iPhone apps and network effect

Here is an interesting article on Techcrunch about this

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/07/most-iphone-apps-are-failing-to-leverage-the-network-effect/

I completely agree with the author. In addition, I have been pondering if Apple is doing something to promote apps that can become iphone only apps and hence driving the iPhone sales. This is a similar idea to certain video games driving the game console sales.

This can be approached in two ways:

1. Business route of locking up app providers in some kind of exclusive. I am not sure how this would be taken by app builders but I believe if the financial incentives are well aligned, this could be done.
   
2. Being a technologist, I believe this is always a better way :). So the idea here is to be able to promote app developers to build apps that have networking going between two iphone users. For example build an app that could use GPS features and send messages that can be opened on iPhone in GMAPs on iPhone. Another idea could be an application built on top of SMS capabilities and uses powerful iPhone features related to music or itunes website.
   

I am not sure if Apple is thinking along these lines but I think this is one way Apple can use the power of a platform to enhance the sales.

Andriod vs iPhone - retake...

Take a look at this video where people are predicting the fate of andriod...



Except for few people, all the people believe that Apple will win the war. I am holding my breath to see what the hardware vendors do with google software stack.