Google+ will catch up with Facebook, developers believe

About two of three developers believe Google can catch up with Facebook in the social networking scene with its upcoming social network Google+.

This was the result of a July 2011 survey of 2,012 developers by Appcelerator/IDC, which posted the results on its website.

“Two-thirds of respondents believe that Google can catch up to Facebook in social with Google+. When asked why, 68 percent of developers say that leveraging Google’s assets (eg: Search, YouTube, Maps, etc) trumps Facebook’s social graph lead. 49 percent say that Google shows more innovation than Facebook with new Google+ features like circles, sparks, hangouts, etc.,” it said.

But for now, 83 percent of developers using social in their apps say they use or are planning to use Facebook this year.

Micro-blogging site Twitter is second on their immediate priorities at 73 percent, followed closely by Google+ at 72 percent – when its API is released.

LinkedIn is fourth at 30 percent, and Foursquare at 23 percent.

Social capabilities

When asked what social capabilities are most important in their apps, developers placed features that encourage repeat usage and offer fresh content over location checkins and photo sharing.

In order of priority, developers use social networks for:

• notifications (52%)
• status updates (49%)
• login/identity (44%)
• messaging (38%)
• news (35%)
• location sharing (32%)
• photo sharing (31%)
• friend requests (26%)

iOS5 features

In developing apps for Apple’s iOS devices, developers are most interested in:

• improved notifications (58%)
• iCloud (51%)
• integrated Twitter support (40%)
• reminders (36%)
• iMessage (32%)

The survey said iCloud may “significantly disrupt” the mobile cloud computing space, with a tight race expected between Amazon and Apple.

It said developers using or planning to use cloud services over the next year see Amazon (51%), iCloud (50%), Microsoft Windows Azure (20%), VMWare (20%), and RedHat OpenShift (17%) as the top five players.

Apple, Google accelerating mobile lead

Appcelerator and IDC surveyed 2,012 Appcelerator Titanium developers from July 20-22 on perceptions surrounding mobile OS priorities, Google and Apple’s move into the ‘mobile cloud’ and application development needs.

The survey showed developers seeing Apple and Google accelerating their lead in mobile by redefining mobile app engagement, loyalty, and cloud connectivity through their new Google+ and iCloud offerings.

“Developers also indicate that they see Apple and Google gains in the consumer application space translating into significant traction in the enterprise space over time,” it said.

The survey also showed Apple and Google’s strengths in the mobile consumer space may make inroads in developer perceptions towards the enterprise arena.

“When asked which platform is best positioned to win in the enterprise, respondents were evenly divided between iOS and Android at 44 percent each. Only 7 percent believe Windows Phone has a shot, 4 percent for BlackBerry, and 2 percent for webOS.

Cautious approach to Android

The survey also showed that enterprises are taking a more cautious approach with Android at scale due to security concerns, and are looking to Apple when they go beyond BlackBerry and Windows mobile deployments.

“In the near to medium-term, despite being equivalent from a developer perception-standpoint, Apple is leading with CIOs today when it comes to mobile deployments beyond Microsoft and RIM,” it said.

Platform priorities

The survey showed the iPhone remains tops as 91 percent say they are ‘very interested’ in developing for the device, with iPad second at 88 percent.

Android was third, climbing to 87 percent from 85 percent last quarter and Android Tablets rose back to Q1 levels to 74 percent.

HTML5 mobile web, added as a new option to rank this quarter, came in fifth at 66 percent.

Others were Windows Phone (30%), BlackBerry phones (28%), BlackBerry Playbook (20%), HP TouchPad (18%), HP Palm Pre/Pixi (12%), Symbian (7%), and MeeGo (5%).

“The new addition of mobile web in the middle of the pack suggests developers are seeing the increasing requirement for both a mobile app and mobile website, though the former continues to be the number one priority,” the survey said.

Mobile leaders extend lead

With OSes and consumer expectations maturing, applications are becoming more engaging with real-time notifications, social, local context, and always-on cloud connectivity becoming the norm, the survey said.

It said “upstarts” iCloud and Google+ can challenge entrenched players Amazon and Facebook shows how quickly these new capabilities will shake up what’s possible in mobile.

“Ultimately, these changes are an evolution of the mobile engagement lifecycle. From customer acquisition/awareness to engagement, to monetization to loyalty, mobile leaders are focusing on leveraging their ubiquitous adoption levels into new areas that, in the end, significantly enlarge the overall value that’s possible on each of their platforms in the post-PC era,” it said. — TJD, GMA News

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Google+ Becomes Fastest Growing Web Site Ever; But Can it Catch Facebook?

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Google’s is one of the world’s largest technology companies and it didn’t embark upon this social network endeavor without designs of winning. With Facebook having more than 750 million users, 25 million still remains only a drop in the proverbial bucket in comparison.

Most telling for Google+ will be how those users are engaging with its site in comparison with Facebook. The key for success is for the property to become as addictive and compelling if not necessary for daily life — at least in user perceptions — like Facebook has become. Also, Google wants Google+ to be more than just a social social network.

The company wants socialization through e-engagement on its site to serve a higher purpose, if you will. Google wants Google+ to be more than a vanity platform, and a connectivity tool. Google wants Google+ to spur commerce, among businesses and business people.

Thus far, average time spent on Google+ has been less impressive than its rapid growth in users. A report in late July noted that average time on Google+ fell in the fourth week of the social network’s field test launch by almost 10 percent. With Facebook, millions of users stay virtually connected all the time, moving from laptops to smartphones with endless sign-in.

They don’t seem to be able to turn it off, or look away. But Google+ has not developed that same user addiction level at this point it appears.

Still, there are plusses already lining up for Google+. Social network stalwart Ford Motor Company is among several corporations getting an early jump with Google+. The company said it had already determined how to use Google+ differently than Facebook, which is a positive sign for Google.

There’s room for two social networks, in one way or another. The rapid user growth for Google+ suggests its here to stay. Whether it eventually topples Facebook as some have suggested is another question altogether.

At this point, Google+ is on the move, but Facebook’s status as the world’s leading social network appears safe.

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