone users don't carry around our phones, right? And we *never* use it to, say, purchase things, browse the web, play games, interact with our favorite social network, etc. right? Of course not! We only got the phones because they can run Word, Excel, and OneNote (magnificently!). Personally, I've written apps for all three platforms and none of them is easier or harder than the other, they're just different. So why can't these paid development teams build for Windows Phone? The most likely reason is that the company paying them (I'm picking on Costco in this post but there are literally hundreds of examples out there) doesn't think it's of value. So there we have it. I own a Windows Phone and Costco doesn't believe that I have value. Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone. [steps off soapbox, rant complete]
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A lot of words to state the obvious. What about Blackberry?
Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa
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I would suspect that they have simply decided that Windows Phone users are a small enough minority that it isn't affecting sales.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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As I said in my closing, rant complete. But you're correct. What about Blackberry? I've never coded for it but I don't believe that it would be any more difficult than the others.
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How many times have you seen something that says to "Scan this QR code to download our wonderful new app to your phone" only to find out that they support only the iPhone and Android? I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920) and I love it. We just received our coupon book from Costco in the mail today, and right on the cover it advertises their "Streamlined Savings No more clipping coupons!" You open it up and they show you two important items:
- Master Bar Code
- Scan here to download the Costco app
Now, the Master Bar Code lets the cashier know that you actually received a book so the register may automatically apply any coupons from the book to qualifying items in your purchase. Nifty. no need to isolate the coupon to get the savings. (My local Costco got to pilot the program so we've been doing it for a couple of years, but now it's all official). It's the second item that bothers me. You see, when you scan the code it takes you to a web page that gives you links to the Apple App Store and Google play. That's it. Nothing else. So basically, Costco's opinion is apparently that only owners of iPhones and Androids want to be able to use the code from their phones. Well, OBVIOUSLY us Windows Phone users don't carry around our phones, right? And we *never* use it to, say, purchase things, browse the web, play games, interact with our favorite social network, etc. right? Of course not! We only got the phones because they can run Word, Excel, and OneNote (magnificently!). Personally, I've written apps for all three platforms and none of them is easier or harder than the other, they're just different. So why can't these paid development teams build for Windows Phone? The most likely reason is that the company paying them (I'm picking on Costco in this post but there are literally hundreds of examples out there) doesn't think it's of value. So there we have it. I own a Windows Phone and Costco doesn't believe that I have value. Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone. [steps off soapbox, rant complete]
KChandos wrote:
I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920)
I have a Nokia 720, very nice, love it. Yes, I know the WP market is still small compared to Android, that's part of the reason I have an HTC One V Android 4.0. In Switzerland now the Apps of the main organisations (ex-state like trains, airlines,ecc.. have the WP8 version)
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How many times have you seen something that says to "Scan this QR code to download our wonderful new app to your phone" only to find out that they support only the iPhone and Android? I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920) and I love it. We just received our coupon book from Costco in the mail today, and right on the cover it advertises their "Streamlined Savings No more clipping coupons!" You open it up and they show you two important items:
- Master Bar Code
- Scan here to download the Costco app
Now, the Master Bar Code lets the cashier know that you actually received a book so the register may automatically apply any coupons from the book to qualifying items in your purchase. Nifty. no need to isolate the coupon to get the savings. (My local Costco got to pilot the program so we've been doing it for a couple of years, but now it's all official). It's the second item that bothers me. You see, when you scan the code it takes you to a web page that gives you links to the Apple App Store and Google play. That's it. Nothing else. So basically, Costco's opinion is apparently that only owners of iPhones and Androids want to be able to use the code from their phones. Well, OBVIOUSLY us Windows Phone users don't carry around our phones, right? And we *never* use it to, say, purchase things, browse the web, play games, interact with our favorite social network, etc. right? Of course not! We only got the phones because they can run Word, Excel, and OneNote (magnificently!). Personally, I've written apps for all three platforms and none of them is easier or harder than the other, they're just different. So why can't these paid development teams build for Windows Phone? The most likely reason is that the company paying them (I'm picking on Costco in this post but there are literally hundreds of examples out there) doesn't think it's of value. So there we have it. I own a Windows Phone and Costco doesn't believe that I have value. Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone. [steps off soapbox, rant complete]
KChandos wrote:
[...enormous amounts of text...] Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone.
My God! This is such an injustice, and should immediately be reported to the appropriate authorities[^]. [joke]A submission like this will be perfect: I scanned the QR code of ambrozia-blubbero-dubberz branded edible massage oil advert on my ipad8, and it didn't work because my phone runs on symbian. :( [/joke]
"Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.
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How many times have you seen something that says to "Scan this QR code to download our wonderful new app to your phone" only to find out that they support only the iPhone and Android? I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920) and I love it. We just received our coupon book from Costco in the mail today, and right on the cover it advertises their "Streamlined Savings No more clipping coupons!" You open it up and they show you two important items:
- Master Bar Code
- Scan here to download the Costco app
Now, the Master Bar Code lets the cashier know that you actually received a book so the register may automatically apply any coupons from the book to qualifying items in your purchase. Nifty. no need to isolate the coupon to get the savings. (My local Costco got to pilot the program so we've been doing it for a couple of years, but now it's all official). It's the second item that bothers me. You see, when you scan the code it takes you to a web page that gives you links to the Apple App Store and Google play. That's it. Nothing else. So basically, Costco's opinion is apparently that only owners of iPhones and Androids want to be able to use the code from their phones. Well, OBVIOUSLY us Windows Phone users don't carry around our phones, right? And we *never* use it to, say, purchase things, browse the web, play games, interact with our favorite social network, etc. right? Of course not! We only got the phones because they can run Word, Excel, and OneNote (magnificently!). Personally, I've written apps for all three platforms and none of them is easier or harder than the other, they're just different. So why can't these paid development teams build for Windows Phone? The most likely reason is that the company paying them (I'm picking on Costco in this post but there are literally hundreds of examples out there) doesn't think it's of value. So there we have it. I own a Windows Phone and Costco doesn't believe that I have value. Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone. [steps off soapbox, rant complete]
Lesson leaned: QR Codes are platform agnostic... applications aren't :laugh: :laugh: Now seriously, porting and maintaining an App for a specific platform has a cost, and sometimes it doesn't worth it. These decisions have a lot to do with statistics. If a low percentage of the requests come from Windows Phone users, most likely this will be the last one to be supported, if at all... On the other hand, different platforms may take different finish dates and it's better to have it available earlier for some than wait for all platforms to be supported to finally release the app. It's bad for those users but business is business... decisions have to be made.
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Is also ahead of Windows 8 phone in user base.
Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa
But probably not for long. Nokia's Lumia line surpassed them in sales last quarter.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
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How many times have you seen something that says to "Scan this QR code to download our wonderful new app to your phone" only to find out that they support only the iPhone and Android? I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920) and I love it. We just received our coupon book from Costco in the mail today, and right on the cover it advertises their "Streamlined Savings No more clipping coupons!" You open it up and they show you two important items:
- Master Bar Code
- Scan here to download the Costco app
Now, the Master Bar Code lets the cashier know that you actually received a book so the register may automatically apply any coupons from the book to qualifying items in your purchase. Nifty. no need to isolate the coupon to get the savings. (My local Costco got to pilot the program so we've been doing it for a couple of years, but now it's all official). It's the second item that bothers me. You see, when you scan the code it takes you to a web page that gives you links to the Apple App Store and Google play. That's it. Nothing else. So basically, Costco's opinion is apparently that only owners of iPhones and Androids want to be able to use the code from their phones. Well, OBVIOUSLY us Windows Phone users don't carry around our phones, right? And we *never* use it to, say, purchase things, browse the web, play games, interact with our favorite social network, etc. right? Of course not! We only got the phones because they can run Word, Excel, and OneNote (magnificently!). Personally, I've written apps for all three platforms and none of them is easier or harder than the other, they're just different. So why can't these paid development teams build for Windows Phone? The most likely reason is that the company paying them (I'm picking on Costco in this post but there are literally hundreds of examples out there) doesn't think it's of value. So there we have it. I own a Windows Phone and Costco doesn't believe that I have value. Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone. [steps off soapbox, rant complete]
Preach it brother! What really gets me is the "get our app -- iPhone, Android, and Blackberry 10". Blackberry 10, really? PS I too love my Lumia 920. EDIT: And before anyone gets the idea that I'm slamming BB10, I'm only commenting on the silliness of supporting BB10 while not supporting WP since both are way behind IOS and Android in market share.
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I would suspect that they have simply decided that Windows Phone users are a small enough minority that it isn't affecting sales.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
See my reply about ads that want you to download their app for iPhone, Android and Blackberry 10. If I'm not mistaken, BB10 has an even smaller user base.
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How many times have you seen something that says to "Scan this QR code to download our wonderful new app to your phone" only to find out that they support only the iPhone and Android? I own a Windows Phone 8 (Nokia 920) and I love it. We just received our coupon book from Costco in the mail today, and right on the cover it advertises their "Streamlined Savings No more clipping coupons!" You open it up and they show you two important items:
- Master Bar Code
- Scan here to download the Costco app
Now, the Master Bar Code lets the cashier know that you actually received a book so the register may automatically apply any coupons from the book to qualifying items in your purchase. Nifty. no need to isolate the coupon to get the savings. (My local Costco got to pilot the program so we've been doing it for a couple of years, but now it's all official). It's the second item that bothers me. You see, when you scan the code it takes you to a web page that gives you links to the Apple App Store and Google play. That's it. Nothing else. So basically, Costco's opinion is apparently that only owners of iPhones and Androids want to be able to use the code from their phones. Well, OBVIOUSLY us Windows Phone users don't carry around our phones, right? And we *never* use it to, say, purchase things, browse the web, play games, interact with our favorite social network, etc. right? Of course not! We only got the phones because they can run Word, Excel, and OneNote (magnificently!). Personally, I've written apps for all three platforms and none of them is easier or harder than the other, they're just different. So why can't these paid development teams build for Windows Phone? The most likely reason is that the company paying them (I'm picking on Costco in this post but there are literally hundreds of examples out there) doesn't think it's of value. So there we have it. I own a Windows Phone and Costco doesn't believe that I have value. Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone. [steps off soapbox, rant complete]
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See my reply about ads that want you to download their app for iPhone, Android and Blackberry 10. If I'm not mistaken, BB10 has an even smaller user base.
Not true as of march this year from what I could find. Bb about twice windows.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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Not true as of march this year from what I could find. Bb about twice windows.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
BB overall or BB10 specifically? Because I was talking specifically about BB10 -- since the ads I was referencing were specific about the version. EDIT: I didn't see any BB10 specific numbers (though I thought I'd seen something previously). You're correct about overall BB usage; however, BB is (or was as of Q3 of last year) losing marking share quickly while Windows Phone is (or again, was) gaining (though not as quickly). Here's the story I read.[^] EDIT #2: Just read this[^] from IDC stating that in Q2 of '13, WP moved ahead of BB.
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KChandos wrote:
[...enormous amounts of text...] Bigotry against me because of my choice of phone.
My God! This is such an injustice, and should immediately be reported to the appropriate authorities[^]. [joke]A submission like this will be perfect: I scanned the QR code of ambrozia-blubbero-dubberz branded edible massage oil advert on my ipad8, and it didn't work because my phone runs on symbian. :( [/joke]
"Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.
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Lesson leaned: QR Codes are platform agnostic... applications aren't :laugh: :laugh: Now seriously, porting and maintaining an App for a specific platform has a cost, and sometimes it doesn't worth it. These decisions have a lot to do with statistics. If a low percentage of the requests come from Windows Phone users, most likely this will be the last one to be supported, if at all... On the other hand, different platforms may take different finish dates and it's better to have it available earlier for some than wait for all platforms to be supported to finally release the app. It's bad for those users but business is business... decisions have to be made.
It's your statement of "if at all" that gets me up in arms. I'm not talking about small businesses that have limited customer bases, in the case of this rant (and let's face it, it is a rant) I'm talking about Costco. I don't know where you're from, but here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, Costco is *HUGE*! Even though they are so big and their customer base so diverse, I do understand releasing the iPhone and Android versions as soon as their ready, but why not also say something along the lines of "coming to a Windows Phone soon". Instead, there's simply nothing. I can guarantee you that, at least where I live, if Costco had released only an Android version, the iPhone community would have started an on-line "boycott Costco" campaign and gathered volunteers to clog the Costco HQ phone lines. To me it's really not worth more than a rant on a programmers forum and perhaps a stop at the customer service desk when I go in later this week.
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Ha ha ha ha! So true, so true!! I guess I'll just need to keep giving to Hands 4 Others[^]!
Take an upvote for the spirit. :)
"Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.
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Take an upvote for the spirit. :)
"Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.
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BB overall or BB10 specifically? Because I was talking specifically about BB10 -- since the ads I was referencing were specific about the version. EDIT: I didn't see any BB10 specific numbers (though I thought I'd seen something previously). You're correct about overall BB usage; however, BB is (or was as of Q3 of last year) losing marking share quickly while Windows Phone is (or again, was) gaining (though not as quickly). Here's the story I read.[^] EDIT #2: Just read this[^] from IDC stating that in Q2 of '13, WP moved ahead of BB.
However isn't the user base for BB much more business based versus consumer base? Especially small business? And I am rather certain that is a strong market for Costco. However this is all just speculation. It could be that each implementation was outsourced and the windows one failed to deliver.
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However isn't the user base for BB much more business based versus consumer base? Especially small business? And I am rather certain that is a strong market for Costco. However this is all just speculation. It could be that each implementation was outsourced and the windows one failed to deliver.
We've come down the path a way in this thread. The OP was talking about a Costco app only being available for IOS and Android but not WP. I raised the BB10 question in relation to a different app. I didn't name it, which may account for the confusion. The app I'm thinking of (MLB TV) is strictly entertainment, not business at all, and is available for IOS, Android, and BB10, but not WP. It's puzzling to me that the latest version of a slowly dying platform (BB10) would be supported by an entertainment platform while WP, which is growing rather than shrinking in user base wouldn't be. And it may very well be because of the static numbers -- BB overall does still beat WP in number of users, but I can't help but think that won't last. EDIT: Just read this[^] from IDC stating that in Q2 of '13, WP moved ahead of BB.
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Not true as of march this year from what I could find. Bb about twice windows.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')