Google’s Android and Chrome chief, Sundar Pichai, let it slip during his Wired interview that this year’s I/O event will be far more focused on developers than consumers, a far cry from last year’s device launches that took over the developer-centric event.  Some consumers may already be whining as they’re expecting Google to announce an abundance of new Nexus devices.  But if developers aren’t happy, what do you think consumers would do with their gadgets?  It’s the apps we love on our myriad of devices, with hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from, all made by developers.

Pichai’s announcement is great news for Android and Chrome developers, but what about developers for other platforms?  Android’s evolved a great deal in four short years, surpassing Apple in sheer size and accessibility for consumers.  But Google’s facing growing competition from Microsoft and BlackBerry, both of which have made serious efforts to reposition themselves within the mobile OS ecosystem.  Apple, too, remains a contentious rival to Google, with a premium marketplace that remains the most profitable for developers.

Google’s decision to re-shift this year’s expectations could be a win for developers and consumers alike, and it’s going to be a major differentiator for Google I/O, as Wikibon’s senior analyst Stu Miniman explains on this morning’s Live NewsDesk Show with Kristin Feledy (see Miniman’s entire segment below):

It’s a pivotal point for Google as it looks to combine its previous disparate initiatives into a comprehensive, service-based offering directly to consumers.  But others are trying to do the same.  As Google I/O kicks off this week, let’s take a look at what its rivals have been doing to attract developers to their respective camps.

Apple remains de facto platform even as developer interest is questioned

While Google I/O kicks into full swing this week, Apple’s own Worldwide Developer Conference is right around the corner.  Set for June 10-14, 2013 in San Francisco, the 5-day event quickly sold out as soon as Apple began selling tickets online.  But Apple’s appeal towards the developer community is being questioned, with rising complaints over WWDC attendance and Apple’s methods for promoting the annual event.  One developer suggests eliminating WWDC all together, focusing instead on a series of educational programs in various parts of the country.  That recommendation sounds quite similar to Google’s extended initiative for I/O this year, offering streaming and companion events at various Google offices throughout the country.

Apple’s also faced criticism for its lack of transparency in its App Store terms, notoriously taking down apps with little warning or explanation.  AppGratis is one of the more recent examples of strained developer relations within Apple’s ecosystem, reigniting the debate over how Apple should handle its developer community and revenue-generating App Store.

Such frustrations combined with growth in other mobile OS camps could help explain the recent drop in developer use of Objective-C, the programming language most used for iOS developments.

Nevertheless, Apple’s platform remains the most influential amongst rivals and partners alike, spurring integrative developer tools from Microsoft, Google and Facebook.  As hardware becomes less important to consumers, competing platforms must find a way to work within the same ecosystem for an OS-agnostic experience that puts end users first.

BlackBerry is Alive and well

While Google I/O is slotted to start tomorrow, BlackBerry has already gotten the party started.  The Canadian phone maker has incorporated BlackBerry Jam Americas 2013 into BlackBerry Live, formerly known as BlackBerry World.  The event officially kicked off today and will run through until the 16th of May at the Orlando World Center Marriott, in Florida.

While BlackBerry Live isn’t just for developers, there is plenty for developer attendees can choose from, including sessions such as Building Quality, High-Performing Apps with the Built for BlackBerry Program, Creating Integrated and Social Experiences with BlackBerry Services and more.

In fact, BlackBerry has rolled out quite a few initiatives to lure developers its way, holding a number of contests in recent months, along with giving away dozens of free devices to developers in order to spark interest in creating apps for its platform.  The pressure is on ever since BlackBerry released its oft-delayed BB10 platform along with a handful of new devices, the latest being the Q5 released at BlackBerry Live just today.

Microsoft DEVcamps

The Windows Phone Store now has 145,000 apps.  Though an increase in apps for Windows Phone devices is great news, some are still disappointed with the seemingly slow progress.  Some are now questioning whether developers are shying away from building apps for the Windows Phone platform due to low performance, or if Microsoft is snubbing them.

Microsoft  has a series of mobile developer events for this month until June, unfortunately none of them are in the US.  Still, the DEVcamps offer a lot of stuff developers can enjoy, for free, such as an overview for Windows Phone 8, Windows Phone 8 development fundamentals including Application Life-Cycle, Basic MVVM, and Data Storage, Workers, Agents and Tasks.

Similar to BlackBerry, Microsoft is incentivizing developers as much as possible to catch up to Android and Apple in size and popularity.  Microsoft and especially BlackBerry have a long road ahead, but it’s clear all four of these major players are working to keep developers on their side.