App developers beware, your days could be numbered

The recent release of iOS 5, Apple latest version of its software for its iDevices should serve as a warning to some app developers.Your days could be numbered. 

iOS 5 includes Siri and iCloud. Siri is a virtual assistant application developed by SRI International, which is now is owned by Apple. Siri Competitors like Vlingo probably have little chance against a pre-installed, free and Apple supported SIRI. iCloud is the name for a combination of Apple provided Cloud services. Dropbox and Box.net should find fewer customers in the iOS world. iOS 5 also integrates Twitter... in time Facebook and other social networking sites might also be more deeply integrated. Apple is looking to go into movie streaming. 

Actually, this is nothing new. Windows Phone 7 already features voice commands, cloud services and social networking integration out of the box. With Windows Phone 7, the operating system is the super app. Google Android developers have to compete with Google apps, which include Voice Actions and Google extensive array of cloud services. Google even has its own social networking site Google+. Google is now starting its own music service.

While the popularity of mobile phone platforms has been driven by the number of apps created for each platform, with each passing year, mobile operating systems are making productive third party apps less necessary. I think we are just two years from the day when most non-integrated apps will be games and trivial entertainment related apps. 

Google's Android is likely to be the most open, which will allow third party developers to compete. An  app developer having to compete with Google is not a ideal situation. Microsoft Windows Phone 7 while more controlled in nature, is on several hardware platforms with know specifications, so third party app developers can stay in the game. Still do they hold a tight reign on their app market. Competing with Microsoft is not going to be all that much fun. Apple developers. Well they really better look at their future. Apple controls both their software and hardware, and even has complete control on app distribution. Apple app developers who are into projects that Apple is interested in, better how that Apple will buy them out. You really won't be able to compete with Apple.