Longtime Apple-exclusive developer Algoriddim has made a name for itself with its popular djay app that first found success on the Mac before moving to iPad and eventually iPhone. The app has been featured prominently by Apple over the years, winning an Apple Design Award in 2011 for the original iPad version, and just this month it was featured as a key music app in promotional materials for the new iPad Air 2.
So after such a long tenure and significant success on OS X and iOS, we were interested to learn that Algoriddim is announcing today an expansion to Android, bringing the full djay experience to that platform. While Algoriddim is by no means the first iOS developer to branch out to Android, it is a high-profile, award-winning one and so we chatted a bit with Algoriddim CEO Karim Morsy to find out more about the how and why of the company's move, a perspective not frequently shared at MacRumors.
Morsy pointed out that with, or perhaps despite, 15 million downloads on iOS, the number one request from djay users has long been an Android version of the app. With a strong presence on the Mac platform as well, Algoriddim found plenty of Mac and/or iPad users who use Android phones and have been asking Algoriddim in large numbers to bring the app to their phones.
Rather than a simple port of the iOS version of djay, Algoriddim built the Android version of the app from the ground up, replicating the look and feel of the iOS version wherever possible while bringing feature and performance parity, something that was not always a given considering the pace with which proper tools and frameworks for Android were becoming available. But with the release of Android 4.0 three years ago, Algoriddim finally felt the tools were in place to pursue bringing djay to Android.
Morsy expected development to be challenging, and indeed it was, particularly ensuring that djay worked well across the variety of devices running Android, with the diversity of screen sizes and performance-related specs requiring significant amounts of work to optimize for.
We also asked Morsy whether Algoriddim is expecting any backlash from Apple with the expansion of djay to Android, given that Apple likes to tout apps and other content that is exclusive to its own platforms. But Morsy noted that Apple regularly features apps available across multiple platforms and that the history and continued popularity of djay on Mac and iOS is likely to remain a strong factor as Apple weighs future feature opportunities for the music segment.
As was added to djay 2 for iOS earlier this year, djay 2 for Android brings full integration with Spotify's premium music subscription service, including auto-matching of tracks using technology from The Echo Nest, which was acquired by Spotify in March of this year. The Android version of djay 2 launches today at a limited-time introductory price of $2.99, and users will also receive a free one-week trial of Spotify Premium to test out the service with djay.
Top Rated Comments
Side loading apk's IS different than the "jailbroken" iPhone users , since it doesn't require you to do any process or modify the software before you could do it, and of course iPhone users don't download the .app for free because it is much less convenient, unlike on Android , where you can easily download and install the apk.
I get your point but why would it be an issue for you? :D
Spreading divisiveness and discord one quote at a time. Nice. Stay classy.
You two may not be aware but most people aren't tied to one ecosystem. Android and Apple users are often the exact same people. Same as Apple and Windows users. There are even some crazy people in all three ecosystems.:eek:
I don't understand comments like yours. Does it somehow offend your sensibilities that someone else can use an app? :confused: Does it damage a sense of superiority? How exactly does it affect you if Algoriddim decides to expand their user base?
I guess you can take solace in the fact that Apple had it first.
My sentiments exactly. I don't wish ill-will on anyone, but I'd like for Algoriddim to respond back in a month's time to see how many he's sold on the Android platform versus the amount of installs detected (and the ridiculous number of open sites where his files have popped up on).
I'm no professional DJ or even hobbyist by any means, but still managed to buy all versions of the app, granted I caught them when they went on sale, but these are the times I appreciate the walled garden.
I didn't say I was against making an android version of the app , because as you said most of us are not tied to one ecosystem. I just said what the majority of android users will do, so Algoriddim shouldn't expect it to make money as much as the iOS version.
And then say the app sucks.