Compelling reason(s) to choose Nexus 10 over iPad 4?

[Devlyn16]

Not false. I've used this tablet long enough to know that.

Posted via Android Central App

IMO it is both true and false. Because Android Apps have the scalability option that iOS apps don't It is really using one term to refer to 2 different concepts. The concept of an iPhone app running on an ipad is Different than the concept of an Android Phone app running on an Android tablet. the consumer is better benefitted in leanring what the diffrences are and then determining how that affects their choice.

 

[Soreloser]

And the iPad forums won't be giving better answers, just the exact opposite of the ones we're giving.

Actually i have posted this question in the iPad 4 forum at iMore.com. One of the very helpful replies is this from mulasien:

"Hello Soreloser, good questions. I'll try to give at least my input.

First off, given that you're already familiar with both iOS and Android, you're probably aware of the pros and cons of each OS in general.

I currently own an iPad 4, but also used to own an Asus TF300 Android tablet.

from your points:
- I doubt that you'll tell a difference in video from the iPad vs. the Nexus 10. There comes a point where a PPI count can't be determined by the naked eye past a certain point. The branding of 'retina display' gets its name because it (at least according to Apple) is at the PPI where you can't see individual pixels without putting your eyeball right on the screen (which I don't recommend). Both will look great.
- An iPad is a great product on its own, but goes up in value if you have other Apple products to sync with. I like being able to take pics on my iPhone, and have it automagically appear on my iPad's Photo Stream. However since you have an HTC One now, it doesn't sync up quite as well, although you can use apps like Google+ instant upload to sync pics between both devices
- While the Nexus 10 is indeed a beast in terms of hardware specs, it will still not be at smooth and lag-free as the iPad. This goes for all Android hardware. Yes, I'm aware that 4.2 Jellybean is a significant improvement for smoothness (I know, I had a 4.2 phone and tablet), but even then you WILL notice lag at some points. The question will be how much it irks you, some people are bothered by it more than others.
- Of all 10" Android tablets, I'd recommend the Nexus 10 the most. Gets updates direct from Google, and has incredible hardware to boot. I have no knowledge about the build quality vs. an iPad, so you'll have to google that yourself.
- The Android tablet app selection has improved a good bit over the years, but still lags behind iPad.
- Android by it's nature has more customization and better app communication than iOS, depends on how important this is to you.
- Although the Nexus 10 has a faster CPU, the iPad 4 is still super smooth. There aren't any apps out yet that actually tax it's performance. Also, iOS has been shown to be more optimized than Android (the nature of the beast) and runs faster even if it has a slower CPU.

With all that said, my personal take is that I used to own both an Android phone and tablet, but now have an iOS phone and tablet. Why? I was initially attracted to Android because of the customization and greater control you have over the OS, and the ability to have live widgets on your screen, all of which are nice. However, the lagginess of the OS, the inevitable "this app is not compatible with your device" that you WILL run into (even Nexus products), and lesser app (tablet) selection acted as a 'death by a thousand cuts' for me, and I made the jump back to iOS. Yes, iOS has less customization and no widgets compared to Android, however the trade off is that you get a rock solid OS with an amazing user experience and app selection. I did not miss what I gave up in Android for what I gained in iOS. The 'it just works' moniker is correct (except for Apple Maps, it still sucks ). That, and all your favorite Google apps are available on iOS as well (and in some cases, work better than their Android versions).

That's just my experience, your mileage may vary."

That same author also wrote:

"Some common deal breakers for each platform are usually as follows:

iPad (or iOS in general):
- Apple's closed system (walled garden) vs. Android's open system (this is actually a plus for some people, depends on you)
- unable to sideload apps from outside the app store/Play store
- unable to change default apps outside of Apple's versions (e.g. make Chrome the default browser, Google Maps the default maps app, etc)
- in addition, can't change keyboard. SwiftKey for Android is a wonderful, amazing keyboard. iOS' keyboard is the second best out there IMHO, but still not as good as SwiftKey
- no accessible local file system/storage, cannot store a variety of files locally (outside of photos/videos) for access by other apps. iOS apps get around this by either creating their own file storage in-app (usually accessible by only that app) or using cloud storage for file access (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc)
- stuck with a static app grid on home screen, no widgets, quick toggles, etc (though iOS 7 will bring quick toggles via the swipe up control panel)

Keep in mind that all of the above points are just a jailbreak away from being a non issue, if you're into that sort of thing.

Android tablet/Nexus 10 cons:
- selection of tablet apps still not up to par with iOS, though it has improved considerably
- many new apps tend to be available for iOS first, and then Android later
- cross device syncing not as good as Apple counterparts. It's not terrible, but Apple's device syncing is just incredibly good
- user experience in the OS will never be as fluid as iOS. It's improved (and should run fine on a Nexus 10), but a one OS for many devices setup will never be as fluid as one OS made for one device by the same manufacturer. Chrome on Android is especially bad about stuttering when scrolling down web pages - drove me nuts
- you will run into the occasional "this app is not compatible with your device" issue.
- malware is a legitimate concern on Android, but shouldn't be an issue as long as you stick to the Play Store for apps
- support for devices pales in comparison to Apple. If you have a hardware problem with your iPad (assuming it's still under warranty), take it to an Apple store and they'll either fix it, or just give you a replacement. Good luck getting that level of support with any Android device, including Nexus devices.
- while you can 'tinker' with Android more, be prepared to spend tinkering time just trying to troubleshoot annoying issues, like tracking down background apps sucking your battery dry. I work in technology in general, but even I got tired of always having to tinker with my tablet just to restore normal functionality.

That all being said, you need to look at what you need to use the tablet for and see what solution is best for you. There are people who have legitimate need of local file storage and being able to side load apps for their use case, and Android works best for them. In my own personal experience, the 'jankiness' of my Android tablet, app compatibility issues, and overall less fluid experience eventually drove me nuts. There are things I gave up going to an iPad (noted above), but in the end I don't miss them because the overall experience has been much more enjoyable despite the trade offs.

Again, your mileage may vary."

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

Actually i have posted this question in the iPad 4 forum at iMore.com. One of the very helpful replies is this from mulasien:

"Hello Soreloser, good questions. I'll try to give at least my input.

First off, given that you're already familiar with both iOS and Android, you're probably aware of the pros and cons of each OS in general.

I currently own an iPad 4, but also used to own an Asus TF300 Android tablet.

from your points:
- I doubt that you'll tell a difference in video from the iPad vs. the Nexus 10. There comes a point where a PPI count can't be determined by the naked eye past a certain point. The branding of 'retina display' gets its name because it (at least according to Apple) is at the PPI where you can't see individual pixels without putting your eyeball right on the screen (which I don't recommend). Both will look great.
- An iPad is a great product on its own, but goes up in value if you have other Apple products to sync with. I like being able to take pics on my iPhone, and have it automagically appear on my iPad's Photo Stream. However since you have an HTC One now, it doesn't sync up quite as well, although you can use apps like Google+ instant upload to sync pics between both devices
- While the Nexus 10 is indeed a beast in terms of hardware specs, it will still not be at smooth and lag-free as the iPad. This goes for all Android hardware. Yes, I'm aware that 4.2 Jellybean is a significant improvement for smoothness (I know, I had a 4.2 phone and tablet), but even then you WILL notice lag at some points. The question will be how much it irks you, some people are bothered by it more than others.
- Of all 10" Android tablets, I'd recommend the Nexus 10 the most. Gets updates direct from Google, and has incredible hardware to boot. I have no knowledge about the build quality vs. an iPad, so you'll have to google that yourself.
- The Android tablet app selection has improved a good bit over the years, but still lags behind iPad.
- Android by it's nature has more customization and better app communication than iOS, depends on how important this is to you.
- Although the Nexus 10 has a faster CPU, the iPad 4 is still super smooth. There aren't any apps out yet that actually tax it's performance. Also, iOS has been shown to be more optimized than Android (the nature of the beast) and runs faster even if it has a slower CPU.

With all that said, my personal take is that I used to own both an Android phone and tablet, but now have an iOS phone and tablet. Why? I was initially attracted to Android because of the customization and greater control you have over the OS, and the ability to have live widgets on your screen, all of which are nice. However, the lagginess of the OS, the inevitable "this app is not compatible with your device" that you WILL run into (even Nexus products), and lesser app (tablet) selection acted as a 'death by a thousand cuts' for me, and I made the jump back to iOS. Yes, iOS has less customization and no widgets compared to Android, however the trade off is that you get a rock solid OS with an amazing user experience and app selection. I did not miss what I gave up in Android for what I gained in iOS. The 'it just works' moniker is correct (except for Apple Maps, it still sucks ). That, and all your favorite Google apps are available on iOS as well (and in some cases, work better than their Android versions).

That's just my experience, your mileage may vary."

That same author also wrote:

"Some common deal breakers for each platform are usually as follows:

iPad (or iOS in general):
- Apple's closed system (walled garden) vs. Android's open system (this is actually a plus for some people, depends on you)
- unable to sideload apps from outside the app store/Play store
- unable to change default apps outside of Apple's versions (e.g. make Chrome the default browser, Google Maps the default maps app, etc)
- in addition, can't change keyboard. SwiftKey for Android is a wonderful, amazing keyboard. iOS' keyboard is the second best out there IMHO, but still not as good as SwiftKey
- no accessible local file system/storage, cannot store a variety of files locally (outside of photos/videos) for access by other apps. iOS apps get around this by either creating their own file storage in-app (usually accessible by only that app) or using cloud storage for file access (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc)
- stuck with a static app grid on home screen, no widgets, quick toggles, etc (though iOS 7 will bring quick toggles via the swipe up control panel)

Keep in mind that all of the above points are just a jailbreak away from being a non issue, if you're into that sort of thing.

Android tablet/Nexus 10 cons:
- selection of tablet apps still not up to par with iOS, though it has improved considerably
- many new apps tend to be available for iOS first, and then Android later
- cross device syncing not as good as Apple counterparts. It's not terrible, but Apple's device syncing is just incredibly good
- user experience in the OS will never be as fluid as iOS. It's improved (and should run fine on a Nexus 10), but a one OS for many devices setup will never be as fluid as one OS made for one device by the same manufacturer. Chrome on Android is especially bad about stuttering when scrolling down web pages - drove me nuts
- you will run into the occasional "this app is not compatible with your device" issue.
- malware is a legitimate concern on Android, but shouldn't be an issue as long as you stick to the Play Store for apps
- support for devices pales in comparison to Apple. If you have a hardware problem with your iPad (assuming it's still under warranty), take it to an Apple store and they'll either fix it, or just give you a replacement. Good luck getting that level of support with any Android device, including Nexus devices.
- while you can 'tinker' with Android more, be prepared to spend tinkering time just trying to troubleshoot annoying issues, like tracking down background apps sucking your battery dry. I work in technology in general, but even I got tired of always having to tinker with my tablet just to restore normal functionality.

That all being said, you need to look at what you need to use the tablet for and see what solution is best for you. There are people who have legitimate need of local file storage and being able to side load apps for their use case, and Android works best for them. In my own personal experience, the 'jankiness' of my Android tablet, app compatibility issues, and overall less fluid experience eventually drove me nuts. There are things I gave up going to an iPad (noted above), but in the end I don't miss them because the overall experience has been much more enjoyable despite the trade offs.

Again, your mileage may vary."

Good post but one post doesn't necessarily prove anything. You'll get the same kind of posts here.

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

To make things easier for the OP:

30+ Reasons You Should Buy a Nexus 10 Tablet | Mostly-Tech

This guy is basically the most informed, un-biased tech blogger I've ever seen. He's not a fanboy and he's fair to both sides. I thought he made one of reasons to get the iPad 4 over the Nexus 10 as well but I can't seem to find it but I'll keep looking.

 

[anon5664829]

Good post but one post doesn't necessarily prove anything. You'll get the same kind of posts here.

It proves a lot to me actually.... But as it stands I hope Op actually uses both before making a decision as both are amazing it will depend in his desires.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

But as it stands I hope Op actually uses both before making a decision as both are amazing it will depend in his desires.

Posted via Android Central App

I would definitely advise that as well, no better way to know for sure which is better for you.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[return_0]

Apps are actually worse on android tablets

Posted via Android Central App

Not in my experience.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[return_0]

Blantently false. They are scaled up Android phone apps.

Posted via Android Central App

You're confusing that with iPhone apps on iPad. I know you don't actually own an Android tablet, explaining your misconception. Of the over 100 apps on my N7, none are scaled up or grainy. In comparison, half of the 40 apps on my father's iPad are scaled up, grainy, and are locked in a certain position so I can't even use the smart cover while using the app.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Craig King]

I would probably agree with most of what Mulasien had posted. But there are a few things that aren't quite right.

Syncing with android can be pretty seamless between devices if you let it. Google+ with auto upload works great and synchronizes photo's between my devices every time I have taken a pic. Now it even auto enhances them. Chrome takes care of web synchronization. I suspect the recent enhancements to "Hangouts" will be a direct supplement for iMessage.

Though google doesn't have storefronts to replace the Nexus line, I haven't heard people complain about replacements from google (well other then one person trying to rip off Google).

I would also point out that the "It Just works" line is really not correct. I could say the same thing about my N10. It does just work for me, and I have heard plenty of people I know with Ipads that haven't had that experience.

Part of what holds android based devices back is that most hardware OEM's look at it as simply a platform for them to start from and monetize by trying to implement there own pieces. I think both Samsung and HTC have created some of there own content stores that have failed. But the point there is the OEMs like Samsung and HTC have no reason to help facilitate synchronization between devices, and on top of that may not load the google apps needed to do it well. The Nexus line will include them, so atleast they will be preloaded. You just have to enable the functionality.

That is one benefit of being the only game in town and controlling every piece of the ecosystem.

 

[anon5664829]

You're confusing that with iPhone apps on iPad. I know you don't actually own an Android tablet, explaining your misconception. Of the over 100 apps on my N7, none are scaled up or grainy. In comparison, half of the 40 apps on my father's iPad are scaled up, grainy, and are locked in a certain position so I can't even use the smart cover while using the app.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Yeah that happens with certain apps. Yes I've had a N10 certain apps were just blown up

Posted via Android Central App

 

[return_0]

Yeah that happens with certain apps. Yes I've had a N10 certain apps were just blown up

Posted via Android Central App

But most aren't, more than on iOS.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[anon5664829]

But most aren't, more than on iOS.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Ha! That's really funny.... It's fact that the iPad has more tablet apps. No point arguing

Posted via Android Central App

 

[return_0]

Ha! That's really funny.... It's fact that the iPad has more tablet apps. No point arguing

Posted via Android Central App

Android doesn't need tablet apps; apps adapt to tablets. Having dedicated tablet apps separate from their identical smartphone counterparts is a form of fragmentation.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Farish]

Ha! That's really funny.... It's fact that the iPad has more tablet apps. No point arguing

Posted via Android Central App

Android doesn't need tablet apps; apps adapt to tablets. Having dedicated tablet apps separate from their identical smartphone counterparts is a form of fragmentation.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

There is no fragmentation because of this. Also you are absolutely wrong on this because the app makers on the Android store have already done the same. Also the whole point of tablet apps is that they aren't identical but that is up to the developer not being lazy and truly taking advantage of extra screen space.

Best selling example is Swiftkey. They have one specifically for tablets.

Now on to the development side of things.

When you develop an app for the Apple store you have an option to make an iPhone app, an iPad app or a universal app that will have layout and resolution that conforms to the devices.
Either way your app has to adapt to tablets. Apple makes easy to conform your app to either standard, without having to over scale or blow up certain views.

The developer can choose any of those options, that is also up to them and what kind of price range they wish to set their apps at.

When you develop an app for Android, you can have the app automatically scale with the resolution. You do not have to be force to use the aspect of a tablet over the phone, but the problem is when developers don't take the tablet into account though. Sure you can run them on your tablet but then again, it may not take advantage of that extra space.

This is where you talk about apps adapting to tablets comes into play.

Apple basically states if you wish to put an app on a tablet, we want to be designed for it because it is a better experience. You are force to have your app to adapt to tablet in order to have it available on the tablet section.

Google use to state do what you want. Now Google states, do what you want, but we are going to make a tablet optimization section of our app store because we realized that tablet apps matter. Please make tablet apps because the market needs them.

Android does need tablet apps. If you really believe in Android and want the operating system to grow well on all levels including the Enterprise, then this is a must. People like it when an app takes advantage of their larger screen.

 

[anon5664829]

There is no fragmentation because of this. Also you are absolutely wrong on this because the app makers on the Android store have already done the same. Also the whole point of tablet apps is that they aren't identical but that is up to the developer not being lazy and truly taking advantage of extra screen space.

Best selling example is Swiftkey. They have one specifically for tablets.

Now on to the development side of things.

When you develop an app for the Apple store you have an option to make an iPhone app, an iPad app or a universal app that will have layout and resolution that conforms to the devices.
Either way your app has to adapt to tablets. Apple makes easy to conform your app to either standard, without having to over scale or blow up certain views.

The developer can choose any of those options, that is also up to them and what kind of price range they wish to set their apps at.

When you develop an app for Android, you can have the app automatically scale with the resolution. You do not have to be force to use the aspect of a tablet over the phone, but the problem is when developers don't take the tablet into account though. Sure you can run them on your tablet but then again, it may not take advantage of that extra space.

This is where you talk about apps adapting to tablets comes into play.

Apple basically states if you wish to put an app on a tablet, we want to be designed for it because it is a better experience. You are force to have your app to adapt to tablet in order to have it available on the tablet section.

Google use to state do what you want. Now Google states, do what you want, but we are going to make a tablet optimization section of our app store because we realized that tablet apps matter. Please make tablet apps because the market needs them.

Android does need tablet apps. If you really believe in Android and want the operating system to grow well on all levels including the Enterprise, then this is a must. People like it when an app takes advantage of their larger screen.

Thank you for proving me.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

There is no fragmentation because of this. Also you are absolutely wrong on this because the app makers on the Android store have already done the same. Also the whole point of tablet apps is that they aren't identical but that is up to the developer not being lazy and truly taking advantage of extra screen space.

Best selling example is Swiftkey. They have one specifically for tablets.

Now on to the development side of things.

When you develop an app for the Apple store you have an option to make an iPhone app, an iPad app or a universal app that will have layout and resolution that conforms to the devices.
Either way your app has to adapt to tablets. Apple makes easy to conform your app to either standard, without having to over scale or blow up certain views.

The developer can choose any of those options, that is also up to them and what kind of price range they wish to set their apps at.

When you develop an app for Android, you can have the app automatically scale with the resolution. You do not have to be force to use the aspect of a tablet over the phone, but the problem is when developers don't take the tablet into account though. Sure you can run them on your tablet but then again, it may not take advantage of that extra space.

This is where you talk about apps adapting to tablets comes into play.

Apple basically states if you wish to put an app on a tablet, we want to be designed for it because it is a better experience. You are force to have your app to adapt to tablet in order to have it available on the tablet section.

Google use to state do what you want. Now Google states, do what you want, but we are going to make a tablet optimization section of our app store because we realized that tablet apps matter. Please make tablet apps because the market needs them.

Android does need tablet apps. If you really believe in Android and want the operating system to grow well on all levels including the Enterprise, then this is a must. People like it when an app takes advantage of their larger screen.

I enjoyed your misinformed post. Listing one app that has a separate tablet version proves nothing. That was made cause the developer chose to. Android's apps work just as well on tablets as they do on phones (with about 2% of them being an exception) so Android needs tablet optimized apps...good one. -_- lol

It would be nice if these posts could stay relevant but I guess certain people can't handle that.

 

[Farish]

I enjoyed your misinformed post. Listing one app that has a separate tablet version proves nothing. That was made cause the developer chose to. Android's apps work just as well on tablets as they do on phones (with about 2% of them being an exception) so Android needs tablet optimized apps...good one. -_- lol

It would be nice if these posts could stay relevant but I guess certain people can't handle that.

Can you point to me where I was misinformed or where I stated that Android apps run poorly on tablets. There is a difference between stating it is a poor user experience because they are not taking advantage of extra real estate on the screen. There are some apps like the Android version of CNN Tablet Version that offers an extra sidebar and a couple other features because of that real estate. CNN is a different experience on the phone and it was designed with the smaller screen in size. Even with these higher resolution phones it still doesn't change the fact that these larger screens give more options and real estate to play with.

I know you have a Nexus 10. If you don't have it already use the CNN application on both your phone and tablet. Tell me if that extra sidebar designed that way is more convenient than scrolling the top bar left to right phone app because of the advantage of having that larger screen size.

You might even wish more apps took the time to do this.

And that is what I meant by better user experience.

Also Google has come out and stated that Android needs a better tablet experience and they are going to push that. People tend to forget that the first real tablet OS for Android was Honeycomb. That was one of the issues with the earlier versions of Android and why OEMS modified them so heavily to get rid of features like the dialer.

You can also say I am wrong and Android doesn't needed it but the most important people(Google) involved with Android state they feel it is needed.
You can argue with me part of what I am saying is only repeating what they are saying themselves. They are trying to release better developer tools and an Tablet section of the app store to encourage this.

My point was the reason why there are more tablet optimized apps is because Apple demanded it from the beginning. Take that however you want, it still is the case.

Another thing remember some of my posts comes from a developers point of view, what I was putting out there is exactly how the process works with both Apple and Google.
There is no gray lines or in betweens on this, this is more a matter of fact.

 

[Craig King]

The question is not do tablet apps make a better experience but should they be needed. I have heard it said over and over again. And the simple answer is NO it isn't needed. I will give you two examples I used on a daily basis.

First is the exact app you mentioned. Swiftkey tablet edition. I bought the tablet version because it was written in a way that works well on tablets. What many don't know is that it will also work great on HD Phones. I use it as my primary keyboard on my Galaxy Note 1. Yep, that is right 1.5 year old phone with a 1280x800 display.

The Second example I use regularly is Splashtop. I own both of the gen 1 apps and have used Splashtop 2. The reason I own both of the gen1 apps is because when they were originally created they didn't setup the app to scale some of the control features based on screen size, and therefore pushed that to get the best experience possible you needed to use different apps. Ironically Splashtop 2 which is there premier product now works great on both devices.

The idea that you have to have a separate phone and tablet app is completely ridiculous, and needs to stop being pushed. It is wrong. If anything it lets developers just be sloppy. They need to write there app correctly in the first place for both of them.

 

[Farish]

The idea that you have to have a separate phone and tablet app is completely ridiculous, and needs to stop being pushed. It is wrong. If anything it lets developers just be sloppy. They need to write there app correctly in the first place for both of them.

In most cases this is not about being lazy.

A team of 15 developers working 1 year on an application plus overhead plus other expenses, how much does that cost? Would say 2 million in that year is unreasonable?

Now you want to add additional resources and time to create an optimized universal application that works well both on Tablets and Phones. Then you have release date delays because you are still working on finishing up optimization or a bug was missed in the code somewhere and it is breaking.

More costs are sunk in and in order to get things done on time you have to invest another couple developers.

Server costs to host certain data or exchange certain information.

This is about time, money, and funding.

Did you know Splashtop (using this as an example since you mention them) started with 10 million dollars in funding?

When the smaller one/two man show is starting out, they want to get their app as soon as possible and taking the time to develop a universal experience for both phones and tablets make not be financially possible.

You want to get your foot into the door first and the idea of releasing a tablet version afterwards is more about getting some additional revenue stream to grow and release other products is part of this.

This might not have been needed as much if the app stores had a higher threshold of starting costs like 4.99 than the 99 cent one. This is why freemium games have become so popular to be develop.

 

[Craig King]

First of all you need to separate UI Design from application code. These UI design elements should be completely independent of how the app works. Second no one is saying they couldn't release an app for one platform and then update to support the other. As a matter of fact I would even support they do so if they are in a financial position to need to do so.

But with that said I would seriously have a problem believing anyone that says it is better to do something halfway and not look at the whole picture just to get something out the door. I can very well understand Splashtop having two separate platforms back with there gen1 app was released. At the time it was released the only android tab out was the Xoom and that is why I bought Splasthop HD. But that is now years ago, tablets are not new on the scene now, and the android platform has evolved allot since Honeycomb.

If wouldn't believe anyone that says it is better to maintain 2 support paths over one, or would I really want to support an app that promotes that route simply for monetization.

In the current status of Android (and really what it has been for some time) there is no reason that someone writing a app couldn't design a good UI for both tablets and phones into there app as long as they thought about it from the beginning. One design path, one maintenance path, one application.

With all that said though, you really didn't state anything that says we need tablet specific apps. If anything the only thing I saw was you were advocating for it so developers can charge for their app twice.