The new role of developers in the mobile ecosystem: An Apple and Google case study

The objective of this thesis is to determine the value of software developers for the mobile value chain. To identify different strategies for mobile platforms integrating developers, two case studies are conducted: Apple and Google. Porter´s approach of key activities is used to identify, how the two companies create a sustainable competitive advantage and which roles developers fulfill within the strategies. The cases reveal two different strategies, showing how both companies integrate developers to increase their competitive advantage: While Apple created a `gated garden,´ focused on user experience and the lock-in of customers, Google´s strategy is based on a more open concept which has been coined as `architectural control,´ created by numerous strategic partnerships.