OpenSocial it is now over a year old and in perspective it is clear that it has not evolved as fast as it should have. and yes i am still having its achievements in consideration:
Since launch, the platform has been deployed by over 7,500 developers and reaches a staggering number of users, with 315 million application installs across social networks including MySpace, Orkut, Bebo, and Hi5 and a total reach of 600 million users. MySpace alone has over 135 million application installs, 40 million users and 4600 applications available in its directory.
But the truth is that for A platform that is both for Social Apps and Widgets and that got multiple Social Network Partners and the backup of Google. it didn`t raise Developer Fire as the Facebook App Platform did when it launched and during the year it enjoyed maximum relevance. Another proof of it is that it didn`t reached out version 1.0 in its first year and it will not manage to reach that milestone in 2008. The Facebook Platform is now no longer as important as it was 6 months ago but OpenSocial does continues to serve a good goal and purpose. that is to allow for developers to not put all their hopes in one single social network and be able to deploy their Social Apps and Widgets to many without a lot of effort.
The Social Network Landscape is now transforming and bleeding out of being containable. it is now reaching out to the Common web via Data Sharing API`s and Contact Sharing API`s. something that also will not manage to see the proper light in 2008 but that will be the other half of Social Network Platforms like OpenSocial for 2009.
But one has to wonder what would have happened if OpenSocial didn`t existed at all and its more than not agreed that its existence was a better scenario and that it`s opposing to Facebook allowed to Tangent development to take center stage wish Social Graph API`s now being the next big thing.
I still wish i could have many examples of great OpenSocial Widgets and OpenSocial Apps but what i can come up could be counted with one hand and that is why i insist that OpenSocial Didn`t got to be as good as it should have been.
via TC
Related posts:
- OpenSocial gets to 350 Million Users, growing, but not enough.
- Hi5 OpenSocial based Platform is now in the open
- MySpace App Platform: a moderated success, will follow Facebook into Open Source.
- hi5 integrates widgetbox custom widget galleries, partner for OpenSocial widget distribution
- Orkut OpenSocial Application Platform Launched in India
