Instagram picked up 100,000 users in its first week and a million in its first month as an iOS exclusive. Do you think it would have done that on Android? I don't.

Depends on how it was marketed. The reason Instagram went viral is because it is one of those apps that has a network built around it. You share pictures with people, so you have to get other people to install the app so you can share it. Of course it will go viral. I think it is short sighted and plain dumb to think that sticking to just one platform would net you more users? Not to mention, developing for Android using C++ is a viable option now, so it is even easier to port iOS apps over.

Do you think it's short sighted and just plain dumb to _initially_ focus on the one platform that gives the highest chance of going viral? I don't.

I think this is why Instagram didn't make Android a priority right off the bat.

Instagram was started by a couple of people in August or September 2010. The platform choice was less obvious at that time. They could only pick one platform given that they only had a couple of people and they needed to build both a service and the mobile application.

According to an article on Techcrunch, the Android version of the app will be ready real soon now.

Wasn't a dig on this service specifically, just being an Android fan and user since day one, I find it backwards that Android still gets ignored even though it is a huge force and has great traction. I guess ultimately though, things are changing for the better on all platforms.

The fragmentation issue has been over blown to a certain extent but for apps just starting out it is an issue. There are tons of Android apps out there and virtually no way to test your app on all of them.

Apple on the other hand has almost as many users and you can test your app with just a few phones. As an individual who has his old 3GS, a new iPhone 4 and an iPad I literally have everything I need to test an iOS app.

If Google were smart they'd collect all the various Android devices and offer a testing service to developers. If they charged for it they'd get a new profit stream while simultaneously making it easier for developers to create Android apps.

The iPhone is fashionable, Android isn't.

I say this as a devoted Android user. Nobody has come anywhere close to Apple's marketing prowess, and until that day comes it makes absolute sense to build for the iPhone first. This is the same approach the fashion world uses for clothes, and it's a proven model.

While I love Android, it's very much a case of a grandmother trying to dress like she's 20 again - it's not attractive, and while the parts still function, there's really no reason to tap it when the hottest chick in the room is staring right at you.