Featured, Opinion/Editorials, Straight from the Hip

When Big Business Partners with the Big Apple

By: Pamela Hazelton, 5/10/2011 9:00 am | 47 comments

As a dedicated user of webOS, I’ve learned to accept the fact that some app developers will never see the need (or the financial incentive) to port existing mobile apps to my platform of choice.

I’ve had plenty of conversations with a wide range of developers, and can understand why some have opted to simply wait and see where HP takes us before investing any “real” time. Many of these developers realize what I’m saying—that if you put off using the tools to port your app, it’s only a matter of time before someone else fills the void. Alternatives to many popular cloud applications have popped up, and some of the social apps developed exclusively for webOS are far more robust than those created for competing devices.

Today, however, I’m focusing on bigger business—specifically, companies that restrict usage of their own programs or services to the iPhone and/or Android users. Companies that, for the most part, have little to do with these more popular OS’ other than the fact they reach a wider audience.

Take my local Starbucks. I love them, that’s for sure. But when they participated in a SCVNGR event, they, along with all the other merchants involved, limited who could play. They limited the number of people who showed up bright and early to buy coffee and snacks before the hunt began. They limited who could win a prize. In short, I couldn’t take my nephews out for a day of fun with my fellow coffee drinkers.

American Express has teamed up with LevelUp (story via Mashable) to take group buying to a whole new level. Instead of printing a coupon, one need only sync his LevelUp account to his American Express card. When you make your purchase AmEx auto-credits the deal to your card balance. In fact, cashiers don’t even know you’ve just saved a bundle.

Am I jealous of iPhone and Android users? You bet. Because I’m one of those people who loves to save but forgets to grab those pages out of the printer before I leave. Heck, other than pictures, I don’t even want to power up my printer (HP, by the way).

It is big business relationships like this that attract a portion of users to specific mobile platforms. It’s also relationships like this that make me wonder why some companies—to which I’ve been loyal for years—have partnered with developers or services that have opted to ignore me.

I’ve been asking my bank for months when I’ll be able to snap images of checks so I don’t have to drive 40 minutes to the only local branch to make a deposit. It’s one of the largest banks in the US, so I can’t be the only webOS-using customer.

I do understand when I’m told that apps will be developed for the bigger platforms first. But when I’m told there are no plans for my platform, and companies I use regularly partner with them, I have to wonder… Are they really trying to gain and maintain the largest possible customer base? Or only the most popular ones?

To these companies, I say:

This isn’t social media, where you can reach more business professionals in real-time via Twitter, and general consumers via Facebook. It’s no different than stores that accept only Visa or Mastercard. Because I, like many professionals, prefer to pay with the “other” cards.

No, this is business. And if you want mine, you have to respect the fact that I don’t choose the devices I use based on what makes you money, but instead what makes my business (and life) work.

About Pamela Hazelton

Pamela Hazelton is an eCommerce consultant and developer, focusing on shopability (usability), social media and related technology. She's also a webOS enthusiast who aims to push HP/Palm's platform to the masses.

View all posts by Pamela Hazelton →

Ken

I 100 percent agree. I don’t want or have an android or iOS device. What about me?
Steven

You said the truth we need love to dang corpret america…
Steven

You said the truth we need love to dang corpret america…
Steven

I get sad when I see iphone streaming netflix.. And webos nothing.. I hate it..ahhh…sprint needs some goooood webos phones n webos deserves more atention.. But not till hp releases n stops playing with our heads…release already…
JDM

The numbers just don’t add up for these big businesses. I would compare it to American Airlines poor service: they are so big they don’t care about pissing off one person flying coach. If the bank isn’t being your friend, go to one that will. I will never fly American Airlines unless they offered a crosscountry roundtrip flight for $100 (I can be reasonable with the price, see?)
Singersorel

FYI- the term “the Big Apple” is a nickname given to NewYork City. Other than that- great article.

http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Yes, I’m aware. It was a play on words.

http://profiles.google.com/anayagamingllc Jason Buffalo

Well that’s how things are when you are a Minority, especially in a Democracy where the majority just simply
Rules, no matter how wrong it is.

But i Agree, i have a WebOS phone i would like to have a WebOS app, but they also at least can offer
a mobile site version of there site would be fine for me to.

spare

Great article and credit card analogy. I also agree with this comment. Personally, I expect a mobile site from big companies. No mobile site and I’ll start to look elsewhere.

TimmyB

However, one thing I have discovered in dealing with these companies is, there are usually techno-morons making these decisions. Some higher-up VP, who isn’t a techie, says, “Hey, everyone’s got an iPhone, we need an iPhone app!”, and instructs his IT people to see to it.

http://twitter.com/robmerrell Rob Merrell

As opposed to the techno-moron that sees nobody using a webOS phone and instructs his IT people to make it happen?

Marv

Exactly. The issue is the way WebOS is marketed. There is no hardware so why make an app that costs money for 4% of the people. HP needs to do their job and market their phones better.
Marv

Exactly. The issue is the way WebOS is marketed. There is no hardware so why make an app that costs money for 4% of the people. HP needs to do their job and market their phones better.

Strife Sprint HP

So is sprint getting the pre3 or the slab phone? If anyone can give us an answer I would be very pleased :)
Ries

Great article! Already retweeted this article via all my accounts and social networks ;-) @palmpje71
godstyle29

An excellent article that echoes many of my sentiments. I REALLY hope this practice changes in the very near future.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

BTW, My reason for this article wasn’t to simply shun companies for not making my life “easier”. For many services, there is no alternative. This means I am actually punished (sometimes financially) for not using an iPhone.

Matt

Get an iPhone or Android until webOS matures and gets the kind of attention you think you should get. Franky, until webOS has a large user base, there is no incentive for a big business to spend money on making you an app.

The very phone that you claim makes your life easier is making it hard in this respect. Get over it or get a different phone. You are restricting yourself.

http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please re-read my comment (and my editorial). I said nothing about an app. In fact, I don’t expect everyone to make apps for “me”.

Matt

Your editorial describes essentially what an app (web or native) provides for iOS and Android and the exclusion you feel because of it. But if not an app, then what is the best way for these Big Business to bend over backwards to get your business? Why must you blame the Big Apple too? Why does it seem to be everyone fault but your own? You chose which platform to use and the contract that goes with it, and you picked an unpopular OS; no matter how good it is.

Or, stop going to Starbucks, for example, and any other business that does cater to your phone. Make them feel the hurt in their pocket; no matter how futile that would be.

Matt

edit: “does not cater”
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Correct. I do choose which platform I use. But, again, it’s not the issue of who creates which apps for which platform. My issue with Starbucks is that it was just bad business. It is bad business to exclude a good portion of your clientele when they in turn will make you much more money. On that event day, nearly everyone who showed up for the event bought coffee or other drinks and snacks. Think of how much more money Starbucks would have made had it used a generic app (like Facebook places) for the event.

My issue with AmEx is simple. I have been a loyal cardholder for more than 10 years. And by loyal, I mean that I don’t even have a Visa or Mastercard account. Their partnership is good only for those with iPhones and Android because they provide zero alternative for those who aren’t on those devices. While, a mobile site would cater to nearly all their customers (including those not on smartphones). So, in short, they’re telling me that I can only save money with their partner if I use a specific device.

So, it has nothing to do with app developers not developing for webOS, but rather that I cannot use a portion of a savings program because they didn’t opt to partner via a mobile site and/or provide no alternative (i.e. app makes it easier rather than being the sole method).

I’m certainly not whining. And, I do have every right to say that these types of actions determine whether or not I do business with a company, because they, in fact, do.

Danar

It’s not easy being the one marching to a different drummer but it’s a heck of a lot more fun and much more satisfying to follow your heart.
Danar

It’s not easy being the one marching to a different drummer but it’s a heck of a lot more fun and much more satisfying to follow your heart.
Marv

It’s not those companies that use android or apple apps it’s HPs fault. They are barely supporting WebOS. I mean really eprint was available for iphone and android but not WebOS. When I see ads for their printers and it says it supports android and apple devices but don’t even mention WebOS? I don’t think HP is behind WebOS 100%. I would not be surprised to see some HP phones running android to be honest.

Danar

Yes. It makes me wonder, did HP acquire Palm because they saw it as an asset or as a competitor to be overcome.

Marv

I agree. I think HP is losing customers to the other platforms by the day and if their phones do poorly with WebOS they will ditch it for Android.

http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please see my comment above. Regardless of where the fault lies with the app development, I take issue with companies restricting exactly how I can use their services.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please see my comment above. Regardless of where the fault lies with the app development, I take issue with companies restricting exactly how I can use their services.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please see my comment above. Regardless of where the fault lies with the app development, I take issue with companies restricting exactly how I can use their services.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please see my comment above. Regardless of where the fault lies with the app development, I take issue with companies restricting exactly how I can use their services.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please see my comment above. Regardless of where the fault lies with the app development, I take issue with companies restricting exactly how I can use their services.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Please see my comment above. Regardless of where the fault lies with the app development, I take issue with companies restricting exactly how I can use their services.

M@

My question is: Why does there need to be a App dor that? There are so many companies that have websites that a mobile friendly. More should do that instead of creating apps for multiple platforms. Make it once and update it once… Done.
M@

My question is: Why does there need to be a App dor that? There are so many companies that have websites that a mobile friendly. More should do that instead of creating apps for multiple platforms. Make it once and update it once… Done.

http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Excellent point! There’s so much one can do with a mobile site that most of these types of services logically don’t need an app. I think it’s the mindset of the uneducated consumer – that you need an app to do just about anything, when that so isn’t the case.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Excellent point! There’s so much one can do with a mobile site that most of these types of services logically don’t need an app. I think it’s the mindset of the uneducated consumer – that you need an app to do just about anything, when that so isn’t the case.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Excellent point! There’s so much one can do with a mobile site that most of these types of services logically don’t need an app. I think it’s the mindset of the uneducated consumer – that you need an app to do just about anything, when that so isn’t the case.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Excellent point! There’s so much one can do with a mobile site that most of these types of services logically don’t need an app. I think it’s the mindset of the uneducated consumer – that you need an app to do just about anything, when that so isn’t the case.
http://www.pamelahazelton.com Pamela Hazelton

Excellent point! There’s so much one can do with a mobile site that most of these types of services logically don’t need an app. I think it’s the mindset of the uneducated consumer – that you need an app to do just about anything, when that so isn’t the case.
Dude

Because people are stupid, and if there isn’t an app for that, then that service might as well be inaccessible on their mobile phone, even if there is a mobile-optimized web app.

JoeZiehmer

The same people you both call stupid are the same people who need a little bit of help. Stop sounding arrogant a good DM would give you a kick in the ass for that. It is called consumer service and relations review any customer service books you currently have. The excellent point there is that sometimes an app can do more then a mobile site and sometimes load faster with more options. A bloated mobile flash site would not work or load but a well written app to reduce that negative would. Options can be sold to deliver more then what is on a mobile beta site, or be used to search for objects on 3G faster, and satisfy a growing consumer market. Can someone tell Susan and Steve respectivally to site down on the couch cushions? (Coupling lol)

http://twitter.com/ApMik Aploe Miktona

Great article. There was a time when web developers only
catered for the old Internet Explorer and funny enough, I could not bank online
using a Mac. Nowadays large businesses ignore mac users at their peril,
probably not because they care too much about that 10-15% mac user base,
because they will invariably get bad publicity. And of course we know
Steve Jobs has a memory of an elephant. Just look at his attitude at
Adobe, who grew on Apple and then decided to prioritise developing its software
for Windows. Wish HP could do the same: If you ignore us, we will
never ever forgive you and will go out of our way to make sure you will
suffer!
http://twitter.com/ApMik Aploe Miktona

Great article. There was a time when web developers only
catered for the old Internet Explorer and funny enough, I could not bank online
using a Mac. Nowadays large businesses ignore mac users at their peril,
probably not because they care too much about that 10-15% mac user base,
because they will invariably get bad publicity. And of course we know
Steve Jobs has a memory of an elephant. Just look at his attitude at
Adobe, who grew on Apple and then decided to prioritise developing its software
for Windows. Wish HP could do the same: If you ignore us, we will
never ever forgive you and will go out of our way to make sure you will
suffer!
Danar

Big business plays hardball to the exclusion of conscience. They justify this by saying they have to because they have to answer to the share holders. I understand that. My problem with business is when they go out of the way to stomp competition by any means including throwing a wrench in the works of the other guy. This not only stifles competition but creativity as well.
Please HP throw some of that cash to the developers and let them do what they want. Call it a donation to the arts. It is an art.

JoeZiehmer

Big business almost never plays fair. If Palm really wanted to leverage the market it would include hiring for official posts on off-site locations. Having garage programmers working together to retain computers. What is most distrustful is how companies fly solo in mobile applications. If we had more of a confidence boost we might have had more. As a salesman what we need to build is off-site United States programming venues. Bringing jobs to America and stopping damages to small businesses when everything goes through an upgrade keeping developers on the same page. Might want to give developers a 401k to sweeten the deal and push ingenuity.

JoeZiehmer

Ditch Ruby and bring in someone from RadioShack’s board. This Rich Kotite led former Palm castoff has become little more then a useless figure head repeating on cue Palm. Trying to retain himself on the leadership angle. I would suggest Dave Trato of Verizon he provided excellent leadership before I was hired by RadioShack and could bring back consumer confidence in HP to Verizon customers.

When Big Business Partners with the Big Apple

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