MOUNTAIN VIEW, USA: Appcelerator, platform provider for rapidly developing native mobile, desktop, and iPad applications using web technologies, recently announced the findings of its newest Appcelerator Mobile Developer Survey taken of application developers about their plans to build applications for various mobile and tablet platforms.

Taken from a pool of Appcelerator’s 51,000+ application developers, 2,733 developers responded that Apple iPad, Android Tablet, and even HP’s potential for webOS tablets are rapidly moving these devices to the top of the mobile priority list. 

While the Apple vs. Google battle has been well documented, developers see the real battle between these two titans as near-term momentum vs. long-term dominance said a press release.

Appcelerator’s most recent survey shows these leaders staying well ahead of the pack, but a surge in popularity for developing tablet applications on both OSes suggests the battle is moving from phones to "anywhere computing.”  And with tier 2 platforms seeing flat to declining interest from developers, it’s clear that Apple and Google are now playing chess while everyone else plays catch up.

Apple dominating with iPad, iPhone, but Developers Favor Google’s Open OS Long-Term

In this survey, Appcelerator looked in depth at 6 mobile operating systems: Apple (iOS), Google (Android), Palm/HP (webOS), Microsoft (Phone 7), Nokia (Symbian/Meego) and RIM (BlackBerry).  The report summarizes the pros and cons facing each of these players.

The leadership that Apple and Google have now in mobile is clearly translating into a long-term tussle for computing beyond the phone.  Strong interest in the iPad increased 31 points to 84 percent while strong interest in developing applications for Android Tablets, appearing for the first time in this survey, came in fourth behind Android phones and ahead of all other Smartphone OS vendors beyond Apple and Google.

When stack ranked, developers overwhelmingly favor Apple against other platforms for its App Store, market for consumer and business apps, devices, and near-term outlook.  However, Android comes out tops against others for its OS capabilities, platform openness, and long-term outlook. When asked in more detail, 69 percent of respondents felt that Android’s potential to "show tremendous adaptability, from tablets to e-readers to set-top boxes” is its greatest strength as a platform.  The potential for tablets and other devices from HP based on webOS is also Palm’s greatest perceived strength.

"Developers are rearranging their priorities to unlock the new potential that tablet computing holds,” noted Jeff Haynie, CEO of Appcelerator. 
"They are experimenting with tablets as point of sale terminals, tablets as TV or other hardware control devices, and tablets as university training tools.  We’re seeing lots of interest within categories that have yet to be revolutionized by web-connected devices and in categories where embedded proprietary software used to rule,” added Haynie.

Survey also releaved that porting apps to multiple platforms is biggest developer challenge.