IOS 7??? What About Android

For the sake of reference

http://bgr.com/2013/08/14/andr...arket-share-q2-2013/

http://www.tuaw.com/2013/08/07...-android-in-q2-2013/

http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/...hare-slides-per-idc/

Just in case the fan boys think I'm making it up.

Conrad, I feel your frustration.

My apple iPad is a first generation one and seems locked at the older iOS 5.1.1, and luckily that works     without any issues with the latest Nstream, sleeping, discovery etc etc etc. it does appear the newer Apple software is more unreliable - gone are the days were you could say in all seriousness "It just works". Therefore perhaps the code does now need to be written in in a more 'portable' format compared to the earlier releases and so that might make an Android version, which is long over due, more practical.

Simon

While I sympathise (the numbers are shifting), it does depend on how you look at this.  Android is selling very well, but IOS seems to have the active users (http://techland.time.com/2013/04/16/ios-vs-android/).  And adoption rates on day one look high at 35% - http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/...rs-reap-the-rewards/.

But it's getting to the point where a (consumer) manufacturer needs to cover both bases (but probably not Blackberry - and maybe Windows mobile isn't a priority).

I should imagine that it will be sensible for naim to fix an app they already have rather than ignore it and develop another one.

Who said anything about ignoring the IOS app ? This is not an either/or situation. If I understand correctly the OP is simply making the point that the IOS app is perceived as a priority for naim when  many more people. use android than IOS.

Agreed Tony, the two are not mutually exclusive but necessary in today's marketplace. I'm shocked the Android app is still not available. 

Arun

+1

I have a first generation iPod and a newish Android tablet neither of which can run the latest version of NStream - it's time Naim outsourced or open sourced this as they clearly can't deliver! 

Perhaps Naim are not outsourcing as they fear all the replies about things not working.

And which iteration of Android should they be working to? Jelly Bean, Ice Cream, Ginger Bread, KitKat? All are current on various phones.

And which screen size? Apple's system may not be perfect, but it certainly makes things easier to develop for.

I'll take a guess here - ask any Android user what version of the software they have on their phone and they won't know. But it does make a difference for developers.

Bubble UPNP seems to cope with screen sizes and android versions without any major problems so why not naim ? Its impossible to know what naim's thinking is on this as they have not made their views known.  I know exactly what version of Andoid I am on as i suspect most naim users will.

Well, instead of investing in a Naim product, I will continue to use my SB Touch with which I can control with my Android device quite happily...............

Everyone is happy then. Happy days.

According you your links iOS is certainly much more than "fraction of one percent", although I appreciate your hyperbole.

Who cares who is shipping more units from quarter to quarter.

There are still 60% more ACTIVATED iOS devices in the world than Android (500 vs 300 million).

-patrick

I think it's pretty sad that Naim weren't ready with an iOS7 compatible app on launch day. Every other app I use on iOS was ready on launch day with an update where needed. The free ones and the pay ones.

I continue to be extremely impressed with Naim's analog line of products and unimpressed with their digital ones. If I didn't face taking a beating on my ND5 XS that I bought new from a dealer, I would get rid of it and use my SBT with a good DAC instead. IMO, the usability of the SBT is much better than the clunky N-Stream and front panels buttons of the Naim streaming products.

Bubble UPnP works quite well especially on my Nexus 7. Does the nstream app offer any additional benefits?

Michael, yes. Namely Nstream allows you to programme and load the playlist or album into the Naim renderer (thereby allowing the controller to sleep and the playlist/ album to continue), Nstream allows you to control the Naim system automation including volume and NAC and nDAC input control .... a very very useful feature, and Nstream allows you to control the Naim renderer inbuilt web radio, USB/iPod input, tuner if you have it.

I do like how Bubble is presented though, particularly the lyric screen...  

Simon

Singing along Simon? 

Indeedy 

Exactly!

Bubble is good and the lyrics option is indeed a useful feature but as Simon points out it cannot control Naim devices as well as NStream. I paid full whack for my SU and Naim said nearly a year ago that an Android version was coming so I feel quite justified in complaining about Naim's performance in software development. I've praised the SU often enough but this forum should be more than just an uncritical litany of adulation! 

My view is that if Naim just came out and said that 'for the Naim experience you have to have iOS' that would be annoying, but fine.

As they announced in the magazine nearly a year ago (?) that the Android app was in development it is now very annoying that there is no more word or even an indication of timeframe.

Yes, Android is a bit more difficult to develop for in terms of different versions and screen sizes, but that is not a major issue now. Most active users on Android are using a version 4.x OS and that will be powerful enough to do anything you'd want nStream to do.

What Pev said.

I think the reference to Android was made in the 2012 Connections magazine that was distributed before Christmas last year. If Naim had said "Android is too hard, we're only supporting iOS", at least we would have known. But they didn't.

A year isn't a long time in Naim's analogue amp product lifecycle, but it certainly is in the software world, and even more so in the mobile app world. To have made a commitment and then deliver nothing a year later is just unacceptable.

Adrian

The thing is that many Android devices are not upgradeable to 4.x due to the odd distribution mechanism Google employed which allows manufacturers to sell-and-forget devices. So it's not just a question of saying v4 only...

As for the focus on IOS, this makes perfect sense since ALL of Naim's user base is using this platform. Those customers would justifiably be rather annoyed if they suffered problems as a consequence of upgrading to IOS7, so ensuring that the user base is taken care of (something everybody agrees is a good thing usually!) has to be the priority.

(Now, where's N-Stream for Windows Phone??? )

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.

Frank,

I agree that fixing the current iOS 7 issues should be a priority. It's a shame that Naim is having to do this retrospectively rather than having an update prepared and tested ahead of the release. It really feels like too few resources stretched too far to cover all the iOS bases, let alone Android.

Adrian

Well, we don't know what beta release Naim were given access to (if they even had one), so it's perfectly possible for things to go wrong. After all, even Apple themselves had to release IOS 7.01 for iPhone 5 two days after release!!

The important thing is how Naim reacts, and in my view they are taking the sensible approach.

Regards,
Frank.
All opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of any organisations I work for, except where this is stated explicitly.