Is this … the Worst iPhone App Ever?

Posted by doug On January - 25 - 2010

The above is a video of the Balloons iphone app. I have had to put a video up because I cannot show it to you as it will not work on my ipod touch. Why do I ask, though, whether this is the worst iPhone app ever?

This app runs only on the iphone, not only that but it runs just on the iphone with the latest software update. It does not run on older iphones without the update and it does not run on the ipod touch (even if it does have the latest update). Needless to say, it does not run on any other OS such as Android or Windows Mobile. So much for interoperability, then!

In a way, this app is elitist, only people prepared to spend money on the top of the range kit will have a chance to play with it. The fun, the experience and the educational potential of this app will be lost to the majority of people, who do not have access to such top of the range kit.

At this point, I shall reveal that my tongue is quite firmly in my cheek as I write this post. The app is really great; it is innovative, imaginative, fun and has great educational potential, if you have an iphone capable of running it, then I’d suggest getting it.

To me, though, this app illustrates where interoperability breaks down and that’s my point in this article. Interoperability will only work as far as common standards are in place. Yet, to differentiate their product from others, manufacturers are likely to add extras which make their product more ‘desireable’ in the marketplace. programmers and marketers are then likely to ‘exploit’ these desireable extras in order to sell the product and then it’s ‘goodbye interoperability’.

Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that interoperability is a bad thing, actually I think it is a good thing but the level of commonality and interoperability must be so high as to make additional extras either unnecessary or appear extravagant.

Oh, if you want to install the balloons app, you can find the home page here.