Android May Be Ugly, But It’s Still Prefered Over Apple’s Control

Developer Joe Hewitt, who has been making waves with his work on the Firefox web browser and the Facebook app for the iPhone and iPod Touch, recently had some nasty words about the Android platform, stating that the OS was “hideous.” That said, he won’t be spending much time worrying about it, preferring to work on Android apps rather than being controlled by the big brother ethics of Apple.

“Big Brother” refers to Apple’s control of its iPhone and iPad environment and the controls they put on their developers. Hewitt gave up on development of the iPhone Facebook app in November of 2009, citing Apple’s draconian policies as the reason for his departure from the project.

“I respect their right to manage their platform however they want, however I am philosophically opposed to the existence of their review process. I am very concerned that they are setting a horrible precedent for other software platforms, and soon gatekeepers will start infesting the lives of every software developer.”