HP to develop apps themselves for big-name partners 78
HP's senior vice president of consumer applications, Steven McArthur, sat down with PC Mag to talk a it about HP's strategy for getting big name developers on webOS.
We've already heard much of it: more devices, webOS on the PC, easy development for web developers, etc. Here's a new one, though: for certain partners, HP is just going to make the darn apps themselves and give them to their partners:
"What we actually have – better than that – and we have significant scale on this – we have our own studio that is the best developer in the world, we think," McArthur said. "And we develop headline apps and we also demo…we will figure out a really cool use case, and we'll build the app for them, and we'll just give it to them, as a way to seed the environment"
In other words, we might see a situation where if a big name developer like Hulu or Netflix or Shazam or [insert app you've been waiting for here] is still balking at devoting resources towards making a webOS version of their app, HP will offer to straight-up do it for them.
McArthur was quick to point out that HP will not charge for these apps "Because we do not compete with our developers." That last bit is very important and HP needs to tread carefully here - because as important as it is to see more, better, and bigger-name apps on webOS, there's still room for indie developers to work in that space (see, for example, the excellent TripKit TripIt webOS app and FourSquare for webOS).
Source: PCMag
78 Comments
hp better be working on netflix, slingbox, shazam, etc right now
This is GREAT news. Finally, Palm/HP has the resources to execute.
If webOS has the apps, there is absolutely nothing holding it back.
I am so happy to see the flower blossoming instead of wilting. The last few day have been so exciting.
Little help HP: Watch iphone/ipad commercials, cus whatever people see on tv is something they will want. See: newest Chase app that lets you deposit a check by taking a picture.
Here we go, I'm holding on for the ride!
@pointy
This is great news? You're along for the ride? Success! Unless your W-2 says HP on it, aren't you paying attention?
Sling, Shazam, Netflix, Q-See, American Airlines, Bank of America...whoa, that's what I've been waiting for. I'll stick it out for six months since HP will finally have hardware capable of running WebOS 1 (no less) and all the apps that all the other formats have had for a year or more. IT'S ALL GOING OUR WAY, WHAT COULD GO WRONG????
Well.
1) HP cant even get Flash to work on 99.5% of their existing hardware, and these same bozo's can make a shazam app?
2) HP wont (but can) finish 2.0 for legacy devices to save their current customers, so do you really think they're going to build apps on spec, when they cant possibly believe Shazam and Sling, et al, are going to pay them for their efforts and still not have a customer base to buy/use the apps? What makes these third parties want to play? The other formats grow every day, there is no money in WebOS, and it will be several years, if ever, that the possibility will even exist (more waiting).
3) HP has a consistent history now of SAYING ANYTHING TO STRING PEOPLE ALONG FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS AT A TIME in hopes of a better tomorrow.
So right now, we're waiting for "coming months" to get the magical apps that didn't make it in the first two years, coming from the Easter Bunny or someone that wont take the time to finish WebOS for REAL CUSTOMERS, RIGHT NOW. And you're waiting for "coming months" for Palm to announce how they're going to make this up for all the waiting and lies and general laziness on their part.
KEEP WAITING, the phone you need is ready now. It's 4G or international capable, has a screen as big or small as you like, a better battery, zillions of apps and accessories and while its UI is not as snappy as WebOS, the phone WILL IMPROVE while you own it and the maker will hack all of the snappy features we've all learned to love.
WebOS is the Titanic, lots ot excitement, pagaentry, anticipation, but a drunkard at the wheel and he just hit his fourth ice berg.
Rearrange the deck chairs, I think I'm getting a signal now. Put on your life vest and keep hitting the app catalog icon, shazam should be ready before the rescue boat arrives.
now, we're talking! Hello Audible.com ;-)
Amen! I have lots of audiobooks that I used to listen to on my T|X that I'd love to have access to again! I keep checking my emails from Audible hoping to hear they've finally made a webOS app and have given up hope.
Rubinstein is on Amazon's board, so this is probably coming.
Amazon VOD hopefully. We saw Kindle. keep this train moving along, Ruby!
These apps at worst it should have been finished two days ago. instead nothing.
Always something to whine about.
Yea do it HP. Than Ill give up my Epic but still only after there is a bigger Pre on the market. After 4 and 4.5 inch screen there is no going back to a 3.5
The Pre, +, 2 are actually 3.1".
Pre 3 will be 3.6".
The Iphones are 3.5".
his point esactly
Yeah, pretty soon you'll be up to a laptop.
I agree so hard. I'm on a 4.3in screen HD7 and there's no way I can go back to using a cramped screen. Its much more relaxing when reading online because the fonts are a nicer size the screen can hold more content so I'm scrolling less.
I'll say it again: the Veer is a waste of resources, will it sell more than a slab-styled phone would have?
Great, now big companies don't have to invest any effort and HP will just make the app for them! That's how to get more developers!
It's how to get more USERS, without having to wait for the developers to get on board first. It's how to break the "we don't have users because we don't have developers because we don't have users because . . . " logjam that webOS has been stuck in from day one.
This is smart, and is a big advantage of Now Being HP. Palm probably would have done this, but by the time they realized they needed to do it they didn't have the resources for it.
Sure, it's a good strategy in the short term, as long as developers don't wait around until HP finally does it for them.
I don't think they will. When/if the users get on board, new apps will start coming in.
Again, they have to break the logjam somehow.
Palm did do this with Facebook and it is now voted the BEST Facebook App and any platform.
A couple more wins with big name apps and it will be huge for the platform.
Nook app, please.
nook app = yes!
And Kobo as well (though they seem fairly proactive with making their apps available).
Kobo already has an app for webOS
This, I think, is what they need to do. I'm just glad that they realize it.
They said they wanted to have their app count in the "low tens of thousands" by the time the T-Pad launches "in the coming months." That's going to require a lot of code monkeys monkeying with code.
Get to it, boys!
And when a big-name developer updates their app, which happens on occasion, someone from HP will eventually get around to working on it, and then submitting the app to the developer for QA and approval. This sounds like a cumbersome process.
It also sounds like a big-name developer needs to hand their code over to the same HP team that is also working on their competitors apps. With companies like Google being sued for having proprietary segments of code found in their apps, I doubt many companies are going to be keen on this.
And, if you're not one of those selected developers then HP is developing in-house free competition to your apps. Nice.
I think you misunderstand the plan.
HP will provide a base version of the app - and then give it away to the outside company.
They just want to jumpstart the appps - not maintain them for ever for somebody else.
I assume it will go like this:
Company X hesitates because they don't want to invest resources into a new platform.
HP builds a base version of X-App and then gives it to Company X for free - probably with tutorials and offers of help to train X devs in Enyo.
Company X now invests a small effort into their branding, tweaks it a bit and puts it into the app catalog for almost free and waits if webos takes off - happy about a potential new market they got into for cheap.
HP will do this for (pulling numbers out of my non-existing hat) the top 10 or 20 most demanded apps that are still missing.
They should really license webos. They just are not getting the job done. Best OS I have used but on hardware that is, well, not good.
Re; hardware, by all accounts the Pre2 is solid hardware wise...
I think the Veer and (my choice), the Pre3 will be solid as well.
I am on the fence about them licensing. If they start to hold up to their promises, they are in a unique situation. At Dev Day NYC, they said something about shooting for a new device every couple months. That is fairly fast for a single company. Faster than Apple and Blackberry but slower than Windows Phone and or android devices. They are going to still have complete control over all their devices and keep a standard of device quality and a uniform user experience on all devices. So they will still have many devices to suit everyone's needs like android. They also have the control over user experience that Apple has.
It make sense HP! Whatsapp and Tengo for WebOS please.....
of course they have to do this after that announcement debacle the other day. i mean what developer in their right mind would concentrate on making apps for webos now?
they announced 2 phones that have ZERO carrier support yet (otherwise they would have announced it). That means the "summer" date for those is beyond iffy, i'd be shocked to see the pre3 before late fall at this point.
Plus the tablet uses an entirely new API that current phones and also won't be available till the vague "summer".
They may release their new phones without being tied to carriers. Just like the Pre 2 is being sold now. They control updates. Of course you would have to pay full price and you would loose all those great apps the carriers load the phones up with!
Given that the carriers tend to leak like a sieve, it's no surprise. The carriers would leak pricing and release dates that turn out to be embarrassingly false and more
now we're talking. HP has the resources to push the platform forward and this is exactly the shot in the arm it needs.
I was hoping they'd do something like this. The alternative would be to pay developers to do WebOS apps.
it's about damn time. Iheartradio, hulu, zillow, redbox, nba access, bright house networks, all the major banks and credit unions, scrabble and that's all I could think of right now. You start rolling those out in the next couple of months and I could probably hold out for some better harware. Rightnow the oferings are not impressive at all. Pre 3 should have been released 6 months ago and then it would really have had a chance to compete with iphone. As it stands it's already obselete and when it finally does come out there would be alot more better stuff out there. But that's another topic just GIVE ME SOME DAMN APPS!!!!!!!!!
Scrabble by EA has been around for a while now, but yea the others would definately be nice.
There is already a Redbox app for webOS in the app catalog -- Reboxed by Semicolon Apps.
Epocrates please!
yeah man, get netflix going... popular bank apps going, and basically just aa rundown of the 50 most popular apps in itunes and hp will get things going. webos needs a jumpstart. hp has the resources..... i see good things~!
This is the only way they will compete with Apple and Android until (or if) the developers start writing for webOS. Still not sure what I will do. This is looking like a long term strategy that will take time to develop. If they could get some of the apps mentioned by other posters into the app store in the next couple months, that would help.
I think the big name apps will be MUCH happier to work with HP than sign agreements with small developer shops. Get the top 10-20 apps on android and ios onto webOS and then gradually pull back and let indie developers take over. This will break up the logjam and encourage sales.
Awesome. As the developer of an app for a "big name" service, I'm cool with this. I'd imagine HP will focus on apps that don't have an API out there, ie, Netflix. Any little independent developer like myself does not have the ability to make a Netflix streaming app. However, if HP says, give us access and we'll make it, I doubt Netflix would turn that down. More users = more money.
I don't see HP coming in and making, say, an Untappd app because there isn't a big enough market and there's a public API out.
I have this all along...Take care, Jay
webOS 3.0 has a big advantage over current (and I guess future) iOS — it runs Flash within websites smoothly. Its an uncompromised web experience. So there is no really need of special apps for a pretty much of any online services, since their web-interface is their source-interface.
I've been waiting to move to WebOS but can't until there is HanDBase or a similar relational database for business users. Get HanDBase on board and I'll move back to HP/Palm in a heart beat!
HP contract with curent webOS Devs to get I done.. Win win for all..
I'm curious - is this like the "we have hundreds of developers working with webOS and creating some great apps that will be coming out soon!" from last year, and all we got was hundreds of "100 best songs from the Lithuanian highlands" apps? I've been looking and have never seen another HP app out there...
/skeptical - after they blew the Feb. 9th deal, I don't trust a word they say.
This is good news for the app side of things
This is greeat news. I'm excited about this. In my opinion all Webos needs is different form factors (I actually like the pre form-factor though) in phones and more apps from big companies. Them announcing this means that we should get many of these apps. This also means that there apps will probably be different and better then other apps of the same company on different platforms. I've noticed that many apps that are on android and IOS are the exact same app on both platforms. Hp will probably dedicate more time on each app and try and make it better then the same app on other platforms.. (For example the Facebook app for IOS and android was made by Facebook themselves but Palm made the facebook app for WebOS and I've heard many tech sites say that the facebook app for WebOS is the best Facebook app for any platform.)
Isn't making them free competing directly with future indie developers that might make an app for ? If you're making it free, and someone else comes along, works really hard, and decides that work deserves something in return, there's no way they can compete with free and the "best developer studio in the world".
Thats why they need to act now. The anoucment that they are going to put web OS on PC's and going to do the apps for the major services, are attempts to energize the developers. If you dont do it now, there wont be a market for your app later.
HP gives the app away for free to Company X - Company X can then sell it through the app catalog.
The apps HP will focus on are those that are already on the other 2 platforms and people keep asking for.
Not really any competition for Indi-devs.
Really looking forward to some big name apps! Can't wait to see the WebOS logo next to all the other logos on the big sites that towt their connectivity prowess. My hopes, to name a few:
travelocity app
expedia app
Jawbone app - to monitor blue tooth headset battery status right on the Pre - just like on the iphone/blackberry
jott app (to record voice notes via your bluetooth headset
coasttocoastam.com app
and let's get integrated into new product development that is based on the iphone apps - like connected TV remotes, even those mall kiosk toy helicopters that are controlled with an iphone app.
This is HP's opportunity to really integrate iteself into our digital/pop culture infrastructure!
Travelocity actually has a decent mobile website that almost feels native. Give it a try! You can create an icon for it through Page->Add to Launcher.
Sure it's a good mobile site, but here's what I'm talking about - What's one of the main icons on the mobile site? It's:
"Get our iphone App".
I want a "Get our webOS App" icon on sites like this. This is how HP could bring webOS into the mobile internet culture.
travelocity is on the way out for airline tickets. Go with kayak.com. It lets you search for all the fares, but you still book your flight through the airline directly. This has the advantage of giving you better customer service and lets you search airlines like American Air that aren't on travelocity.
You can throw all the money in the world to a platform and pay to have apps made etc, but without a loyal following of users you are never going to succeed. You will have no longevity.
Palm started out with the idea of building a tribe, why do you think Apple has been so successful. That's exactly what they did and for the most part they keep their tribe happy.
They have an army of loyal customers.
Current Palm followers have been let down in a major way. HP has the corporate bs model and unless there products are going to be the undeniable king of kings then I cant see them building a strong market share period.
HP products are not going to be the industry leaders, the big announced Pre3 will be getting left behind before it even comes out.
Same old story behind WebOS. Beta vs VHS anyone??
The Pre3 isn't the end of new phones. It's what I want, it's what many of us that like the form factor wants. Slabs will be coming also (to go head to head with the iPhone5).
BIG name apps is what are needed before the Pre3 hits the stores and that is what they are doing.
HP computers dont lead the industry? If you just talk about smartphones, you are correct. If they realy start loading web OS on PC's, there will be a huge market for developers. They could even send out a update adding a web OS interface to current touch screen HP owners. Web OS working with windows would rock for a PC.
About time!! This is the best thing I heard coming from HP after the announcement of the new devices. I was really amazed by how awesome the Facebook app is and man, if they can do the same for Netfilx, Hulu, Audible and others this is where I want to put my money down!
I'm still a little bummed with the "DENIED" announcement.
Plus we WAITed for HP to announce that we have to WAIT. This was completely opposite of what we were told was gonna happen.
This is good news though. Hopefully worth the wait as I am thinking it will be.
Get her done HP!
I sure hope they take some time to finish what Google started. Google maps is one of the most important apps to me and one of the worst implemented and least featured on the phone. Where is the layers support? Why does it take 45 seconds to load? Why can't I store favorites? Pitiful.
I feel like Google has given up supporting WebOS - we'll never get the same features that are on Android because its in Google's specific interest NOT to.
Hopefully HP will fill that gap and be able to use the API's to get us all of the features that Android's Maps program has. Oh, and lets not forget Voice, Latitude, Goggles, and Earth.
I hate to say it, but Yahoo actually has some opportunity to step in with some services here.
Agree 100%.
Being one of the developer's on a big name app, I think this is a fairly good move for private stuff.
I would however like a shot at developing some big name apps myself. It would be great if they simply set me up with a few and let me take on development so I can get paid to support the platform. If I have to do 3rd party apps that compete with name brans that HP does for free... well, I might just have to move on.
this is what was needed from the beginning. Apple did it and so did google. Let the great apps start rolling in.
This is where HP's partnership with AVAYA should come in to play. AVAYA just released their Flare video end-point application for Enterprises. This app currently runs on Android, but people that have seen it, refer to it as a "WebOS" like app! It would just make sense for HP to look at this, considering their Enterprise focus.
this is huge. Definitely helps to alleviate some of my disappointment from Tuesday.
this is great news.
Audible. Audible. Audible. God, it used to work on my old, old, old Palm. Audible.
Promising. HP has to have a 'prime the pump' strategy, and this is a key component.
yep. That about sums things up - developers don't give a crap about WebOS,which is CLEARLY lagging behind and panting, big way,so,instead of firing up developer interest in a proper way (right devices, right timing, right commercials) - better pretend to the customers that there IS a reason to jump on WebOS platform.
well,they might have a lot of money to burn at HP, but I doubt that way will take them anyway further.
IMHO, it would much, MUCH bettah to spend the same amount of $$$ on polishing WebOS and it's PIM's applications to the KILLER level (i.e. Doing THEIR job, instead of pretending they CAN do the job of every other big name developer,that might be needed by some customers.
Developers will come, when they see right moves, right devices and future in the WebOS,leadership & vision behind the platform. For two years,Palm,HP+Palm, then HP are serving us the exact opposite. Doing someone else's job is just another example of stupid management decisions, that WebOS is cursed with,and the effect will be exactly opposite to sparking any developers interest as a SERIOUS mobile os contender, at best as a funny curiosity.
They need to develop an app for Logmein. Quickly!
You see exactly what I mean in this very thread. "They need to implement this app, they need to implement that app". And hunreds of them.
WRONG. What they need, is to convince developers that there is a future in WebOS, by doing the right things (things that we are expecting from PALM - to be the ultimate handheld PIM, plus desktop integration, plus today's cloud integration)
I see both sides of this, your argument is completly valid, if HP can do as you say AND develop even the top 20-30 apps that at are available for iOS and Android, then it's been an entirely effective strategy. If they manage only the develment, then it is as you say, "WRONG". However, this bodes well.
I, like many others, am dissapointed with the speed of development, and I'm genuinely worried for the immediate future of WebOS devices and "eecosystem" howeve, HP is huge, and well funded, and peerhaps most importantly greedy.
They see WebOS as a way to not just get into the cellphone business, but as a tool to take the OS fight to Apple and Microsoft. The statement of intent to put WebOS on desktops is part of a plan, that if HP FOLLOWS THROUGH on (note the emphasis there, and their recent record) will give consumers a third viable desktop OS option, free them from the tyrany of Microsoft, and allow them to offer corporate customers a cohesive experience from servers to field reps. It's an ambitious vision (or perhaps I'm the ambitious one, as that's what I'D do...), and they need to market it better than they have s far
Hi all,
I have maintained from the very beginning, as soon as Palm was looking for a buyout, that who ever won Palm would HAVE to pay to make apps available....
It isn't very hard to do, after all Palm has disclosed how easy it is to port apps from other platforms, using various tools...Palm/HP have supplied help help for app writer/creators for free to a number of firms....
It is much faster for HP to do the writing/converting of apps in house, then it is to send personnel to outside firms. My guess is that HP will do so for a while thus making sure that there is a "critical mass" in terms of number of apps for people to take the webOS platform serious.
I also was think of a few other issues:
1. Perhaps HP & Palm dropped the gesture area from the Pad, as you will have one hand busy just holding the pad...(I am guessing at this)....
2. Having HP write or convert existing apps for a large number of firms Palm & HP seemed not to have a problem on leaving some apps in the dust while it is adopting a newer format for the Pad....after all...one could not expect the apps for the pad to work without some tweaking!
3. Yesterday so many people were carrying on, that they were so mad at Palm for changing some of the format for the upcoming Pre 3 and the Pad...I stated that you should all relax and wait for Palm 7 HP's answer...
4. From the beginning Palm has maintained that apps could be ported in as little as a day or two....I am sure that HP/Palm could do it faster than the firms that wrote the apps for other platforms!
i want What's App the most!!
Even nokials symbian has got a beta version last yr...