Is the church thinking globally for mobile library?

[southland62-p40]

If the church wants to have the largest impact globally possible, we need to stop thinking on such a micro level as the United States and start thinking on more of a Macro level globally.

The largest mobile operating system in the world - by far (more than all other OS's combined) is the Symbian operating system.



The church has not even mentioned any Symbian applications for any of the Gospel Library. We need to stop thinking of the niche markets that Apple fills with iPhone and start thinking how to reach more members and non-members worldwide.

[aebrown]

If the church wants to have the largest impact globally possible, we need to stop thinking on such a micro level as the United States and start thinking on more of a Macro level globally.

The largest mobile operating system in the world - by far (more than all other OS's combined) is the Symbian operating system.

The church has not even mentioned any Symbian applications for any of the Gospel Library. We need to stop thinking of the niche markets that Apple fills with iPhone and start thinking how to reach more members and non-members worldwide.

Although global statistics on the use of mobile operating systems are interesting, the target market for the Gospel Library is not the world per se, but rather members of the Church throughout the world. So the relevant statistics would count members of the Church who use mobile devices that can run applications.

I imagine that changes the rankings, but I have no figures. My guess is that it would be pretty hard to come up with the figures. You could start with taking the ownership of various mobile OS's by country (I would think such figures are available for many countries) and prorating those figures according to Church membership in those countries (which is easy to look up).

[russellhltn]

The church has not even mentioned any Symbian applications for any of the Gospel Library. We need to stop thinking of the niche markets that Apple fills with iPhone and start thinking how to reach more members and non-members worldwide.

Yes, but....

What is the capability of most of these Symbian phones? And what data plans are these phones on? Unless you have the right combination of capability and data plan, the members won't use it even if it is available.

In the US, most data plans are only on smart phones. I don't think Symbian's dominance comes from smart phones, but from rather pedestrian models.

[Josiah-p40]

Why debate iPhone OS vs Symbian vs Blackberry, etc?

Just make the apps available on all the platforms.

There is at least one 3rd party LDS Scriptures app available for Symbian in the Ovi Store (runs on my 5800).

[russellhltn]

Just make the apps available on all the platforms.

Since this is largely a community project, I suspect the interests of the developers that step forward has more to do with the outcome then convincing "the Church".

[epage]

I'd be interested in developing a version for Nokia's Maemo. If I use QT we would then also get Symbian, desktop Linux, Windows, and Mac support for almost-free.

[russellhltn]

I'd be interested in developing a version for Nokia's Maemo. If I use QT we would then also get Symbian, desktop Linux, Windows, and Mac support for almost-free.

Following the guidelines found in the Wiki, then I'd suggest you contact TomW

[TechnoBabel-p40]

To be honest, I'm really getting tired of the Church developing applications that I cannot use. I mean, come on... develop it for everyone or don't develop it at all. I will never own an Apple product, but all the Church seems to do nowadays is Apple. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me.

TB

[brado426]

Technobabel: I know we just discussed this on the phone, but for others benefit, Android already has "Reveal Reader," which is better than anything I've seen on any other mobile device so far -- and it is free. I sure wish the Church would evaluate it and post something about it on lds.org to alert people who are unaware (it took me awhile to find it.) Of course I learned the hard way-- that will never happen.

I'm like you. I would never touch anything that Apple comes out with due to their track record of yanking applications from their customers without just cause and many other reasons.

I sincerely hope that the Android developers here will unite to come up with some great stuff for Android. I started working on a nice Android application for ReturnAndReport.org, but got busy with other priorities. I'm going to make time for it this summer.

Brad O.

[aebrown]

To be honest, I'm really getting tired of the Church developing applications that I cannot use. I mean, come on... develop it for everyone or don't develop it at all.

No software developer chooses to develop anything for everyone. Are you saying that unless you can develop an application for Apple, PC, Atari, Amiga, NeXT, Solaris, Linux, and every other hardware and OS out there that you shouldn't develop anything? I don't see how that makes any sense.

The Church will always have to make decisions about just what platforms to support, and it will never be all of them. The really good news about the community-developed products is that you can be part of the solution. If there's a platform you are excited about and want to help develop, submit your proposal to Tom Welch, as was mentioned above. It takes only a small set of enthusiastic developers to make good things happen.

I will never own an Apple product, but all the Church seems to do nowadays is Apple. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me.

I'm not sure where you get that idea. Look at the list of Community Projects underway. There are half a dozen platforms being worked on. Apple may be first, but it's by no means the only platform.