Google after iPhone w/ $10M Set Aside for Developers?
Can Google get developers to focus on Android apps over iPhone apps? Good question.
Google is setting aside $10M in prize money for the developers who create the best application. 50 developers (companies) will get $25,000. Some get more. What does Google want to see? They tell us:
- Social networking [no surprises that this is the first bullet]
- Media consumption, management, editing, or sharing, e.g., photos
- Productivity and collaboration such as email, IM, calendar, etc.
- Gaming
- News and information
- Rethinking of traditional user interfaces
- Use of mash-up functionality
- Use of location-based services
- Humanitarian benefits
- Applications in service of global economic development
- Whatever you’re excited about!
Bribery? Incentive? One thing for sure, Google delivered their SDK first. However, Apple has a real device with more than 1M real users. Plus, many have already developed their web-based apps (BTW, I still use iPhoneMiles, but on my BlackBerry). It’ll be interesting.
Google has created an Android video channel on YouTube.