Rumor has it that we are hard at work on an iPad app. Rumor also has it that this iPad app will combine some of the best features of our productivity apps SmartNotes, SmartTime, SmartList and SmartPlans. Rumor does not know when this uber productivity app will be ready. None of these rumors are substantiated.
HI, Arthur – thanks for your comments, we appreciate them! Here’s how I see it. If the app were the same, then there would be no additional development cost for people like ourselves, so we could pass the savings on to other users. For example, when you buy multiple Apple computers, the software that you purchase will work on all of them, all for the same price. But if you then purchase a PC (ack!), the developers will charge you separately. For instance, Office for Mac vs Office for Windowz.
From our standpoint, we have decided to invest in two types of iPhone apps: Completely new ones, and upgraded iPad “versions” of some- but not all – our popular iPhone apps. In most cases, we will be adding in new features that are specific to the iPad or that take advantage of the additional screen resolutions, so there is an incremental development cost and a corresponding benefit for you, the user.
At the same time, we would like to reward our loyal users who migrate from our iPhone apps to our iPad apps. I will be at WWDC June 7~11 and will ask around to see what options are available for allowing existing users to “upgrade” to an app with the same name on the iPad. Thanks again for your input!