High-tech head-hunting firm Dice reported some interesting facts from a recent survey of over 3,200 respondents, 500 of whom have developed a mobile app The report shows that just 17 percent of technology professionals can claim that they have developed a mobile app. Then Dice took the data to the next level by uncovering the amount of time these professionals spent using the different mobile operating systems, on a full-time, part-time and hobby basis. At least one third of tech professionals who have developed a mobile app have earned at least $1.
The most popular OS for full-time app developers was iPhone, followed in descending order by Android, Windows Mobile, iPad, Blackberry, and Symbian. However, Android took the honors among part-timers and hobbyists. The kicker: iPhone developers made nine times the income of Android developers, a shocking spread. Part of the discrepancy can be explained by the surplus of hours spend developing iPhone apps over Android apps. The astonishing loyalty of Apple iPhone users, as witnessed by highly successful iPhone trade in programs, has driven demand for new and better iPhone apps. It is predicted that Android developers will close the pay gap as Android app advertising revenue grows. As it stands currently, there are 1.4 job requests for Android programmers for each iPhone job posting.
Of the 17 percent of professionals who have worked on a mobile app, a quarter are full-time workers. It appears that publishing a popular app, notwithstanding the OS, can be a highly rewarding experience for developers.
The most current iPhone OS is iOS 5. Apple boasts that this release includes over 200 new features, including:
- Notification Center – a single convenient location for accessing all of your alerts, whether generated from email, text messages, stock prices, friend requests and even the current weather.
- Newsstand – a central location to organize all of your magazine and newspaper subscriptions.
- iMessage – an integrated messaging service for all iPad, IPod and iPhone iOS5 users. Send text, photos, videos, locations and contacts. You can use delivery and read receipts to track messages. Of course, full encryption service is available.
- Reminders – just jot it down and its maintained in a central repository shared by iOS5 devices. Works with iCal, Outlook and even iCloud, so any changes you enter are automatically uploaded to all your devices and calendars.
- Twitter – iOS5 has new Twitter features. Just sign in, and you can tweet directly from Safari, Camera, Photos, YouTube or Maps.