Google just released a much anticipated native app for Google Docs. This app allows you to view documents, photos, edit spreadsheets, and print from your phone via Google Cloud Print. The catch? It is for Android only.
I think cloud storage will be how we store many of our less precious documents such as notes, to do lists, or quick snapshots. Google's Chrome OS is one step toward that future and native app is a different approach to the same vision. Apps that allow us to share our documents in the cloud will be the most important apps on our mobile devices.
By making this rather brilliant app exclusive to Android, Google is trying to make Android stand out from iOS by the means of "3rd party" apps. Google Docs, along with Google Navigation, are the "must haves" apps that only available on Android.
Google will continue to put out Android-exclusive apps to compete with Apple. The big question remains, "will other developers follow the same path"? Developers are coming close to the threshold of having to choose between two very popular software ecosystems. Despite fragmentation, Android holds a large market share, combined with a lower barrier of entry for development, we just might see more 3rd party developers produce Android exclusive apps.
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