On the iOS and Apple

I just noticed that iOS 5 from Apple has been announced for this summer. And let me tell you, its presentation video on YouTube is absolutely amazing! But...

A few days ago, I come across some software that was only being developed for Android - that doesn't seem ok, right?, after all, Apple is the biggest brand in the smartphone market, integrating both hardware and software. But does it matter that much? This software developer stated that as he had limited resources, he had to focus on the biggest platform - and that platform is Android.

Actually, Android is, nowadays, the biggest smartphone software platform in the world, clearly leading the market in front of Apple, RIMM, Nokia and Microsoft systems.

Everytime I think of this, it reminds me something. Is it possible that by not opening / selling their software platform to other hardware developers, Apple will eventually lose this market in the medium term, being cornered to a niche position? Oh, yes - iOS is probably a better operating system than Lynux based Android... but does it matter that much, if an Android is able to do 98% of everything an iOS does, but at a cheaper cost and with a much wider hardware base? And what does this all reminds me? Isn't this all a replay of the PC operative systems wars we watched in the beginning of the 80's? Is it possible that Apple will be confined to the high-end users niche, and will see the bulk of the market going to Google, as it did in the PCs for Microsoft?

Let's wait and see...