Current State of the iOS Platform

Tools of Change for Publishing

We’re focusing on platforms this month and Apple’s iOS is still the one to beat. Android has momentum but recent reports indicate it’s still not a serious threat to iOS, at least not on the tablet front. The much-rumored iPad Mini will only reinforce Apple’s position and potentially eliminate consumer interest in other tablets.

Is the iPad Mini for real? What does the future of the iOS platform look like? I recently sat down with John Brownlee, Cult of Mac’s Deputy Editor to discuss.

Key points from the full video interview (below) include:

• Will Apple ever be a player in the ebook space? — The iPad Mini will change everything. If the specs and pricing match John’s predictions it will be hard to consider buying anything else on the low end. [Discussed at the 1:00 mark.]
• Apple has always been about profit, not share — John provides an interesting contrast between Apple and Amazon. It’s even more noteworthy considering the current DOJ situation and the debate over the wholesale vs. agency models. [Discussed at the 2:05 mark.]
• The benefits of eInk, in a tablet — Apple has been one of the leading innovators with both displays and battery life. It’s only a matter of time before they close the gap and produce a tablet that has all the benefits of an eInk device. [Discussed at the 3:55 mark.]
• Native apps vs. HTML5 — It’s not an either/or situation but it’s still pretty easy to identify the shortcomings of a non-native app on the iOS platform. [Discussed at the 5:18 mark.]
• Future of iBooks Author — Despite a lack of buzz John believes iBooks Author is another important long-term play for Apple. (I’m still skeptical, especially since this tool is only useful for Apple’s platform.) [Discussed at the 7:35 mark.]

You can view the entire interview in the following video.

This post is part of the TOC podcast series. You can also subscribe to the free TOC podcast through iTunes.