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90% of the Money Spent on Mobile Apps Comes From the App Store

Oliver Haslam ∙ November 21, 2011

With the iPad coming under scrutiny as the competition begins its latest assault on Apple's tablet dominance, new figures suggest that the iPad may still be the best bet for those looking to make a living out of making tablet-based apps.

Piper Jaffray Senior Research Analyst Gene Munster has written in a research note released Monday that Apple's iPad still accounts for between 85% and 90% of the money spent on mobile applications.

The news comes as Android moves into a new era thanks to the release of Ice Cream Sandwich, the release which Google hopes will combine the tablet and smartphone software in a way similar to the iPad and iPhone. Munster's claims show that Android may still be suffering from an old issue: Android users just don't seem to buy apps as much as iOS users...

Apple Claims it Could Lose $2.7 Billion in Motorola Lawsuit

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Earlier this month, a German court awarded Motorola Mobility a temporary injunction against Apple for infringing on its intellectual property. An injunction, in this sense, can prevent a company from selling its products in the area in which it's granted.

But the decision was made against Apple Inc., which doesn't actually sell products in Germany. Motorola also filed a lawsuit against Apple Germany. And the outcome of this case could cost the company some serious financial losses...

Sent is a Gmail App for iPhone that Gets Things Right, But Not Perfect

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

It seems like iOS Gmail apps are a little bit like London buses: you wait an hour for one, and then three come along at once. Two notable Gmail apps have entered the App Store as of late.

Gmail users rejoiced when Google finally brought an official Gmail app to the App Store, but after downloading the app, it was clear that the bug-laden effort wasn't what it should be. Google pulled it and eventually made it available again after fixing some of the more glaring bugs. That said, it's still not great, and is missing some features that we hope Google will eventually get around to adding.

A new app to join the Gmail fray goes by the name of "Sent," and while it is indeed a more native experience than Google's solution, the app doesn't get everything right...

How the iPhone 4S Stacks Up Against Competition

Cody Lee ∙ November 19, 2011

For those of you who are in the market for a new smartphone, or recently bought one and want to know how yours stacks up against the competition, you'll be happy to hear that the folks over at AnandTech have done some research that you might find useful.

They've performed a series of benchmarks with all of the latest smartphones, including the new Google Galaxy Nexus, to see which handset is the fastest of them all. The tests include JavaScript loading, GPU loading, and browser speed. And the results may surprise you...

Google Announces 200 Million Android Activations, Still Trails iOS

Cody Lee ∙ November 17, 2011

In the great debate on Android vs. iOS, Android's market share is always brought up in favor of the Google-backed OS. Recent studies show that Android has a staggering lead over iOS, accounting for more than 50% of all smartphone sales.

A lot of that has to do with the spark in growth Android has experienced over the last 6 months due, at least in part, to Apple's delayed iPhone announcement. But even with its recent successes, Google's mobile platform still trails iOS in total number of devices...

Android Malware Up a Shy 472% Since Last Summer

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 25, 2016

For years, security firms have agreed that iOS is one of the most secure mobile platforms in existence. Apple's stringent app approval process and the limited API access it gives to third party developers has proven effective in keeping iOS safe from malware.

Google takes the exact opposite approach with its Android operating system. And while that's proven effective in drawing in iOS defectors who don't appreciate Apple's 'walled garden' of an operating system, it also leaves its users susceptible to malicious software...

Google Resurrects Gmail in the App Store

Alex Heath ∙ November 16, 2011

Google has put its Gmail app back on the App Store. After an embarrassing fiasco in which the app was made available and then pulled after only a couple of hours, Gmail for iOS has been resubmitted to the App Store for everyone to download.

Does the app still suck? You be the judge...

iOS Devices are Still the Most Desirable Among Developers

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 24, 2017

With Amazon's Kindle Fire just a day away from public release, there's no shortage of news regarding the new tablet. Not only does it undercut the cost of most slate offerings by $300, it's also the first Android tablet to feature a truly cohesive user experience.

Because of that, the Kindle Fire now ranks as the top Android-based tablet among developers. But according to The Loop, Amazon's slate still has a ways to go before it reaches the programming popularity of Apple's iOS devices...

WeeSearch Pro: Search Google and Create Custom Search Queries Right From Notification Center

Jeff Benjamin ∙ November 11, 2011

When we used the basic version of WeeSearch, we came a way a little less than impressed. While the pro version of WeeSearch isn't perfect, it's a lot better than its predecessor.

With WeeSearch Pro you can search a variety of built-in search engines. If that doesn't suit your fancy, you can even add your own custom search queries.

The great thing about WeeSearch Pro is that you can do all of this without ever leaving the comfortable confines of iOS 5's Notification Center...

Google: Android Doesn’t Copy the iPhone Because We Were First

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

And the plot thickens.

The battle between Android and the iPhone has raged for years, with it being unveiled in his recent biography that Steve Jobs was planning to wage "thermonuclear war" on Google and Android. The heat felt between the two companies stems from the fact that Apple confided in Google in the early years of the iPhone's development before Android was released. Steve Jobs felt that Google stole Apple's ideas, calling Android "grand theft."

According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Android doesn't copy the iPhone at all. Why? Because Android was started before the iPhone...

Say Hello to iDB on Google+

Sébastien Page ∙ November 7, 2011

You can already find us on Twitter and Facebook, and now we're happy to announce that you can follow iDB on Google+.

Earlier today, Google unveiled Google+ Pages, which now gives us the opportunity to create branded pages on Google+. We're definitely jumping on the bandwagon...

‘AndroidLock XT’ Ice Cream Sandwich Theme Brings Android 4.0 Lock Screen to the iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ November 7, 2011

AndroidLock XT has been out for a very long time, but for some strange reason I never got around to trying it. Recently, an Ice Cream Sandwich aka Android 4.0 theme was released for AndroidLock XT, so I was compelled to give it a go.

Check inside for a hands-on demonstration of AndroidLock XT, along with the new theme that makes your iPhone's Lock screen look and feel like Ice Cream Sandwich...