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Astraware's Tomlinson: iPad won't boost the average iPhone developer

But CEO believes platform will punch above its weight

Astraware's Tomlinson: iPad won't boost the average iPhone developer
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| Astraware news

Having recently told us that iPad development was a "no-brainer", Astraware company founder and CEO Howard Tomlinson has gone on record to claim the same won't be true for scores of other iPhone outfits.

Tomlinson, whose firm recently split from previous owner Handmark to regain its independence, made his claims in an open note posted on Facebook.

In general, it's enthusiastic about Apple's new format (indeed, Tomlinson begins by stating he "personally can't wait for iPad"), his reasoning about the opportunities iPad might present takes into account a number of factors.

A nice niche

Tomlinson believes it's important for developers to realise that iPad won't have anywhere near the same size userbase as iPhone or iPod touch in the years to come – a fact that could leave some eager studios high and dry.

"I think it's reasonable to assume that the iPad number will grow to a million plus within a few months, but is not quite so likely to grow as geometrically as the iPhone/iPod touch has, after all, it's more of a niche device," Tomlinson says.

"I would estimate that there'll be perhaps 1-2 percent as many iPads in use as there are iPhone/iPod touch - but those users will be consumers of a higher value of applications and content, so the iPad component will likely punch above its weight."

Coding calamity

Tomlinson also notes that less-experienced outfits will find the costs of moving up to iPad development harder to bear than a company like Astraware.

He adds, "We have C++ / Objective C code in place for our current games. We're already experienced at tap/touch games of varying sizes from the same code.

"We're already experienced at making games to fit multiple resolutions, including rotation. That makes it relatively easy for us to migrate and support the extension to this platform."

Smelling the coffee

But it's the assertion that iPad won't be the golden ticket many analysts are hyping that dominates Tomlinson's viewpoint.

Encouraging restrain from his peers, he concludes that iPad will be more likely to make the rich studios richer, and leave those who have found iPhone development more tricky in the shade.

"While I'm very excited about iPad and what it will do for our business and also for me personally, I'm not convinced that it's going to assist the average iPhone developer very much," he says.

"If your iPhone apps haven't given you a good return for your effort, the chances are that iPad isn't going to be that silver bullet... but like any form of gambling, being on the risky technological bleeding edge is addictive, so perhaps having that 'one last go' is inevitable."

[source: Astraware]

Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font. He's also Pocket Gamer's resident football gaming expert and, thanks to his work on PG.biz, monitors the market share of all mobile OSes on a daily basis.