[octacat]

The only viable alternative to iOS/Android apps are web apps. Apple fights it by limiting number of features you can use in the browser on mobile phones and no alternative browsers. Google - by saying, ok, go with it, you will use tech, that we control anyway.

The current amount of hacks needed to make the native desktop apps compatible across even the same operation system, but different versions, is kinda scary. Pretty sure the similar situation for mobile apps too.