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No opportunity to make money on Android, says Smule

Studio staying loyal to Apple

No opportunity to make money on Android, says Smule
Android may be making solid ground in the States, but it would appear numerous developers are keen to focus on the negative side of its growth. Smule founder Jeff Smith has claimed it's just too hard to make money on the platform.

Speaking during a video interview with All Things Digital, Smith dismissed the notion that the firm's profits - much of which are generated, he says, from in-app purchases made in the developer's App Store line-up - would be used to make a move on Android.

For Smule, he claims, it simply doesn't make sense.

"Android is not in the plans for Smule. We just don't see an opportunity to make money short-term on Android," he told the site.

"The retail distribution is unclear for us and we don't see how we could monetise through their current distribution. It's not one platform."

 

Too many Droids

He added, "They've worked with the handset manufacturers, the carriers, so from a developer's standpoint it's expensive to get into Android because we're going to have to test across all those platforms and develop across all those platforms.

"It's not a clear return on investment for us right now. So, we're going to wait and see."

Smule has enjoyed considerable success on App Store of late, apps like I Am T-Pain - which allows users to 'auto tune' their voice in the style of the rapper - generating much consumer buzz.

 

Ganging up on Google

As a result, Smith said the firm owes much of its success to working on iPhone, stating Smule is committed to Apple for the near future.

Worryingly for Google, however, Smule is not the only studio to express concerns regarding the difficulties of working on Android.

At the turn of the month, Glu CEO Niccolo de Masi expressed similar views, stating that the OS "isn't monetising well" for developers, and that the marketplace offers a "difficult browsing experience compared to iTunes".

All Things Digital

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.