Back To Android: The App Gap Part One

So the App Gap is that popular fictitious term that many iPhone or Android users break out the win just about any argument to why their OS is superior to Windows Phone. Simply put, it is the argument that the iOS store and the Play store have more titles in them. After my first week back with Android as my daily driver, I sort of see what they mean.

Banking: While there are many major banks, such as Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo, that have made a Windows Phone app, my bank, well credit union is one of the many that has not. They don’t support Windows Phone – even though they are based in Microsoft’s backyard. BECU has gone on the record saying that they will not make a WP App until the market share increases. That said, their Android App is flawless.

Currently there are hundreds of banks that support Android, while only a handful support Windows Phone so far. Android 1 – WP 0

Social Networking: Hootsuite is my poster of choice for handling multiple social networks at once. Their free service works with up to 5 social accounts at once. Their Android App has really made leaps and bounds since I used it last, and the only access I have through my Windows Phone is their mobile website.

Overall, the assortment of Apps for social networking available for Android dwarfs that of Windows Phone. This is both in quantity and quality. Android 2 – WP 0

Instagram: This is a loaded category – and I mean you are going to hate me for this… Windows Phone sucks at Instagram. The native App takes about 5 hours to load the images and it’s just slow. That said, there are quite a few other clients out there that also have some benefits – like using 2 accounts… 6Tag, Instance and Metrogram all do a great job. Of course, to truly keep up with features like video upload and such, you have to have the official App in all it’s glory – which is better on Android. I give kudos to the 3rd party Dev’s that do better work than the Instagram folks themselves.

While I wanted to give this one just to Windows Phone, the quality of the Android App for Instagram is just too high to ignore. I’ll give them each a point on this one to keep it fair. Android 3 – Windows Phone 1

That is a brief look at three quick categories where I felt like my Nokia was lagging behind the neighbor’s device. Unfortunately, after playing for the week, not only do I feel like I am behind them, I know I am behind them. Sure, the third party developers are easing the blow, but it only takes one API change or one upset corporate dude to make that App completely unusable. Remember the Instance thing and the YouTube thing? Yep, change happens quick in the world of developers.